'Tis the season to give a big thank you to all the people who’ve helped you reach your goals this year. But before things get too busy, it's time to start thinking about holiday gifts that are memorable, professional, and something your staff, clients and customers will be excited to unwrap and use (or devour) right away.
Though planning holiday gifts for those in the workplace might be a headscratcher, no matter what your budget is or how many people are on your gift list this year, we have 10 gift ideas that are unique, personal, and practical for both your employees and customers.
If you're looking for a sweet treat to send your employees home with as they wind down for the holiday season, source something delicious from other local businesses. Put in an order for cookies, cupcakes, or brownies with a local baker or pastry chef. You can package treats by placing them inside a personalized coffee mug (with either your company's logo or the employee’s name on it) or wrap them in special paper and put a personalized “Happy Holidays from [Insert your name and the company's name]” sticker on top.
As the chill in the air starts to creep into your workspace, give out fleece jackets to your employees, to keep at their desk or for morning jogs or strolls around the park. To make sure no one's jacket gets misplaced, add personalized embroidery to each fleece with their name, job title or company name on it.
By the end of the year, most of your employees' desks are taken over by paperwork, office supplies, stacks of folders and envelopes. A novel way to help them set the mood for a fresh new year and brighten up any desk is with a succulent in a colorful vase. Pair this gift with a personalized thank you note wishing your employee well this holiday season and for the new year.
The start of the new year is the perfect time for your employees to get some upgraded gear, starting with something they use daily: their backpack or laptop case. Create custom backpacks for your employees, picking either the classic backpack for those who use it for more personal items or the computer backpack for those who use it for travel.
A gift that’ll come in handy this holiday season and beyond is a custom-made tote bag with your company's logo printed on it. While your customers are off shopping for gifts or traveling around the world on their vacations, your tote bag gift will be the savior they need when they find themselves having to pack up and go.
The winter season is a time when people sit back and relax, catching up on their favorite TV shows while sipping on their favorite hot beverage. Give packaged mugs that include packets of hot chocolate, coffee beans from local roasters, or a selection of holiday-flavored teas.
If you’re at a total loss, chocolate never fails to tantalize the taste buds. But instead of buying it from the big-name brands, find local stores that offer artisan versions in original flavors. Give your customers a treat that celebrates the hometown that your business runs out of while also supporting another local small business.
As families gather and people head off to different parts of the world to celebrate the end of the year, a USB flash drive is a small, portable and practical gift. Store photos, movies, and even backups of important documents (like passports and driving licenses) that are essential when traveling.
One last-minute item that a lot of people set out to buy around holiday season are thank you cards. Gift your customers a set of custom printed and personalized thank you cards (adding a photo if that's fitting) and a customized pen. That way, when they’re looking to end the year without any lingering tasks, they'll be able to write their own thank you cards and place them in the mail before the ball drops on New Year's Eve.
The holiday season will sneak up on us before we know it. As the end-of-year tasks start to pop-up on your employee’s to-do lists and your customers begin to get in full vacation mode, start planning the best ways to show both groups of people that you appreciate them for everything they've done for you and your business this year.
Get started by sitting down and making a list of who you'd like to give gifts to this holiday season and matching their names with a fitting gift.
Jen Glantz is the creator of the blog, The Things I Learned From and the author of the books All My Friends are Engaged & Always a Bridesmaid for Hire. She's a freelance writer, a public speaker, and the founder of Jen & Juice, a coaching business that's served more than 50 individual clients and companies like Google, Hyatt, Brooklyn Brewery, and ESPN.