December 06, 2019

21 Unconventional Gifts Your Colleagues Will Love

From the affordable to the lux, thoughtful to quirky, these gifts will make you Santa-in-chief this year.

$20 and under

Lotion Bar

They may look like pretty mooncakes, but these are actually solid lotion bars. Easily slipped into a bag or drawer, they’re handmade from natural ingredients and can be used wherever TLC is needed.
The Clean Attempt; $12 each. $5 delivery, free self-collection.
 

Calm the F*ck Down: An Irreverent Adult Coloring Book

Definitely not meant for kids, this sassy book will have your cool colleague colouring and chilling in no time.
Amazon, $6.88 + $8.42 delivery
 

Dax Wallet

Lighten your office style maven’s pocket with the ultimate cardholder. The world’s first cascading pull-tab wallet, it looks good, feels great and comes with RFID protection. What’s not to love?
The Novus Lab; $19.95. Free delivery for orders above $50.
 

The Singaporean Dream Card Game (SGAG Edition)

Give your co-worker hours of fun and entertainment stealing, sabo-ing or scoring dreams with this uniquely Singaporean card game.
Toy Tag; $20, free local delivery
 

Raindrop Terrarium

Real Japanese blooms that require zero watering and fertilisation yet can last up to 10 years. ‘Nuff said.
 
 

Dating Cards

Raise your single colleagues’ dating game with insightful questions. “Designed to provoke, entertain and stimulate”, they can double as interesting lunch topics.
Cat Socrates; $19.90. Free delivery for orders above $49.

$30 and under

Shower Speaker

Up your colleague’s shower singing game with this bubble gummy waterproof Bluetooth speaker.
 

Harry Potter Wand Make-up Brushes Set

Make her days magical with these Harry Potter-inspired brushes. She may not be able to cast any spells with them, but that sure will not stop her from wanting to yell “Accio!”
Amazon; $20.60 for a set of 5 + $8.63 delivery

Small Curry Puff Cushion

Zero-caloric curry puffs. These plushies in the shape of Old Chang Kee’s best are mouth-wateringly huggable. But do resist the temptation to give them a bite. 
Naiise, $29.90
 

$50 and under

Rocketbook Mini

Give the gift that’ll keep giving with the original endlessly reusable notebook. Write, digitise with the free Rocketbook app and beam it to a favourite cloud service. Simply erase with a few drops of water, and voila, it’s good as new again.
The Novus Lab; $32 each. Free delivery for orders above $50.
 

Fruit Infusing Ice Balls

Why settle for plain ice when you can have infused ones? Simply open the ice mould, add some herbs or fruit, close, fill with water through the flip top, freeze and you’ll have more-ish water in no time.
Uncommon Goods; $13.70 for a set of 4 + $22.10 delivery
 

Tic Shower Bottle V2.0

Score major brownie points with your jet setting and gym junkie buddies. TSA-approved, durable and leakproof, it packs their shampoo, conditioner and shower gel into one elegant, easy-to-use bottle. Simply pop it into a gym bag or suitcase, and shower’s a breeze.
The Novus Lab; $49.90. Free delivery for orders above $50
 

Hoco BK3 Cool Sound KTV Microphone Silver

Make every day a singalong with this nifty microphone. It’s fully compatible with all karaoke apps and has a big voice with a five-watt speaker for its petite 285g. Plus, its 1800mAh built-in battery lets your office karaoke queen groove along to her fave track for up to five hours!
Challenger; $39.90
 

que Bottle

Help your office bestie stay hydrated with this stylish collapsible travel water bottle. Shrink it when less is more – stretch it when it’s the other way around. Plus, it’s leak-proof, non-toxic, BPA-free and doesn’t retain taste or odours.
The Novus Lab; $39.90. Free delivery for orders above $50.
 
 

Discovery 100 Adult Archery Bow, Archery Target Face & Disco 300 Arrow Tri-Pack

Liberate your colleague’s inner Legolas or Katniss. Get them started on the first step to a bull’s eye and hopefully, it’ll be “one shoot one kill” soon… as long as the target doesn’t keep moving.
Decathlon; Discovery 100 Adult Archery Bow ($20), Archery Target Face 60 X 60 CM ($1.90) & Disco 300 Arrow Tri-Pack ($20). Each sold separately
 

Safedome Leather Key Finder

Give your office Mr/Ms Forgetful the next best thing to a homing device: a Bluetooth 5 tracker. Encased in buttery soft leather, it helps them keep tabs on their keys (or other valuables) so they don’t need to waste time hunting for them again.
The Novus Lab; $49. Free delivery for orders above $50
 

For the splurge-worthy

Kablecard

Small, lightweight but mighty, this is the ultimate travel mate for all your office BFF’s charging needs. An all-in-one cable organiser, wireless charger and SIM kit, it even reads memory cards AND doubles as a phone cradle – all in a slim credit card-sized package. Now, if that’s not smart, we don’t know what is.
The Novus Lab; $59. Free delivery
 

Mogics Power Bagel Travel Adapter V2

This is probably the one ring to rule them all in the world of charging. The world’s first travel power strip and adaptor, it fuses FIVE AC sockets and TWO USB ports in a lightweight package that’s smaller than an actual doughnut!
What’s more, its patented 92cm long rewindable cord gives your office bud longer reach at the office, in the airport or on the go.
The Novus Lab; $64. Free delivery
 

Power Packer

A colleague who has too many gadgets? This capacious compact cable organiser conforms to any shape and fits even bulky items like laptop chargers.  
The Novus Lab; $54.90. Free delivery
 

Decode Sling With Fidlock

Spacious as a backpack without the bulk, this is the travel and photography buff’s BFF.
It packs away rolled-up or flat, has a tripod holder and plenty of room for a camera and a couple of lenses. It gives quick access to the camera for those Insta-worthy moments and is waterproof to boot.
What’s more, its quick-release shoulder strap means your best bud won’t have to lift that heavy bag over his head.
The Novus Lab; $199. Free delivery
 
 

Flexpack Pro

40% stronger than Kevlar and stylish enough to bring to the modern boardroom, this bag marries functionality and function effortlessly.
It’s spacious enough to carry a laptop and essentials for a weekend trip away and protects against the rain, pickpockets and identity thieves. Plus, it even comes with a retractable steel wire lock to secure your best office bud’s valuables on European trains.
The Novus Lab; $279. Free delivery
 
Written by The Novus Lab