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You’re ready to say thank you for a job well done or welcome a new client to your company, but you're stuck on what to send. But when you're looking for holiday gift ideas for employees, we've got you covered.

In this guide, we’ll take you through our tips on how to find the right employee gift and share some of our best ideas for employees and clients.

What Makes a Great Gift?

It’s easy to send a gift, but finding the perfect one takes a little more thought and care. Great employee holiday gifts take into account not only your requirements, but the needs and wants of your gift recipient too.

Here’s how to find the ideal gift for your employees or clients.

Set a Budget

Even if you don’t have a set figure in mind, you should have a rough idea of your budget per gift for each employee or client. This figure won’t always be the same — the amount you spend on an annual birthday gift for an employee will look different to a special employee holiday gift for a VIP client.

Knowing your budget allows you to source the best business gifts that you can reasonably afford. You want to look for something that’s high quality but still achievable. Understanding whether you can spend $15 on a gift or $75 means you can consider or eliminate options like personalized gifts or luxury gift baskets — making your selection process easier.

Consider the Recipient’s Taste

Gift giving outside of work is all about making the person on the receiving end happy. It’s the same for holiday gifting too. Although you may also have another goal in mind, like to sign or retain a client, it’s always a good idea to keep the recipient’s taste in mind when you choose your gifts.

Think about your relationship with the employee, client, or prospect. Consider what you know about them — their hobbies, interests, passions, and what drives them. This will help you pick the perfect corporate holiday gift for them — whether it’s a gadget, food gift, or experience voucher.

Stay Relevant to the Occasion

Different occasions call for different holiday gift ideas, so keep this in mind as you make your shortlist. The gift you send to employees to celebrate the holiday season won’t be the same as what you send as a new client welcome gift.

Consider why you’re sending this gift and what the context is. If you’re sending an employee recognition gift to honor their hard work, a digital card with a balance they can spend on personal development or wellness is a great option. For the holidays, you might send out baked goods. It’s all about staying relevant and putting some extra thought into your holiday employee gifting.

Make a Lasting Impression

With every holiday gift you send to employees, you’ll want to make an impact. Sometimes an instant smile and that warm fuzzy feeling is great, but often you want it to create the long-term impression that you’re a great company to work for or with.

For gifts to existing clients and employees, don’t be afraid to include a handwritten note. It can add that personal touch — especially if the recipient is celebrating a milestone or going through a tough time.

If you’re sending a holiday gift to seek out new business, you can add in a promotional product featuring your company logo or include your business card with a note to get in touch. Don’t go overboard with this though — you still want your gift to feel like a genuine gift.

6 of The Best Holiday gift Ideas for Employees

Employee gifts are all about making your team feel welcome, supported, and appreciated — like they’re part of the family.

Here’s a collection of thoughtful gift ideas for employees — whether you’re celebrating a birthday, supporting them through a tough time, or giving thanks for all their hard work on a project.

1. Reusable Water Bottle

You can’t go wrong with something that promotes wellness, is practical, and looks great too. Reusable water bottles are a great option for employee gifts — especially if you get them made up with an amazing custom design or offer people a choice of color options.

2. Tote Bag

Tote bags are always practical, and one that’s super cute and useful will be a hit with most employees. Look for a design that appeals to the people you work with, and only opt for a holiday design if it’s something your team would actually use while out and about.

3. Care Package

What better way to celebrate your employees than with a box filled with an assortment of fun holiday gifts. If you want to coordinate sending these gift boxes out to your teams, the employee care experts at Caroo curate one-of-a-kind care packages filled with your company’s swag, healthy and delicious snacks, personalized messages, and other unique goodies. Great for any time of the year, a care package is the kind of holiday gift that recipients can find useful while giving them a chance to unbox appreciation.

4. Wellness Gift Set

It’s refreshing to receive a gift that’s centered on your wellness, rather than something focused on your work life. Treat your employees to a wellness gift set filled with self care goodies like candles, face masks, chocolate, and feel-good tea for a great pick-me-up.

5. Movie Night Box

Help your employees plan a movie night with a gift box designed around getting cozy and catching up with a great piece of cinema. Send a gift card for their favorite streaming service, along with popcorn and candy. If you want to do this easily from a distance, you can use Hoppier to send a digital card with enough balance to make that happen.

6. Coffee Subscription

If you know someone on your team who loves their coffee, a subscription service makes for a thoughtful gift idea. With most services, they’ll be able to expand their tastes and enjoy a new brew every month.

