Do you think your boss will get you a holiday gift this year? If you do get one, you are among the majority.

• Survey: Giving Boss Gift?

According to a new survey, 56 percent of managers will be spreading holiday cheer around the office this year by giving presents to their employees.

The recent survey by CareerBuilder.com and ShopLocal said that one-third of bosses who will purchase gifts plan to spend $10 or less per staff member; bosses expect to spend more than $25 and nearly one in 10 expect to spend more than $50.

Of those surveyed, 29 percent of workers said they would reciprocate the gesture, with those making less than $50,000 being the most likely to buy holiday gifts for their bosses.

The survey, "Holidays at the Office," was completed in September 2006 and included 1,650 workers and 1,150 hiring managers nationwide.

Managers

While more than half of employers who were surveyed said they plan to give holiday gifts to their staffs, 9 percent said they feel obligated to do so. Female managers are more likely to holiday shop, with 62 percent planning to buy gifts for their staffs, compared to 51 percent of male managers, according to the survey.

The amount employers said they spend on each employee for holiday gifts is:

11 percent: $5 or less per person

22 percent: $6 to $10

16 percent: $11 to $15

13 percent: $16 to $20

16 percent: $21 to $25

13 percent: $26 to $50

9 percent: $51 and or more

Cash ranked highest on office shopping lists. About 52 percent of managers responded that they plan to give money or gift cards to their staff members. Twenty-three percent will give their staff gifts of candy, while 21 percent will buy their workers holiday ornaments or decorations. Other popular gifts are books (15 percent), wine/alcohol (13 percent), food baskets (12 percent) and gag gifts (11 percent).

Workers

Nearly three in 10 workers surveyed said they plan to buy holiday gifts for their bosses, with 5 percent feeling obligated to do so. Female employees are more likely to holiday shop with 39 percent planning to buy gifts for their bosses compared to 16 percent of men. Thirty-five percent of workers said they would buy for other co-workers.

The study also found the more you make, the less likely you are to spend it on the boss. Twenty-three percent of workers with incomes over $100,000 and 27 percent of those with incomes between $50,000 and $100,000 said they will buy a gift for their boss compared to 34 percent of workers who earn less than $50,000, according to the survey.

The amount workers said they personally spend on a team gift for the boss is:

18 percent: $5 or less per person

29 percent: $6 to $10

13 percent: $11 to $15

17 percent: $16 to $20

7 percent: $21 to $25

8 percent: $26 to $50

8 percent: $51 and or more

Of the employees who said they were buying gifts for their bosses, 38 percent said they would get them gift cards, gift certificates or money. Food baskets and wine/alcohol tied for second most popular at 13 percent. Business card holders, paperweights or other office items came in third at 12 percent.

Nearly half of workers (49 percent) reported that their company hosts holiday parties and 23 percent said their company hosts a grab bag or gift exchange. One in 10 (12 percent) admitted to feeling there would be negative consequences if they didn't participate in a grab bag or gift exchange.

Many of the office workers did not give or get typical gifts. When asked to identify some of the more unusual holiday gifts they or a co-worker had received at the office, respondents offered the following examples:

Gift certificate to a strip club

A voodoo doll

Underwear

What Would Jesus Do? bracelet

Used makeup

Bottle of vodka for a recovering alcoholic

Package of over-the-counter medicines

Tin of burnt cookies

Used cookbook with food stains on it

Tips for Gift-Giving at the Office

If you plan to give presents at the office, CareerBuilder.com and ShopLocal experts offered the following advice:

1) Ask around. Companies have different policies when it comes to gift-giving at the office. Some may restrict dollar value amounts or outright prohibit gifts. Check with human resources and ask other employees how gift-giving was handled in the office in previous years.

2) Err on the conservative. The best of intentions can turn into the worst of consequences if the recipient of the gift feels it is offensive or inappropriate. The safest bets are to stay with classic items such as portfolios, books, picture frames, food baskets, etc. And remember to stay away from religious themes.

3) Consider charities. Thirty-eight percent of workers said their office gets involved in charitable activities including Toys for Tots, adopt a family or adopt a classroom and group volunteering. Instead of buying a present for your boss or co-worker, make a charitable donation in his/her name for those in need.

4) Quality counts. Closeouts and clearance sales can be tempting, but beware of dead batteries, cheap construction and spoiled goods. If you want to make a lasting impression, make sure it's a positive one.

CareerBuilder.com said the survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of between Aug. 31 and Sept. 5 among 1,650 workers and 1,150 hiring managers, ages 18 and over.

With a pure probability sample of 1,150 or 1,650, one could say with a 95 percent probability, that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 4 and 2 percentage points, respectively, CareerBuilder said.