08/19/2024

50+ Holiday Gift Ideas for Employees

Gifting your employees during the holidays is a way to express care and appreciation. It’s a thoughtful gesture that solidifies and strengthens relationships and reignites employees’ passion for the upcoming year. The sentimental and nostalgic associations of gifting humanize your company with a personal touch.

The holidays are also an opportune time to acknowledge every team member’s efforts and contributions. Corporate holiday gifting is an art, and you can master it with the suggestions in this guide.

Why Corporate Holiday Gifts Matter

Gifting employees during the holidays significantly impacts their engagement, productivity and retention rates. Besides, it has a high return on investment, especially when you select thoughtful, practical gifts. Custom promotional gift items boast a host of benefits, including:

Boosting brand awareness and visibility by subtly promoting your brand on company merchandise.
Enhancing morale and camaraderie by creating shared memories among team members.
Improving employee engagement and productivity because recognition fosters a positive work environment.
Promoting company culture by using custom merchandise to share core messages and values.
Encouraging loyalty as employees feel seen and heard by the organization.
Creating a stronger connection by making employee relationships more personal than transactional.

Popular Types of Corporate Holiday Gifts

The best corporate holiday gifts have risen to the top over the years.

Office and Desktop Supplies

Office supplies make the work day easier and more manageable, helping employees beat the holiday blues. They also act as a constant reminder that you support your employees in their work. Journals, planners, notebooks and stationery are examples of supplies that inspire good organizational habits and streamline the workday.

Travel Essentials

Many people travel for vacation or to visit friends and family during the holidays. You can simplify their trip by gifting them custom promotional travel essentials. Gifting travel items shows you care about your employees’ well-being away from the office and earns you widespread brand recognition.

Instead of searching for individual travel items, consider unique swag packs with several promotional products. For example, the Samsonite® Four-in-One Foldable Custom Packing Cube Set makes it a breeze to pack and stay organized away from home, while the AeroLOFT® Custom Travel Pillow With Sleep Mask allows them to travel comfortably.

Apparel

Apparel is a popular holiday corporate gift that provides employees with comfort and earns you walking billboards. Custom-branded hoodies, sweatshirts, scarves, beanies, jackets and gloves are some of the best options for end-of-year holiday gifting. Apparel gifts have a high return on investment because employees can wear them in and out of the office, increasing your brand’s visibility.

Drinkware

Thoughtfully customized drinkware is a welcome corporate holiday gift. Custom-branded tumblers and coffee mugs are at the top of the list, especially in the colder months. Employees appreciate these gifts when serving comfort drinks like hot chocolate and egg nog. Even as the weather warms up, they can sip their favorite beverages from the drinkware they received during the holidays.

Adding Branding to Corporate Gifts

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Branding your corporate gifts transforms them into nostalgic items that create a sense of belonging among your team members. It also provides advertising real estate to promote your products and strengthen your employees’ connection with your brand.

Effectively branding corporate gifts also involves selecting promotional holiday gifts that align with your mission and vision. Choose high-quality items and imprinting methods. Consider these elements when adding branding to corporate gifts.

Logo and brand marks: These make it easy for people outside your organization to recognize your brand and can become a point of pride for your team members.
Color scheme: Choosing gifts in holiday colors provides a canvas to build your brand designs. Another way to determine the best colors for your corporate gifts is to match them to the emotions you want to evoke in your employees.
Typography: The typeface and font you use on corporate gifts must be legible, visually appealing and consistent with the holiday mood.
Graphics and imagery: Stay consistent with your brand identity by printing your logo and tagline on items.
Grids and layouts: Creating an appealing design involves balancing white space and visual elements.

How to Budget for Corporate Holiday Gifts

When exploring gift ideas for employees on a budget, it’s tempting to choose the cheapest items in the inventory to save costs, but these may negatively reflect on your brand if they fade or fall apart. However, overspending on elaborate gifts is not worth it if if forces you to make cuts elsewhere.

The amount you spend on employee holiday gifts depends on the number of holidays or gifting opportunities in the year and the size of your staff. Observations you may want to celebrate include Christmas, Valentine’s, Juneteenth, Easter, Halloween and company-specific milestones, such as anniversaries.

Once you make a realistic budget, stick to it. For example, you can cap the holiday gifting budget for entry-level employees at $30 and management-level team members at $50. You may incentivize newcomers to stick around longer until they get to the level where they receive high-end or luxurious gifts.

