On the other end of the spectrum, another boss gave out little remote controlled cars for Christmas, resulting in some chaotic fun as the little things raced around the office. It didn't result in anything revolutionary, but it did build the team. (There's a reason ThinkGeek sells so many toys.)

Another not particularly productive, low-cost team-building activity is LAN gaming. While not all techs are gamers, quite a few are, and this sort of activity acts much in the same way a company baseball team does, without uniforms and sweating. (Sports teams can work as well, but I've never seen a tech team where enough people had an aptitude for the same sport.)

Higher cost activities can include things like attending user group meetings or even conventions. Industry-specific conventions are all right, but IT conventions are probably going to be more exciting to the team. If you're in certain high-tech areas, a convention can be a day trip and doesn't need to be expensive.

In a similar vein, if you have remote locations, road trips can serve the purpose of reminding those bound to a central office of the bigger picture, but in my experience, whether that builds the team up depends a lot on how they feel about travelling.

Wrap It Up

Programmers and techs tend to be very bottom-line oriented. Not on money, but on getting results. And they respect others who can recognize that and disregard the oddities and trivialities. While I've outlined a few key dos and don'ts, and mentioned a few activities, your best bet is to look at what your department is, and what it needs.

Remember: It isn't hard to make a small gesture that goes a long way.