Ah, December… the month when the Christmas spirit takes over the office, together with an unavoidable ritual: Secret Santa. But how do you find an original and meaningful gift for your favourite contract manager? Quite a challenge, because this demanding job deserves VIP treatment. Rest assured, this article is here to inspire you with a touch of humour and a few ideas for under €10.
A. What is Secret Santa?
Secret Santa is a tradition in which colleagues exchange gifts anonymously. Each participant draws a colleague’s name and has to find a present within a set budget.
In the workplace, the practice can turn awkward: how do you buy a gift for Josiane in accounts, who collects porcelain frogs and with whom you have not spoken since the 2018 seminar in the Ardèche? Or for Jean-Michel in management control, whose passions remain as mysterious as the formulas in his Excel spreadsheets? In that context, choosing a gift for a contract manager can be a real puzzle. These professionals already juggle legal subtleties, financial stakes and complex negotiations. Why not offer them a little light relief for once?
B. Five gift ideas for under €10
i. A rather special notebook
To help your contract manager organise their thoughts between two contract clauses, this humorous notebook is perfect. With its “Travailler sa cnocentration” message, it is a subtle reminder that their concentration time deserves respect. As a bonus, it is an implicit statement: “I promise not to interrupt you every five minutes.”
ii. A lightsaber pen
A gift that will delight Star Wars fans, and not only them! Picture your contract manager signing a contract with a lightsaber pen. An original touch that might just intimidate (or amuse) the other side during negotiations.
iii. An « absolutely not important » stamp
The ideal gift for a contract manager buried under urgent emails and documents. This “absolutely not important” stamp will become their best friend for sorting priorities and avoiding pointless interruptions.
iv. A pair of message socks
Let us be honest, this is not the most original gift. That said, these socks can do the job if they carry amusing or motivating messages. “Shit happens”, « The Boss », or other messages of motivation and support can strike the right note for a difficult end of year!
v. A board game about bluffing and negotiation
Sharpen your contract manager’s negotiating talents with a game such as Perudo, Werewolf or, for something more original, « Bluff ». A playful activity that could even be tested in a team-building session, to see who is the best strategist in the office.
C. Going beyond the small gift
We could not close this article without mentioning what will really please your favourite contract manager. The ultimate gift, the one with no price tag: your commitment to reading and taking ownership of the contracts that bind you to your clients and suppliers, to taking an active part in contract briefing meetings, to contributing spontaneously to risk reviews… without them having to chase you eight times. With or without Secret Santa, a little attention to their day-to-day work remains the finest gift you can give them!