Giving employees holiday gifts is one of the best ways to keep them engaged—it shows your team you care about them and value their contributions to your company. Although not required, holiday gifts for employees can be part of building a loyal and effective team. The gifts don’t always have to be pricey, but here’s the truth: 54% of employees1 who have received corporate gifts ended up keeping those gifts inside their desk drawers—which is why it’s important to give employees something meaningful that they can use.
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Here are some workplace holiday gift ideas for you to consider this season—whether you’re selecting them yourself or empowering your team to choose their own through gift-giving platforms, like Snappy and Caroo.
Budget-Friendly Gifts ($10-$50)
These gifts prove that meaningful employee recognition doesn’t require substantial investment. While cost-effective, I have carefully chosen these items to provide value and constant reminders of appreciation, making them particularly effective not only for the holidays but also for regular recognition programs.
1. Coffee Perks
You can choose to give your employees either a coffee shop card like a small Starbucks gift card or a coffee subscription. The coffee shop gift cards are for those quick caffeine fixes or team meet ups while the coffee subscription can create a consistent touchpoint for appreciation—every delivery reminds employees they’re valued. Additionally, gifting your remote employees with coffee can help maintain their connection to company culture, while office teams benefit from both in-person coffee runs and quality office brews.
To maximize the effectiveness of this gift idea, partner with local coffee shops for corporate rates or set up subscription services with quality roasters. You might also want to conduct employee surveys to know what your employees prefer.
2. Notebook Calendar
A notebook calendar is an affordable employee Christmas gift that promotes organization and planning and demonstrates investment in employee productivity. When employees better manage their time, it directly translates to improved project outcomes and fewer missed deadlines, ultimately impacting our bottom line. You can enhance this gift’s impact by personalizing the calendar with company branding and individual names, making it both practical and personal.
3. Desk Organizer Set
Dressing up an employee’s workspace, whether in the office or at home, can add a personal touch and help make it cozier. Through experience, I’ve noticed that a clean workspace leads to a clear mind, reducing time wasted searching for materials and improving overall productivity. Enhanced organization directly impacts project timelines and team efficiency, making this simple gift surprisingly impactful. Carefully select quality materials like pens and coasters, personalized nameplates, pen holders, or desk calendars.
4. Mini Desk Humidifier
I suggest this gift idea because workplace comfort directly influences productivity and well-being. By showing care for your employees’ immediate workspace environment, especially during dry seasons, you create a healthier office atmosphere. This investment in comfort results in fewer sick days and higher productivity, demonstrating your commitment to workplace wellness.
Ensure long-term value by providing complete care instructions and maintaining a supply of replacement filters, making this a gift that continues to benefit employees throughout the year.
5. Mug Warmer
Gifting your employees with this daily-use item could remind them that you are mindful of their comfort. This seemingly simple luxury enhances the work experience in a tangible way, keeping beverages at the perfect temperature throughout busy workdays. Comfortable employees stay focused longer and produce better-quality work, making this small investment yield consistent returns in productivity and satisfaction. When choosing a mug warmer, select models with safety features like auto-shutoff, ensuring both convenience and peace of mind.
6. Blanket
Whether your team works at home or in an office, this holiday gift idea is most effective during colder months or in offices with varying temperature preferences. High-quality, cozy blankets are a thoughtful addition that helps employees feel more at ease, leading to increased focus and productivity. Choose quality materials with subtle branding, making them suitable for both office and home use, extending the positive association with your company beyond work hours.
7. Flasks/Tumbler
High-quality, insulated tumblers or flasks keep beverages at ideal temperatures while promoting sustainability by reducing single-use container waste. These items become constant companions during meetings, commutes, and remote work sessions. Select durable, premium brands, like Aquaflask or Stanley, and incorporate subtle yet stylish company branding, transforming an everyday item into a source of team pride.
Mid-Range Employee Gift Ideas ($50-$200)
For this section, I chose workplace holiday gift ideas that strike an ideal balance between meaningful impact and reasonable cost. These gifts are substantial enough to mark special occasions while remaining scalable for team-wide implementation.
8. Paid Subscriptions
The benefit of a subscription gift card is that you can pay for a month, a year, or more of an employee’s subscription, and you’re not tying a company credit card to an employee’s personal account. Whether it’s Netflix, Spotify, or professional development platforms, these subscriptions show investment in both work and personal time. It can also spark organic conversations among team members about shared interests.
I recommend conducting regular surveys to ensure you’re offering the most relevant subscription options, adapting your offerings as employee preferences evolve.
9. Gift Cards
One of the most popular gifts for employees is a gift card. These can be used to purchase items at a variety of stores, making them versatile and convenient. You can get gift cards for specific stores or a general gift card—Visa, for instance, offers a gift card that can have any denomination to it and that employees can use anywhere, expanding their options.
10. Free Dinner
Sharing meals creates lasting positive associations with work. Whether employees use this for family time or team bonding, it extends your company’s positive influence beyond office hours. The shared experience of good food often becomes a talking point at work, strengthening team bonds and workplace culture.
