I know this is a bit late, but gifts are starting to trickle in from my co-workers at my new job, and I realize I'm going to have to reciprocate. All told I'll probably need to get presents for about 15 co-workers. I'd like to keep the cost between $50-75. I'm not a baker. Any other cheap suggestions?
I'm guessing from your question that you're at the beginning of your career? I'm going to assume so since it sounds like this is the first time you've had to deal with this issue.
I'm going to go contrary to most of the advice that's already been given. If you want to move ahead in your organization you have to invest in relationships, which is what your coworkers are doing. Although I am cheap, I see these small Christmas gifts (as well as the other gifts I am asked to chip in on throughout the year) as an investment in my career, and in my experience these small investments have big payoffs.
If you search the boards, you will find that office gift giving has already been thoroughly debated, so I'm just going to give you some ideas of things that people in our office give each other:
1. Dollar scratch-off tickets (I don't play the lottery, being a Mustachian, but people really do love these. And everybody gets a big kick out of it because I'm the only one who doesn't ever play, and I'm the one who always wins something at Christmas)
2. Small boxes of quality chocolate or other candy
3. Very nice body lotion (usually given between women, def. NOT dollar store varieties)
4. Wendy's junior frosty keychain card
5. Lego minifigurines (the giver loves legos, we're IT nerds, and it fits our personality as a department. YMMV. I got the Viking Woman last year for XMas and she's sitting on my desk right now!
http://minifigures.lego.com/en-US/Bios/Constable.aspx#Viking Woman)
6. Starbucks cards for $5
7. Group gifts -- if you're all in the same department you can get a nice "tower of treats" from Costco for $20 or $30 and share it with everyone
If you can make stuff...
Here's the stuff I've made for my coworkers. These are so easy my young daughter has helped me with them. All of these are low-cost, easy, gender-neutral, and impressive:
1. Rice heating pads (sew a small rectangle. put rice in it. done.) Cost to make: 25 cents each. Cost to buy on Etsy: $11 each.
2. Chai Latte mix in small mason jars (got the recipe online - just a bunch of powders mixed together in a big bowl then poured into mason jars)
3. Personalized magnets (Buy small, clear, flat-sided marbles at dollar store. Print out each person's first initial in a bunch of different fonts (. Use hole punch to cut out letters. Glue letters to flat back of marbles. Glue small magnets to flat back of marbles. Put personalized magnets in metal gift card boxes from Micheals ($1 each). They looked so good people thought I had bought them, but they were so easy my 7 year old helped me make them. Probably cost $2 per person. Some people took them home and put them on the frig, some use them at work.
4. This year I'm making tile coasters. Buy plain white tiles at Home Depot for .16 cents each. Use cool paper, maps, paper napkins, pretty much anything made out of paper, and decoupage it on top of the tile. Seal well. For my close friends I'm going to try printing photos from their Facebook pages to really personalize them.
Best of luck and happy holidays!