Holiday Gift Guide

2024

A comprehensive resource for stress-free, impactful gifting this holiday season.

You’re either thinking:
“It’s a bit early to start planning my holiday gifts”
Or...
“It’s too late to plan my holiday gifts.”
Either way you’re right on time.

The year is flying by and your end of year timelines seem to move even faster. To help you make the most of your time, we’ve pulled together everything you need to know to send employee and customer gifts without breaking a sweat or stepping foot in the post office.

In this guide you’ll find:

  • Ideas for creating more intentional gifting initiatives
  • Recommendations for picking great gifts
  • A checklist for planning your gifting program from start to finish
  • Stealable message templates for sending
  • Expert insights on how to create a stress-free gifting program
  • Tips for better gifting with the Loop & Tie platform

Table of contents

Why holiday gifting?

Gifting is an investment in connection

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To give or not to give?

The potential downsides of holiday gifting
How to know if a holiday gifting program is right for your business
Should you send branded or unbranded gifts?
Send holiday gifts with intention

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How to pick the right holiday gifts for your customers & employees

Get to know collection-based gifting

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Corporate holiday gifts that don’t *feel* corporate

Meet our most-loved gifts

Holiday collections that have something for everyone

How to delight recipients with personalized gifting options

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Your guide to low-stress corporate holiday gifting

Your holly-jolly holiday corporate gifting timeline & checklist

Templates to help write your corporate holiday gift messages

Expert tips for a better holiday gifting

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FAQs: Easier holiday gifting with Loop & Tie
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Wrapping up
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Why holiday gifting?

A gift is rarely just a gift – it’s both a tool for connection between the gifter and the giftee, and a tool for connecting corporate budgets with impactful engagements.

It says “I thought of you”. Is there anything better than when you give/get a gift that makes you feel noticed?

It’s no wonder that corporate gifting is so popular. It enables two pillars every company needs to survive and grow: providing personalized, engaging experiences and nurturing strong relationships. Gift-giving helps businesses show appreciation for the people who matter most: employees and customers.

With so many distractions, stressors, and competition, slowing down and pausing to acknowledge the relationships that really matter to you and your business is the most rewarding act of relationship-building out there. The end of year offers many opportunities to do so. Holidays are seasonal, but the impact of gifting is felt long after we sing Auld Lang Syne.

“Just as there’s no bad time to say thank you, there’s never a bad time to give a gift.”

-Sara Rodell, Loop & Tie Founder & CEO

Gifting is an investment in connection

There’s a misconception that corporate gifting is a cost center that you just “have to spend money on” because everyone else is doing it. This mindset is soooo last century!

Forward-thinking businesses understand an important fact about gifting: when done right, it can boost your bottom line and strengthen your brand.

When you boil this information down, what it tells us is that people want to know that they are being acknowledged, appreciated, and valued. It seems so simple, doesn’t it?

Yes, the combination of gratitude, intentionality, and personal connection through gifting is just smart business – 
and you get that because you’re a smart cookie. 🍪

Here’s some interesting stats
%

of professionals said receiving year-end gifts from vendors made them more likely to continue working together.

%

of U.S. customers find a positive experience with a brand to be more influential than great advertising.

%

of professionals said receiving year-end gifts from vendors made them more likely to continue working together.

To give or not to give?

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! But for many it’s also the most stressful time of the year (other than Tax Day, of course). There are parties to attend, cookies to eat, year-end projects to wrap up, and gifts to give. So. Many. Gifts. It’s true that giving gifts can be overwhelming, whether you’re sending five or 500. So, let’s have some real talk for a minute...

Do you need to send gifts to your customers, employees, partners, etc. during the holidays? No!


And you shouldn’t feel obligated to do so, as there are many reasons why running a holiday gifting program might not be right for your business. That’s 100% okay, and we’re not here to judge. 🫶

The potential downsides of holiday gifting

In the (holiday) spirit of transparency, some downsides of end-of-year gift giving might be:
  • Your customers or employees might feel the gesture is inauthentic or transactional only.
  • Customers and clients might feel pressured to continue a business relationship.
  • Everyone is super busy at the end of the year and it’s possible they won’t even remember or care about your gift.
  • The gifts you send get donated or, more likely, end up in a landfill.
  • You didn’t set aside the budget for sending gifts and the cost of purchasing, wrapping, and mailing items across the country (and world) is too prohibitive.
It’s never a bad idea to proceed with caution if you have reservations about any of these points. The right choice is always to do what is best for your people and your business!

