When you’re heading towards the end of the year, trying to wrap up work projects and make room for family, it can be hard to find time to think about your clients and colleagues too. But showing your appreciation for their work or their business can be as easy as finding a thoughtful token this Christmas season.
If you keep these three easy tips in mind, office-appropriate gifting can be a breeze.
Keep it simple. Whether you’re selecting Christmas gifts for clients, colleagues or your boss, chances are the gift will need to be useful and of broad appeal, as you’re unlikely to know what is on everyone’s wish list. Even better if you can find a gift that can be used at the office, such as our new Notebook, whose thoughtful design and usefulness we believe makes it a valuable addition to anyone’s desk.
Don’t splurge. Unless your colleague or client is also a personal friend, you shouldn’t go overboard with expensive or extravagant gifts. A colleague might be uncomfortable receiving something expensive that can’t be reciprocated and a client might feel the cost is coming out of their fees! My rule is to keep Christmas gifts for the workplace below $35, which allows you to find something thoughtful without breaking the bank.
Make it personal. Business gifts are, quite rightly, fairly generic items but that does not mean they should be impersonal. An easy and inexpensive way to make them feel more personal is to include a handwritten note with each. To make it easier, simply divide the list of recipients among each person on your team to handwrite the actual notes, then have a big signing party once they’re all written – ‘tis the season after all!
Cathy Berman, Director of Marketing (International), MOO
