The Feel-Good Guide to Sports, Travel, Shopping & Entertainment

MAIN Holidays & Observances Bosses Day 2024

This year, mark your calendars for Thursday, October 16, 2025 for the official day to honor your boss on Bosses Day! .

National Boss Day (or Bosses Day or Boss's Day) is traditionally celebrated with greeting cards, e-cards, flowers, gifts, and a few extra smiles in honor of the big Boss Man or Lady.

What to get the boss on Boss's Day

You may think there's only one word that describes a gift for Bosses Day - awkward. Make it less so by asking their admin or secretary about their likes and dislikes.

Keep it light, and if your boss has a good sense of humor, make it funny. But not TOO funny.

If in doubt, always err on the side of inexpensive. A lavish gift may prove embarassing for the boss, and will probably earn you a reputation as a "suck-up" with your colleagues.

Speaking of colleagues, arrange to have everyone chip in for a group gift that might include a gift basket or a gift card from Starbucks "from all of us". (For more personal, humorous, or group gift suggestions, also check out Boss's Day gift ideas.)

All about Boss's Day

Patricia Haroski, a secretary from Deerfield, Illinois, originated National Boss Day in 1958 in honor of her white-collar father, who helped all of his children with good advice throughout their careers.

In honor of the elder Haroski's birthday - October 16 - Patricia registered the day with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Four years later, National Boss Day was backed by Illinois Governor Otto Kerner who officially proclaimed the day in 1962. The idea quickly became popular across the country and is now even observed in England, Australia and South Africa.

DID YOU KNOW? Boss's Day fun facts

Good bosses, bad bosses.

• In popular culture, good bosses include Captain Jean-Luc Picard from "Star Trek" and Dr. Miranda Bailey from "Grey's Anatomy". Those rated "bad" or "impossible" bosses include the icy Miranda Priestly from "The Devil Wears Prada" followed by the bumbling Michael Scott from "The Office".

• On Boss's Day, it's not really necessary to give a gift -- but it helps. Employees who frequently get ahead at work (with either good or bad bosses) are those who know how to "manage up".

• The original observance of Boss's Day in the US has now spread worldwide to Canada, Australia, Ireland, India, South Africa and Egypt.

• Hallmark greeting cards began publishing Boss's Day cards in 1979. Today, the company produces dozens of different cards ranging from professional to humorous, specifically to male or female bosses, or from an individual or group.

also see -> Office Party Ideas

More about Boss's Day around the Web:

Bosses Day E-Cards - A good selection with dozens of Boss's Day e-cards including Flash, animated and postcard greetings.

Printable boss's day cards- Featuring sincere "thanks you's" to funny sentiments of the day, from American Greetings.

Best Happy Bosses Day Messages - Check out this witty collection to help personalize your greeting card wording.

For Boss Day, a few tips for the fearless leader - MSNBC report with more tips on what makes a great boss.

Fast Facts About American Bosses - Interesting factoids and trivia, from FastCompany.com.

Managing Your Boss - A good read anytime of year with expert advice for managing up - featuring tips on how to build positive relationships with bosses and managers, with suggested related resources.