Many companies have solved this problem for you with gift exchange rules. Ask your supervisor and co-workers about the office protocols.  Human resources is also a great place to start. Ask whether you're allowed to give gifts and if there are any rules to abide by.

Giving office holiday gifts to your boss is fine but not necessary. Here are two things to consider before giving a gift to your boss. You may seem like you're sucking up.  Keep your gift thoughtful and modest and spending a few extra dollars isn't going 

to win you points with the top dog. It could backfire and hurt your image.

This idea may seem like a great solution to office holiday gifts. It reduces the money each person spends, provides the opportunity for the office to show their appreciation, and prevents you from looking like a kiss up.  Yet, these notions are the furthest thing from the truth. This violates

the above rule — gifts flow downhill — and it causes hurt feelings and misunderstanding among team members. A nice card, signed by all team members is a nice alternative to giving gifts to superiors and executive management.

If your office organizes an office holiday gift exchange, rather than asking team members to opt in, place a sign-up sheet for those who want to participate.  Co-workers often feel awkward by declining to participate in office holiday events. Asking them to 

sign up eliminates the anxiety and allows people to just skip the event.

Office holiday gift giving should stay professional and courteous. Stay away from gifts that are too personal.  Overly personalized gifts could be mistaken for unprofessional conduct or, even worse, sexual harassment.

Consider baking cupcakes to take to the office, or make cookies and wrap them in those cute holiday food bags.  For those of us who cannot survive in the kitchen, check out the holiday confection stores at the mall. Many candy stores sell bulk sweets at a discount.