Corporate Holiday Gift Ideas

It can be hard to choose the right gift for business colleagues. How do you know what’s considered appropriate? What are employees allowed to accept? How much should you spend? Should you send anything at all?

It’s no wonder people get confused when it comes time to shop for corporate Christmas gifts. With the business culture constantly changing at a rapid pace, overnight your clients and customers can change.

A good rule of thumb is to choose a gift that has something to do with your industry. If you are in the real estate business, selecting a high-end silver key fob with your logo on it is perfectly appropriate. If you’re in the landscaping business, a gift of a plant with a pot that bears your logo is a good idea.

Go with customized holiday gifts. If you’re in an industry that may otherwise seem impersonal—such as finance—send a gift that feels friendly and less serious. You can have golf items custom designed with your logo such as shirts, bags, tees, and balls. But don’t just go the route everyone else does by ordering stock items. See if you can get golf balls in your company’s logo colors or in a funky pattern. Be different and you’ll be remembered.

Often, it’s the recipient’s gift policy that dictates what you’re allowed to send. Always check beforehand by having someone call the company’s secretary. Better to have checked than to have your gifts regrettably returned. If you’ve only got a $20 gift cap to work with—as many company rules dictate—then go with something everyone can enjoy such as logo cookies.

Send over custom gift cards from Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts. You can have your logo put on them in some cases and you can certainly buy them in bulk for a discount. If there is a coffee shop or local favorite restaurant nearby the office your recipients work in, send over gift cards from there. If it’s a smaller shop, they’ll be happy to print out custom cards. Your recipients will be delighted when they step out for lunch and can use your gift card.

When you’re stuck for ideas, think of the recipient’s office culture. Is it a startup with young, hip executives? Send over USB flash drives with your company logo on them. A gift of technology is always a fun way to show that you understand what’s new and hot. Plus, the recipient will have fun using it.

If you’re not sure what to give this year, enlist the help of those who’ve been with the company longer. What have they given in previous years? Is there a memorable gift that stuck in everyone’s mind? Is there something that flopped?

It’s ok to ask a secretary or assistant for ideas. They may think of something you never would have considered and you never know what new trends are out nowdays, they're likely to know (and hear) about what types of personalized executive gifts are available.

Err on the side of caution. Don’t send over alcohol or party related items if the office culture is very serious and upscale. It may look like you are promoting alcohol even if you send a high-end wine bottle opener. So, go with something more mainstream that everyone can enjoy such as a fruit gift basket and will be proud to display. After all, your name is going on this gift. You want it to be special and memorable for all the right reasons!