Simple DIY Thank You Gift for the Extra Special Person

This post featuring a Simple DIY Thank You gift for the Extra Special Person has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All stories, photos, and opinions are my own. #ExtraGumMoments #CollectiveBias

I don’t talk about my day job much on this blog because it’s a little bit of a no-no in my line of work, but today I’m going to tell you about a few extra special people who deserve so many thanks on a daily basis and who receive so little. I decided to make this simple DIY thank you gift for some of my coworkers to show them just how much I appreciate their hard work.

I have been doing my current job for 3 years now and for most of that time I have worked with a group of people who are housed over 4 hours away. I travel to see them once every other month or so, but I just don’t feel a strong connection to them. We talk on the phone occasionally and we email often, but it’s just not the same as being in the same office as someone. My coworkers are all officed in different locations as well so finding a connection to anyone has been difficult. The office I’m in had a different specialist so they rarely had the need to come to me for advice or guidance on a case…until recently.

About 3-4 months ago, I was reassigned to my local area and I’m now the specialist assigned to the unit of worker IN my office! No more quiet days hidden in my cubicle and I no longer have to worry about the lights (or the alarm!) being turned off on me when I happen to work later in the evening. I finally have a group of workers who I can bond with and talk to face to face on a regular basis…and they are HARD workers!

It was never more clear to me how much I’m a part of their group now than at Thanksgiving when we had a pot luck in the office. I’ve never really felt comfortable joining them at the meal when they have these get-togethers. I usually just quietly slip out of the office when their meals start so I’m not out of place. Granted, this is probably MUCH more me than them, but it is how I felt. This year, I felt like I was part of the group and joined them in bringing food for the pot luck and eating with them. I even talked a little and enjoyed the company of some really great people.

I knew then that I needed to do something for them during the holidays to show them all how thankful I am for them. I picked up some foam sheets, some star stickers, and some Extra gum to make a super simple DIY thank you gift for each of the investigators in my office.

Because I never know if people are going to take holiday leave early, I went ahead and gave out the Extra special thank you cards early. I was trying to be discreet, but I got caught and everyone loved their little gifts. I included a good ball point pen on the gift because we are always running out of pens in the office and now everyone has their own color to go with their little gift. It may not be much, but the sentiment is there and they know that I mean it. It’s a simple gift to say thank you for being an Extra hard worker, working hard for our kids, and going the Extra mile.

What do you use when you make a simple DIY thank you gift?