Make their book
Coworker leaving

Funny going away gifts for coworkers

A leaving gift is opened at a desk with everyone watching, so it has to be funny and safe at once. A personalized picture book about the person leaving manages both, as long as the details come from the people who actually worked with them.

Everybody signs the card. One person brings the book.

Make their book

Many hands crowd in to sign a farewell card at once; one of them is signing with a banana

The book to blame

No title for this one yet. The shelf is short, and one of the books on it probably still fits.

See every book

A sample spread

FOUR! Little Denise adds a mark to Gary’s tally on the fridge while every kitchen cabinet hangs open.

Gary leaves a cabinet open.

Denise makes a mark.

Gary leaves another one open.

Denise makes another mark.

That is four before breakfast.

Ten Little Fingers: Denise’s First Counting Book, pages 12–13. Finished art, printed as drawn.

How it works

  1. A hand drops a printed photo into the slop machine’s hopper.

    Feed it one photo.

  2. The slop machine shakes and steams, rivets popping off.

    It does its thing.

  3. A finished picture book pops out of the slop machine’s chute.

    A real book comes out.

The whole process

Questions

What do you get a coworker who’s leaving?

Something the desk can crowd around. A book about their working life, written from the details the people who sat near them send us, does better than a second card.

Is a gag gift too much for a coworker?

It depends how well you know them. The rule we use: roast the habits and the choices, never the person.

Is this the same as a retirement gift?

Nearly, and retirement has its own page. They’re still coming back for lunch.

How does it work, and what do you need from me?

You pick the book, send one clear photo of them and a few true things about them. We write and illustrate the book from that. You must confirm they’re an adult (18 or older), they’re willing to star in a gag book, and you have permission to share their photo.

Will it arrive in time?

We print and bind the book after you order it, so it isn’t instant — and we won’t promise a date here that we can’t keep for your address. Order with room to spare. If the day is close, write to hello@hellosorry.com first and we’ll tell you honestly whether it can make it.

Who it’s for

A hand reaches over a cubicle wall for a red stapler that is chained and padlocked to the desk

Coworker

Nobody needs another mug. There is, however, no mug with their face on it.

More occasions

All occasions

Somebody you love deserves this. We’re so sorry.

One photo. One real book. A lifetime of them bringing it up at dinner.

Make their book

From $19.99 · Character redraws: free, up to six a day · Digital copy with every printed book