6 of the Best Holiday Gifts for Clients and Customers

You want your client to feel like they’re a VIP — create that feeling with client gifts. Client gifts are all about strengthening that relationship and making sure you’re always top of mind when they need you.

To help create that amazing client bond, here are some great holiday gift ideas for clients, customers, and prospects.

1. Luxury Gift Basket

Sometimes you can’t go wrong with a classic luxury gift basket. These hampers are a hit because they’re easy to gift to an office or team, rather than send as individual gifts. Fill the basket with seasonal or local treats, along with a handwritten note to express your appreciation.

2. High Quality Gadgets

If there’s a little more room in your budget or you’re sending a special gift, a high-quality gadget is always a great option. Luxury headphones, bluetooth speakers, and accessories for phones or laptops make for excellent VIP gifts.

3. Plants for the Office

For a sweet way to treat a team or office to a holiday gift, plants are the way to go. Look for a service where you can send succulents or small plants to your client — that way they can brighten up the space with some greenery and think of you whenever they see them.

4. Chocolate Gift Set

Chocolate is another classic holiday gift — you can go the extra mile by sending a luxury gift set, or even a chocolate tasting experience. If you’re investing a lot in this, check with your client beforehand to understand their preferences or dietary needs so your gift doesn’t go to waste.

5. Personalized Stationery

A thoughtful way to show a client you care is to send a personalized gift, and stationery is always a good option. Pick out a luxury pen set, or have some quirky pencils made up with their favorite sayings.

6. Leather Card Wallet

For a timeless luxury gift, a leather (or vegan leather) card wallet is the way to go. It’s a gift your client may end up using all the time — especially if you know them well and can pick out something that’s exactly their taste. Plus, you can slip in a gift card as an extra surprise.

Why Hoppier Is the Perfect Gift Idea for Clients and Employees

Choosing a holiday work gift isn’t always easy, especially if you want to get it just right. There’s so much to consider — the client’s tastes, your employees’ interests, and how the gift will be received.

With Hoppier, your  gifting concerns are no more. You can give someone a digital gift card. Add a balance of your choice that they can spend at selected vendors or with any participating retailer.

You can easily send bulk gift cards as holiday gifts, or set up a plan to send a monthly treat to employees. It’s the ultimate in freedom, flexibility, and personalization — you can customize the experience the whole way through.

Set Up Your Holida Gifting Program

It’s easy to create your own holiday gifting program with Hoppier. All you need to do is log in (or sign up), and you can set up a new gifting experience in moments.

Give your program a name that helps you recognize it, then it’s time to customize. Choose from our built-in color options or add your company colors for a seamless, branded look. Add your company logo, give your program a fun icon, and your card and program design is ready to go.

Choose Your Program Balance and Vendors

Next, you’ll want to set your program balance. This is the amount of money that your gift recipient will have available to them.

When you set your balance, you can choose whether you want to add start and end dates. You can also make your gift recurring or one-time. For example, if you want to send your employees a small appreciation gift every month, you can use a recurring gift amount. It’s also an easy way to set up your holiday gifts: Schedule them to repeat each year so you don’t need to repeat the process again the next time the season rolls around.

By default, your Hoppier card can be used by the recipient in any participating retailer. You can also choose to narrow the focus and select the vendors yourself. This allows you to send a gift card themed around a topic or area — like fitness, wellness, food, or entertainment.

Send Your Holiday Gift Cards

When you’re happy with your holiday gift cards, it’s time to send them out to your employees or clients. This is super easy to do — just make sure that you’ve uploaded their contact details using our handy template file or that they’ve created a Hoppier account using the invite link.

To make the experience feel more personal, you can create a personalized email to send to your recipients. Write a heartfelt message of gratitude or something to suit the occasion, then use our smart fields to make it easy for them to claim their Hoppier gift card.

A Simple Holiday Gift Idea That Works

At the heart of your holiday gifting strategy is an opportunity to show your appreciation for someone and turn that moment into one they’ll remember. It shouldn’t be about searching for hours to find the perfect birthday gift for someone on your team, or agonizing over whether you’ve chosen the right gift basket for a client.

If you want to simplify your holiday gifting, we’re here to help. With Hoppier, you can say goodbye to those holiday gifting struggles and hello to sending a gift that’s always appreciated. To get started, book a free demo call with our team.