Do you throw an office party every year for the winter holidays? Have even a small gathering to show appreciation in the workplace with punch, treats, and festive decorations? Whether these are big, fancy events or more relaxed, when it comes time to give out holiday office party gifts or party favors to employees you’ll want to be confident that what you give matters. Work party favors won’t change the world, but they can be the right touch that shows your staff their year-round dedication is recognized and appreciated.
To ensure your party favors or gifts hit the mark, and aren’t just giveaways people will forget about or rarely use, do a little planning beforehand. We’ve put together a list of company holiday party favor ideas and some tips to help you select the best for your employees next time the holidays come around.
Why Are Office Party Favors and Holiday Gifts or Employees Important?
It might seem obvious, but corporate holiday party favors are a great way to show your employees you appreciate their work throughout the year. They boost workplace morale, add a touch of fun, and offer a tangible way to remember the company party. Give out party favors as a thanks to your employees for attending your event and being part of the work community.
Top 5 Company Party Favor Ideas
Looking for some fun holiday party favor ideas for your staff? We’ve selected five of our favorite Centricity signature products at a range of prices to help you choose. These can be customized with your company’s branding and ordered in bulk, with bulk amounts varying per item.
1. Chelsea Plush Hey Buddy Bear
What better way to spread a little holiday cheer than with an adorable, plush teddy bear? This Chelsea bear comes in brown or gray and wears a t-shirt or bandana in the color of your choice. Each bear also has an embroidered heart on both palms.
2. 15 Oz. Full Color Mug with Four Assorted Tea Bags
This stoneware mug comes with an array of teas and gives employees something they can use every day while being reminded of the year’s holiday party. Each mug can be customized with a full-color dye imprint of your company’s name, logo, slogan, or other design of your choosing with stock designs (snowflakes, holiday lights, etc.) available as well.
3. Challenger Lambswool Throw
From using during a movie night to wearing as an impromptu shawl, this lambswool blanket is a plush and soft gift idea perfect for the cold holiday season. Reversible and made of micro fur and faux lambswool, this throw brings a little warmth to any space.
4. Holiday Aromatherapy Candle in a Gift Box
Set in high-quality Libbey Glassware, this scented holiday candle is a great example of a holiday-themed gift people can use year-round. Available in a variety of scents, these candles bring a soothing atmosphere to the room for a stress-free, relaxing holiday.
5. Ambassador Journal
This elegant Ambassador journal rounds out our list of holiday party favor ideas. While it’s not holiday-themed, it works well year-round for chronicling thoughts, notes, ideas, and anything else whether personal or work-related. Each notebook has a classic hardcover available for debossed customization, a paper pocket in the back cover, a satin ribbon bookmark, and contains 80 sheets of off-white ruled paper just the right size for anyone on the go.
Holiday Party Giveaways FAQs
Picking out the right company party favors can be, sometimes, delicate terrain. We answer some frequently asked questions below.
How do you pick the best company party favor for the holidays?
Fitting holiday office party gifts or party favors will be different for every company and depend on your company’s particular culture, size, the type of work you do, etc. Be mindful about people’s religious beliefs and any particular sensitivities to a holiday people may have, too. That said, you know your employees best so trust your instincts! Relevance goes a long way when picking from a list of company holiday party gift ideas.
Consider festive gifts specific to the holiday, like a seasonal candle, mug for hot cocoa, or other related items. Alternatively, a gift that’s more useful year-round can be a great option especially if employees aren’t as enthusiastic about the holiday season.
Questions you can ask when trying to decide on holiday party favors for employees include:
- How many employees will you be buying for?
- What is the general age range of employees?
- What would be useful to your employees? (This can be based on your company’s field, geographical location, successful past holiday gifts, peoples’ interests, local attractions, etc.)
Is there a monetary limit on what companies should spend on work party favors?
There’s no correct amount of money to spend on company party favors and office party gifts. Not to give another open-ended answer, but every company is going to have a different budget and will allocate spending for employee gifts and activities differently.
Most companies will have rules or guidelines related to holiday spending. Before buying any holiday office party gifts for employees, start by checking with your company’s HR department, the party planning committee, or whoever is involved with spending for guidance. Even with a larger budget, keep in mind that big purchases may put people in an awkward position. Likewise, while the saying goes that it’s the thought that counts, try to find something your employees will find useful and enjoy.
Corporate party favors can get pricey quickly with larger teams, so save by buying in bulk! To mix things up and keep everyone from getting the exact same gift, you can always order several different gifts in bulk and split them between people according to your judgment.
Should you order company party favors for a virtual party or remote workers?
Absolutely! Since you’ve likely already saved some money in the event of hosting a virtual party, take your gift ideas up a notch and use holiday party giveaways as a chance to reinforce your appreciation for employees.
As for remote workers, it’s easy for them to feel isolated or secondary if they’re fully remote or on a team that goes into the physical office every day without them — clearly stating remote workers’ value and communicating appreciation can make a big difference for employee wellbeing, retention, and productivity.
And if remote workers are located in a different city than your office, you can mail their gift or have it shipped to them. Sending digital gift cards works in a pinch, but doesn’t have the same tactile connection as physical gifts like a candle or blanket. If remote employees are nearby and able, you can just have them come by the office at their convenience to pick up their gifts!
When is the best time to give out the holiday party favors foremployees?
The actual party favor item can help determine the best way to give them to employees. Will management or a team leader make any sort of announcement when presenting gifts? Are the corporate party favors the same for everyone, or did different teams get different gifts?
Some common example times of when to give out holiday gifts include:
- In the office the morning of the holiday party.
- At the start of the holiday party after the opening remarks.
- Leave them on a table for employees to grab as they leave the event.
- If there’s a dinner at the party, leave the gifts waiting in each chair.
Final Thoughts on Holiday Party Favors for Employees
The holidays bring joy and stress alike when trying to find the right office party favors and company party gifts to give to your employees. These gift ideas and tips should help you align your decision-making with staff expectations, culture, and values for a low-stress and festive holiday experience.
At Centricity, we’re dedicated to building workplaces centered around employee engagement and satisfaction. Elevating experiences at work leads to a more creative and organized atmosphere for your staff, company, and when working with clients. Reach out to us today to learn more about creating custom brand solutions, whether that’s through workforce technology, branded merchandise, event planning, or something in between.
Do you need holiday office party gifts? Send us the details and we’ll send you some great ideas.
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