How to know if a holiday gifting program is right for your business

On the other hand, holiday gifting is great if you’ve been looking for more opportunities to develop relationships with customers and employees. A year-end gift is the perfect chance to show the folks in your orbit some well-deserved love!

Here are some of the most common reasons behind corporate gifting during the holidays 👇

Brand Experience
  • Help reinforce company and brand values
  • Strengthen positive brand perception so customers and employees keep you top-of-mind
Customer Experience
  • Say “thank you” to the customers who support your business
  • Develop stronger relationships between your customers and customer-facing employees
  • Boost customer engagement and loyalty with another thoughtful touch points
Employee Experience
  • Get to know your employees better and show your appreciation
  • Build more meaningful relationships with your employees
  • Nurture a gratitude-filled work environment

Ultimately, the decision to give or not to give is up to you!

Don’t feel pressured to do so because it seems like everyone else is.

There are so many other meaningful touchpoints you can make with customers and employees (such as Employee Appreciation Day, Customer Appreciation Day, team milestones, birthdays, and customer/employee achievements) throughout the year. These are often forgotten and could potentially have a huge impact on your business goals.

Our general advice for year-end gifting is to only do it if you can answer “YES!” to these three questions:

1.
Will a holiday gifting program help us achieve our business objectives, such as strengthening client relationships or improving employee satisfaction?
2.
Does a gifting program align with our company brand values?
3.
Does my team understand the long-term positive impact of gifting enough to invest in quality gifts that will resonate with recipients?

The great branded vs. unbranded gift debate

Let’s be honest: we’ve all ended up with branded merch that was either low quality, way too branded, or simply not something we needed more of (coffee mugs, anyone?).

And while we love high-quality branded merch, it’s important to make smarter decisions about how to create and send it. Consider this: 54% of corporate gift recipients have thrown away at least one gift without using it. Yikes! Not only is that wasteful for your wallet, 
it’s just plain wasteful.

Our advice on sending branded merch is to make the decision on a case-by-base basis. Taking care to send gifts your recipients actually want is kinder to the planet, your giftees, and your wallet. That’s an all-around win! 🙌

Loop Tip: Lots of people like getting physical gifts, but others might prefer to gift-it-forward by making a charitable donation. Every standard gift collection on Loop & Tie also includes an option to donate the equivalent monetary value to a charity of their choice.
Some questions to consider are:
  • What level of relationship do you have with the recipient? Would a more personalized gift make more sense?
  • Is the purpose of the gifting initiative simply to acknowledge the giftees, or is it part of a larger branded campaign?
  • Is the branded merch practical and/or useful for the gift recipient?
  • Are your giftees already superfans of your company who will appreciate branded items?
  • Have you sent branded merch to the giftees in the past 6-12 months?
  • Is the branded merch you w nt to send something that you would want  in your own home?

Should you send branded swag as holiday gifts?

Send holiday gifts with intention

Gifts are inherently joyful – who doesn’t love getting a great gift?! In a world that’s always “go go go,” giving and receiving a gift is an act that makes us stop and think about our connection with someone else for a minute.

If you’ve read this far, you’re already well-equipped to build a more intentional holiday gifting initiative!

Just remember to follow these 4 principles:

  • 1.
    Gifting isn’t all about you, it’s about connecting with the recipient.
  • 2.
    Don’t send gifts “just to send gifts” – always align gifting with a bigger goal.
  • 3.
    Plan ahead for the best experience for you and the giftee.
  • 4.
    Keep company brand values at the center of gift giving.
Now you can go forth and gift better this holiday season!

