Gifts for Remote Coworkers (Your Pixelated Pals)
For colleagues you've only seen from the shoulders up.
Why It's Tricky
Remote coworkers exist in a strange dimension where you know the interior design of their home office but not what their legs look like. You've seen their cats more than their faces (cameras off is self-care), and your entire relationship exists in the uncanny valley between work friend and elaborate catfish. Finding a gift for someone you've never met in person means shipping something meaningful to an address that might be in a completely different time zone, to a person whose full existence is a voice on calls and a profile picture from 2019.
Gift Ideas
- -A ring light so you can finally see their face clearly (jk, keep the camera off)
- -A 'Sorry, you're on mute' embroidered pillow
- -Fancy coffee or tea for their elaborate work-from-home beverage setup
- -A DoorDash gift card because remote workers deserve lunch too
- -Noise-canceling headphones so they can pretend their kids/dogs/neighbors don't exist
Things to Consider
- *Get their shipping address casually—'for the holiday card list' sounds less stalker-y
- *Time zone math matters—don't send frozen goods to someone 3 days of shipping away
- *Remember that digital gifts (subscriptions, delivery apps) avoid the logistics entirely
Get Gift Ideas That Actually Land
Get remote-friendly gift ideas that actually ship.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I get a remote coworker's address without being weird?
- Three options: Ask directly (most honest), claim it's for 'company holiday cards' (slightly manipulative), or check if your company has a directory (requires initiative). Avoid reverse-engineering it from their Zoom background—that's just surveillance with extra steps.
- What if my remote coworker is in another country?
- International shipping is expensive and slow. Consider digital gifts (streaming subscriptions, meal delivery apps that work in their region) or e-gift cards. If you do ship physical goods, check customs restrictions—nobody wants their gift stuck in bureaucratic limbo.
- Are digital gifts impersonal?
- Only if you make them impersonal. A generic Amazon gift card? Sure. A subscription to something you know they love based on actual conversations you've had? That's thoughtful. Context is everything.
- How do I include remote coworkers in team gift exchanges?
- Ship their gift early (2 weeks minimum for domestic, more for international), coordinate the opening via video call, and for the love of all that is holy, don't make them watch everyone else open gifts while theirs is 'still in transit.'