You can partner with a variety of quality restaurants or an online food marketplace like Goldbelly to ensure options for different tastes and dietary preferences, making this gift universally appreciated.
11. Gift Baskets
Whether themed around gourmet foods, wellness products, local artisanal goods, or specific holidays, gift baskets demonstrate attention to detail and personal tastes. The unboxing experience itself becomes a memorable event, often shared with family or colleagues, extending the positive impact beyond the workplace. You can select a care package or let them build their own with items they want.
Partner with quality vendors like Hickory Farms, Gift Tree, or Harry & David to create varied options accommodating dietary restrictions and preferences, ensuring every recipient feels considered.
12. Smart Home Device
As the line between work and home life continues to blur, having a digital assistant to manage everyday tasks can be a game-changer for busy professionals. Great for tech-savvy employees or those juggling busy schedules, a smart home device can help streamline their mornings before work or set the perfect ambiance when they return home. This modern gift shows you understand their desire for efficiency and appreciation for cutting-edge technology.
For this gift idea, carefully select popular, user-friendly brands and provide initial setup support, ensuring employees can maximize their device’s potential from day one.
13. Custom Company Hoodies
Perfect for creating team unity while keeping employees cozy, a custom hoodie becomes both a comfort piece and a pride piece for the company. These garments are especially appreciated during casual office days and remote work. You can customize hoodies with options like employee names on the sleeve, department nicknames on the back, or subtle company logos on the front, making each piece personally crafted.
Turn your appreciation into lasting memories with VistaPrint’s personalized gifts—from custom photo calendars to branded merchandise that shows your team they matter.
Premium Employee Gift Ideas ($200+)
These high-impact gifts demonstrate a significant investment in employee well-being and productivity, making them ideal not only as a holiday gift but also to mark major milestones or achievements. While these cost more, they often provide lasting value that justifies their cost through employee satisfaction and retention.
14. Noise-canceling Headphones
With open offices now the norm and remote workers working from anywhere, creating personal space may mean using noise-canceling headphones. Good, high-end ones can be hundreds of dollars, so making this purchase for your team can go a long way in supporting them. It can also help them be more productive—like those from Sennheiser, which includes excellent microphones for clear voice and video calls.
15. Fitness Activity Tracker
This gift idea demonstrates investment in employees’ overall well-being beyond their work responsibilities. These devices encourage healthy habits and often spark friendly competition among team members, building camaraderie through shared fitness goals.
When implementing this gift, consider the full package. While the device itself is valuable, most fitness trackers like Fitbit, Apple Watch, or Whoop require subscriptions to access advanced features and detailed insights. Choose whether you want to provide just the device or enhance the gift with a subscription period (typically one month or one year) to unlock the full potential of these wellness tools. This decision often depends on budget and our long-term wellness program goals.
Pair this gift with optional wellness challenges or programs, creating a supportive environment for healthy lifestyle changes. Understanding the subscription component helps us budget more effectively and sets clear expectations with employees about long-term usage and benefits.
16. Tablet or Ebook Reader
This gift serves a dual purpose—supporting both professional development and personal enrichment. This device enables mobile productivity while encouraging continuous learning, showing your commitment to employee growth. Their versatility makes them valuable for both work-related reading and leisure, extending their impact beyond office hours.
You can preload devices with relevant business books or subscriptions, providing immediate value while encouraging the exploration of new topics.
17. Ergonomic Chair/Standing Desk
Gifting your employees with either an ergonomic chair or standing desk demonstrates your serious commitment to employee health and comfort during long work hours. Proper ergonomic support significantly reduces physical strain and potential health issues, leading to increased productivity and focus. When employees feel physically supported, they’re more likely to maintain energy throughout the day and stay with the company longer.
Provide professional ergonomic assessments and proper training for adjustable features, ensuring employees get maximum benefit from these premium office essentials.
Significant Investment
These rewards represent the highest tier of employee recognition, combining tangible value with meaningful impact on work-life balance. Though requiring careful budget consideration, these investments often yield the highest returns in terms of employee loyalty and long-term retention.
18. Bonus or Raise
Show your employees how much you appreciate their hard work by giving them a bonus or raise. This is a great way to show them that you are willing to invest in their future with the company. Make sure you calculate bonuses—and taxes—correctly.
19. Extra Day Off
Giving employees an extra day off is always appreciated. For example, you might consider gifting Christmas Eve as a paid holiday if it isn’t already part of your company’s official holiday schedule. You can also let them choose their own PTO day—a concept similar to a floating holiday—where employees can use it any time (i.e. birthdays, religious celebration, etc.) according to their preference. This gives employees one of the most valuable gifts—the opportunity to spend more time with their family and friends. Just make sure to have your paid time off (PTO) policy in order.
Bottom Line
Part of effective people management is making employees feel valued. Around the holidays, there’s no better way to do that than to express your gratitude through a gift. No matter what you choose, these holiday gifts for employees will go a long way in making them feel appreciated for their contributions.
Sources:
1business.com
