Creative Gift Ideas for Clients and Employees: How to Make This Holiday Season Special

Colorful Aspen trees, football on TV, and pumpkin spice in the air… fall is here!

The welcoming of fall means that the holiday season is just around the corner, and it is time to start thinking about the unique and thoughtful ways you will celebrate your clients and employees alike. Holiday gift-giving is an important part of year-end business, but how can companies make this holiday season special for our employees, partners and clients in a unique way that doesn’t leave them with another gift card to lose between the couch cushions?

Where do we even start? Read on for tips from our experts to help make your holiday gifts memorable.

READ: 8 Unique Holidays to Celebrate With an On-Brand Gift Box Idea

The yays & nays of holiday gifting

DO: Include local flavors and specialties

Cookie-cutter gift boxes full of common snacks and mass-produced swag are over.

Custom appreciation boxes with gifts from small businesses local to your organization build community and give your employees and clients a unique taste of your region. Colorado is a mecca for small businesses, and there is nothing better than sending a custom-curated gift box featuring the unique flavors of Colorado, all while supporting small businesses in your community.

READ: Unleashing the Power of Local Community Engagement — A Guide to Small Business Success

DON’T: Make your gift a commercial

You might incorporate a hint of your brand’s values in the spirit of the gift. You may include a thoughtful branded item (as long as it fits the theme of the gift, it’s accepted!). You could even weave part of your visual identity into the color scheme of your gift box.

But, somebody’s gotta say it: everything does not need your logo on it. Even a thoughtful card with your logo will go a long way in representing your brand and when they eat the delicious snacks you sent or see the gift you decided upon, they’ll still think of you. 

DO: Focus on sustainability

Your clients and employees provide irreplaceable value and are anything but disposable, so why should you gift them with boxes full of low-cost, chintzy swag items or single-use office supplies that will be discarded or forgotten immediately? (Nobody wants a pen that falls apart the first time you try to write with it.) 

Sustainable gifts such as high-quality drinkware, household essentials, books and reusable office supplies prove your commitment to the environment, and your dedicated clients and employees you share it with. 

READ: Stand Out From the Crowd — 5 Must-Have Promotional Products for Small Businesses

DO: Incorporate a theme

Choosing a theme is an easy and economical way to elevate your client and employee appreciation gifts. Maybe a winter wonderland or apres ski theme works for the season? Perhaps one of your brand values lends itself to a unique and thoughtful theme? (Adventure, fun, innovation?) Using a theme to guide the items chosen in the gift makes for a creative, memorable experience and provides a cohesive gift that your recipient will enjoy every piece of.

DON’T: Wait until December!

The season between Thanksgiving and the New Year is notorious for stressful shipping delays, changing timelines and inventory challenges, so be sure to give yourself the gift of knowing that your gifts are ready to go before the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Planning early provides you so many more unique options to fit any budget and the relief of checking this important task off your list.

DON’T: Forget about unexpected holidays

Maybe you find yourself sitting at your desk in mid-December without a plan. Perhaps a traditional holiday gift box doesn’t feel unique enough for your organization. Unexpected holidays such as National Hot Cocoa Day, World Gratitude Day, National Make a Difference Day and National Have Fun at Work Day are great opportunities to let your clients and employees know that you appreciate them year-round.

Holiday season got away from you? Send a New Year’s gift to welcome your clients and employees back to the office as a special surprise after the holiday season dust has settled. Your thoughtful gift will stand out instead of getting lost in the shuffle of other holiday gifts being delivered in December. 

What should I give and how do I get started?

Breakaway Meetings knows a little something about curating the best client and employee appreciation gifts for any occasion, and we’re excited to help you get started on your holiday gifting plan. Review this article to get a few more holiday gifting tips, and set up a time to chat with their gifting extraordinaires and get an exciting custom proposal that takes your recipients, brand, budgets and goals into consideration. 

All photos courtesy of Breakaway Meetings.

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Kim Carlson is an experienced event organizer, conference planner, and social media analyst. In 2020 she and co-founder Angela Hesemann launched a custom event gift box business, BreakAway Meetings. Angela Hesemann has a decade of experience in hotel operations and event planning. Using her guest room operations experience, she and co-founder Kim launched custom event gift box business, BreakAway Meetings.