Christmas gifts for employees are a brilliant way for employers to show appreciation. However, the wrong gift can also lead to problems. Sometimes they seem stingy, inappropriate and too often just boring. We present you with 20 employee gifts; from useful to fun, it’s all here!
Everyone knows the feeling: You open a Christmas gift and have to try your hardest to avoid showing any signs of disappointment. Especially employee gifts are a sign of appreciation, a “thank you” for a year of hard work. If the gift seems inappropriate, uninspired or stingy, the appreciative message can quickly go missing. Therefore, we have designed our gift ideas differently:
- Personal: Gifts that have an emotional effect due to their personal character.
- Fun: Here, the price tag counts less than the smile on the face of the recipient.
- Practical: Those Christmas gifts for employees that you can actually use beyond the Christmas party.
The key to making the right choice is to assess the workforce correctly. The IT department may have more fun with tech gadgets than with scented bath candles. It’s not easy, but it’s worth the effort. Let’s go!
20 ingenious Christmas presents for employees
1. Company time capsule
Not a gift to take home, but one with a symbolic character. Each employee is allowed to put something in the time capsule, but the individual pieces remain secret. In 5 years, the surprise will be all the greater.
2. Personal donation budget
What is more beautiful than receiving a gift? Giving a gift yourself. Each employee receives a fixed amount that he or she can give to a charitable organization of his or her choice.
3. Personalized wiggle dolls
Nodding dolls are one of the most popular table decorations. However, if they resemble the owner or are based on a characteristic of the person (suitable superhero?), they become a real eye-catcher.
4. Desk toy
The days when toys were exclusively used by hip start-ups are over. Nerf guns, stress balls or mini basketball hoops create a relaxed atmosphere in the office and ensure lots of fun during breaks.
5. Annual subscriptions for digital offerings
An annual subscription to streaming services doesn’t necessarily have to be focused solely on fun. Education-focused offerings like Blinkist may even end up benefiting the company itself.
6. Joint Christmas Market Tour
Hardly any event creates as much Christmas spirit as a tour of the Christmas market. If you also complete ingenious mini-games as a challenge, the excursion is guaranteed to be a success.
7. Personalized table accessories
Mouse pads, pens and similar desk items are not exactly creative masterpieces among Christmas gifts. Personalized, however, they have charm and offer the possibility to convey appreciative messages, e.g. by immortalizing the nickname of the employees.
8. Pop-up Mini Spa Day
A day when self-care is the order of the day for all employees. Short massages, manicures and relaxation sessions create a relaxed atmosphere in the office and have a lasting effect.
9. Snack corner
It’s an open secret: snacks in the office are as important as the daily afternoon coffee. A snack corner, well stocked with staff favorites and a fixed quota per employee, lifts spirits. Guaranteed.
10. Christmas photo box
(Almost) everyone loves photo boxes. Before Christmas, they make for a festive mood and create keepsakes that employees will cherish for years to come. Group cuddling is encouraged.
11. Office concert
It doesn’t matter if it’s a professional musician, the boss with his 20-year-old electric guitar or Karl from accounting with his harmonica. An office concert at Christmas creates a time-out from the often stressful Christmas business, and you see your colleagues in a whole new light.
12. Tech gadgets
A classic among Christmas gifts for employees, and not without reason. Tech gadgets like USB sticks, battery packs or noise-canceling headphones are practical and popular among the workforce.
13. Shared virtual games for remote teams
Your team works remotely and spends little time together outside stressful meetings and discussions? Virtual team building games like our “Agents: Communication is Key” are a fun way to help remote teams come together and have fun.
14. Personalized notebook
Everyone knows the standard DIN-A4 pad from the company office supplies. A personalized notebook immediately takes on a different significance and is a sign of appreciation.
15. “You are a star” table picture
A picture for the desk with the starry sky at the time of the employee’s birth? Kitschy? Maybe. Emotional? Definitely!
16. Coffee mug?!
You may be thinking to yourself, “Wait, and that’s supposed to be creative?”. But the fact is, few items are used and revered in offices as much as coffee mugs. And as a rule, these are of inferior quality, to say the least. High-quality coffee mugs with insulation, personalized or company branding are guaranteed not to disappear in the drawer anytime soon.
17. “Dinner with the Big Boss”
The boss as cook and waiter in one? Sounds tempting. Whether it tastes good depends on the boss, but the reversal of the usual power imbalance is sure to go down well.
18. “Friday Funday” coupons
Free redeemable vouchers for a more relaxed Friday are straightforward and in high demand. Longer lunch break? Going home earlier? Who wouldn’t like that?
19. Office blankets
There is no question that office space should always be comfortably heated. Unfortunately, this comfort zone varies from person to person. The frostbite sufferers among the workforce will be even happier to have personal office blankets. Why not make the office a little cozier?
20. A perfect Christmas party
One thing is certain: the quality of the Christmas party is crucial for the feeling of appreciation among employees. A worthy celebration is a must. We recommend as a basis:
- Good food: Good is what tastes good, but tastes are different. Vegetarians or people with intolerances should definitely be considered.
- An evening highlight: Every good Christmas party needs a highlight. For example, the gift-giving ceremony.
- Christmas party program: It quickly gets boring without a supporting program. Entertainment is a must. The possibility of dancing, karaoke or a challenge. Professional support can help you plan the Christmas party.
Tip: Here is a list of 15 Office Xmas Party Games that are far from the ordinary!
How much should employee gifts cost?
Finally, there is the question of costs. Depending on the industry in which your company operates, different amounts are common. The value of the employee gift should be based on the salary of the workforce. Of course, there are no upper limits. In Germany, annual gifts up to a maximum of 44 euros per employee are tax-free. According to statista.com, companies spent an average of 475 euros per employee on Christmas gifts:
Average expenditure on employee gifts (source: Statista.com)
Sign-off: Christmas gifts for employees should be a sign of appreciation
Christmas gifts for employees should not be a chore. They offer an opportunity for companies to show that the workforce is perceived as individuals. The price plays only a subordinate role. What is important, as with any gift, is that it comes from the heart. So: no more boring shopping vouchers.
Virtual Christmas
Your team works remotely? Then take a look at our online Christmas party!