Creative Corporate Gift Ideas Under $10

Holiday gifting for employees doesn’t have to break the bank. Numerous customizable gift options cost less than $10. You can give them alone or as part of a swag pack.

Personal Care Items

Beauty and personal care promotional items are ideal holiday corporate gifts that employees will use frequently. Travel sizes are convenient enough for employees to carry everywhere, including their homes, cars and offices. They make inexpensive gift options that show you care for your employees’ health and wellness. Examples of personal care gift items to consider include:

Wellness Toys, Games and Puzzles

Customizable toys, games and puzzles boost employee wellness by encouraging creativity and focus. Plus, they show off your business’ fun and playful side, which may be rare if you have a more conservative culture. Some unique and affordable wellness toys, games and puzzles from ePromos include:

Phone and Computer Accessories

While gifts like tablets may be outside your budget, small accessories improve larger tech gadgets’ functionality and aesthetics. Promotional webcam covers protect employee privacy, while branded screen cleaners remove dust buildup, smudges and fingerprints on phones and other devices.

Most employees will also appreciate receiving wireless branded earbuds for listening to music or participating in video meetings without disturbing their co-workers. Custom phone wallets make ideal corporate gift items that help employees travel light and conveniently, while phone stands or sockets provide added grip and accessible support.

Corporate Gift Ideas $10-$50

This price range includes various options your employees will love to receive.

Wireless Charging Stations

Your team members will use these mid-range tech gadgets to keep their devices powered up and show their company pride. Wireless charging stations in this price range include unique additions and functionalities. At ePromos, we have many options that ensure safer charging at faster speeds.

Self-Care Kits

Giving self-care kits to employees encourages them them unwind during their time off work. Well-curated self-care kits often include items for at-home spa days. Here are some examples of at-home pampering kits employees will enjoy during the holidays.

Food and Snack Gifts

Gifting food is almost always a good idea, especially during the holidays. However, check for dietary restrictions, preferences and allergens before putting together food and snack gifts. Food gifts warm recipients’ hearts and fill their stomachs, strengthening their connection to your brand.

Here are some popular ePromos food and snack hampers:

Corporate Gift Ideas $50+

High-end corporate gifts can be a worthwhile investment if your budget allows and you want to impress your recipients. Choose the best corporate gifts over $50 based on the recipients’ lifestyle, interests and hobbies. For example, massage gift cards will encourage your employees to relieve stress and anxiety. You can also show your appreciation with these thoughtful presents.

How to Choose Corporate Holiday Gifts

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Be thoughtful and intentional before spending your time and budget on corporate holiday gifts. Remember, the goal is to give your recipients things they will use and appreciate. They won’t forget your thoughtful gesture, which will foster happy, long-term working relationships.

Don’t pick favorites: Holiday gifting should be an inclusive affair that involves all employees, even those who don’t celebrate specific holidays. Sticking to a theme like Christmas may make some employees feel undervalued, unappreciated and alienated. Stay neutral and respect all beliefs and values to boost brand loyalty and reduce employee turnover rates.
Think of personal preferences: Personalizing corporate holiday gifts makes you look genuine and thoughtful. However, it requires you to understand the recipient’s tastes and preferences. Asking co-workers for suggestions and checking employees’ social media accounts could provide helpful hints for personalization.
Consider the delivery methods: There are many ways to deliver gifts to employees, including during end-of-year parties, in-person handoffs, postal deliveries and white elephant events. Choose a method that is appropriate for the type of gift you choose. For example, food and snack gifts are appropriate for in-person and event handoffs, while you can safely ship sturdy, nonperishable and items to the recipients.
Ethical considerations: Don’t go overboard when personalizing corporate gifts. Keep it professional, even if you have a casual company culture. Avoid risky humor or inside jokes that could offend someone.

Start Planning Your Corporate Holiday Gifts Today

Timing is everything when planning your corporate holiday gifts. Even a slight delay can disappoint the team that works so hard for you. Partner with ePromos, a reliable provider with proven experience delivering high-quality promotional products on time. We guarantee 100% satisfaction.

Our brand consultants have the knowledge, expertise and experience to help you select the best holiday corporate gifts and most durable imprinting methods. Our online store allows you to centralize your merchandise operations. We also offer rush services if you need last-minute holiday gifts for employees.

Browse our wide selection of corporate gifts for all budgets or contact our brand consultants to explore your options in detail.

50+ Holiday Gift Ideas for Employees

Why Corporate Holiday Gifts Matter