Should I Give My Bosses Gifts?

It's Christmas and I'm thinking if I should give my bosses gifts but it's tricky. I met an IB MD who gave me advice and he recommended I buy my bosses gifts. He even recommended that I make a tombstone for one of my bosses with his name written on it and things I admire about him. Sounds crazy but then again we discussed this while we were drunk on whiskey and wine and I'm wondering if he would've still given that advice had he been sober.

Basically I have three (3) options:
Option 1. Give gifts to bosses
a. Simple small novelty item like a coffee mug
b. Something a bit pricier like Cuban cigars or fine whiskey.
Option 2. Give Xmas greeting cards only
Option 3. Don't give anything

Option 1
My primary concern on Option 1 is the gesture can be seen as ass-kissing. I made a few slip-ups the past month or so and they might think I'm doing this to redeem myself.

However, one of our bosses gave me a gift in my early days at the firm so I was thinking of giving back as a way of reciprocation. I'm at a boutique firm that's flat and I sort of have 3 bosses. So if I were to give a gift to one boss I gotta give to all 3 (and maybe even their secretaries). I think HR Policy would be okay in gift-giving as the staff chipped in to buy one of them a cake for his birthday.

Option a could be a good one so as not to look trying hard but also might come off as tacky depending on what I would get them. If I were to give a pricey gift (option b) that would burn a hole in my pocket and I'm a cheapskate and, quite frankly, they have a fuckton more money than I do so there's that.

Option 2
Obviously this would be so much cheaper but has the added benefit of being more sincere and authentic without coming off as trying hard and too ass-kissing. Handwritten greeting cards can be more personalized and can more accurately communicate the right message. I can even give greeting cards to other staff so it doesn't look I'm only after the bosses.

Option 3
This is the safest bet. I don't have to spend money and I don't have to take a gambit in either making a good impression with the bosses or coming off as trying hard / kissing ass. And at the end of the day, they're not expecting you to give them a gift.

 

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