Christmas gift for a colleague: a terrarium that fits on a desk
For Secret Santa, a leaving present or a whole team: which terrarium to give a colleague, depending on their desk, how they feel about plants and your budget, and how to carry it.
In this guide
For a colleague, the best terrarium is small, closed and care-free: it fits on a corner of the desk, copes with medium light and goes without water during the holidays. A moss terrarium ticks every box. For someone who likes making things, a kit to build is a gift that lasts longer than a box of chocolates. For a windowless office, choose moss lit by an LED or an artificial terrarium.
Depending on the colleague
| Profile | What to give | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Has never had a plant | Closed moss terrarium | Hardly any water, very tolerant |
| Loves decorative objects | Christmas terrarium to build | Festive decoration, then a green jar all year round |
| Their desk has no window | Moss + LED cork, or an artificial terrarium | Other plants would lack light |
| Leaving the company | A kit to build at home | A living keepsake that grows |
| The whole team | A set of kits, built together | A half-hour workshop, one jar each |
The safest choice: moss
An all-moss closed terrarium is the most forgiving gift. Moss copes with medium light, makes do with the water that circulates in the jar and stays green during the holidays. Our Mousse & lumière kit combines a 4.5-litre bottle, eight cushions of live moss and an LED cork.
For the festive season: the Christmas terrarium
Our size L Christmas kit combines a fittonia, two heathers and festive decorations, in a bottle 23 cm in diameter. After January, you remove the decorations and the terrarium lives on.
The step-by-step build is in our Christmas terrarium guide.
For a windowless office
If the desk is in the middle of an open-plan floor, far from the windows, there are two options:
- moss with an LED, which tolerates little light and lights up in the evening;
- an artificial terrarium, with no water or light, see artificial terrarium.
Mini artificial succulents in cement pots also make a small gift to place on each desk.
For a whole team
Giving everyone a kit and building them together makes an end-of-year workshop with no preparation. Allow for a protected table, half an hour and a little water. Our kit bundles group several terrariums in one order.
Ready-made or to build?
- To build: the gift is discovered by making it, and it is easy to carry in its box.
- Ready-made: ready to put down, but more fragile to carry on public transport.
For Secret Santa, a kit to build is more practical: it travels in a bag like any other present. Our tips for giving a terrarium cover both options.
Getting it to the office
- In its box, for a kit, with no special precautions.
- Ready-made: wedged in a cardboard box, cork in place, sheltered from the cold. Below 5 °C outside, do not leave it in a car.
- Once there: on the desk, near a window but not in direct sun, nor above a radiator.
The note to slip in
Three lines are enough: "Bright light, no direct sun. Don't water it as long as there's condensation in the morning. Open it for a few hours if the glass is streaming." Our terrarium at the office guide can add more.
In short
- Moss in a closed jar: the safest gift for a colleague.
- The Christmas terrarium for the festive effect, green all year round afterwards.
- No window: moss with an LED or an artificial terrarium.
- For a team: one kit each, built together.
Frequently asked questions
Is a terrarium a good gift for a colleague?
Yes, if it fits on a desk and needs little care. A closed moss terrarium goes without watering for weeks, which suits an office that is empty at weekends and during holidays.
Which terrarium for a windowless office?
A moss terrarium with an LED cork, or an artificial terrarium. Leafy plants and succulents do not last far from a window.
How do you give a terrarium to build?
In its box, with a note suggesting you put it together, at a break or during a team workshop. Building it takes about half an hour and needs no power tools.