How to pick the right holiday gifts for your customers & employees

Unless you’re a gifting maestro, this question has probably haunted you every year between September and November. You know it’s on your to-do list to find, purchase, and send gifts to everyone on your list but you don’t know how to do it. What’s a gift that everyone will like? 🤔

The way we see it, you have a few options…

🔮
Hire a psychic to go through your Excel sheet row by row and suggest the perfect gift for each recipient. (This could take a while and get really expensive depending on the size of your list and the hourly rate of the psychic.)

😩 Ask a bunch of different people at your company for suggestions of gifts that make everyone happy. You’ll eventually get overwhelmed, stare at your screen, eat some sad fruitcake, and eventually make an order for the most neutral option: a stainless steel travel mug. 

✅ Skip shopping altogether and let your giftee choose their own gift.

Our advice is to go with option #3. 

This is something we call “choice-based gifting” or “collection-based gifting,” but no matter what you call it, this really just means letting someone pick their own gift from a collection of great options.

Get to know collection-based gifting

Why should a business opt for collection-based gifting?

Well, other than it being more reliable (and probably less expensive) than hiring a psychic, it also just makes sense.

Collection-based gifting makes it easier for you to send a gift and more convenient for the recipient to pick out a gift that best fits their interests. Plus, that gift is less likely to go to waste (literally).

At Loop & Tie, every collection is carefully curated so that giftees have tons of high-quality options. Our inventory is based on many factors, like market trends and best-sellers, and every item helps support craft makers , small businesses, and local artisans.

Did you know
$
 billion

of professionals said receiving year-end gifts from vendors made them more likely to continue working together.

 million tons

of U.S. customers find a positive experience with a brand to be more influential than great advertising.

%

of professionals said receiving year-end gifts from vendors made them more likely to continue working together.

Corporate holiday gifts that don’t *feel* corporate

You’re here because you don’t want to give any ol’ gift this year. You want to give good gifts that foster genuine connection. Loop & Tie has helped companies, from solo business owners to big enterprise businesses, send over 2 million gifts since our founding, so we know great gifts! We ran the data to help you gift better this holiday season.

Meet our Top 5 Gifts of 2024
Most picked overall:
Uber Appliance Air Fryer XL
Most picked $50 Collection:
Ostrichpillow Heated Neck Wrap
Most picked $100 Collection:
HiRise 3 Wireless Charging Stand
Most picked $25 Collection:
JLab Go Air Wireless Earbuds
Most picked $75 Collection:
Auraglow Teeth Whitening Kit

Not sure which collection to send to you customers and employees? These are the most-sent collections from last holiday season!

How to delight recipients with personalized gifting options

Let’s talk about providing your recipients with really great gift options – “options” being the operative word. (Remember we’re all about choice here!) A question we hear all the time is:  How can you build a collection of gift options that appeal to every person on your list?

We’ve got a few suggestions:

  • 1.
    Use past gift redemption data to figure out what types of gifts are most popular with your giftees, then tailor the options to match.Identify if there are common interests, hobbies, or causes among the folks on your list. Add items, experiences, and donation options that align with those areas.
  • 2.
    Simply ask them what types of gifts they want to see offered this year.
  • 3.
    You might be worried about ruining the surprise, but the truth is most folks appreciate that you’re acknowledging their wants.
  • 4.
    Give many options across categories so that everyone can find something they’ll love!

Now you can go forth and gift better this holiday season!

The most anticipated new gifts

Corporate holiday gifts for clients & employees that don’t feel so corporate.

New in the $250-1000 Collection:
Shinola Runabout Open Tote
Be Lucent Oralcare Whitening Bundle
New in the $100 Collection:
FLIKR FIRE XL Table Top Fireplace
ReVased Good Memories Flower Bouque
New in the $75 Collection:
Rill Simple Tools Buck 
Shot Ranch Hand Folding Knife
Widgeteer Wine 
Decanter with Oak Stopper
New in the $50 Collection:
CASUPO Mag Safe Leather Wallet with RFID
Sugar Bliss Gourmet Sweet Treats
New in the $25 Collection:
Alfar Tierra Cocida Ceramic Vegetable Grater Plate
Farm To Pet Healthy Dog Treat Duo

Loop & Tie has two easy ways to give your recipients more options:

1.

Standard Gift Collections

Pick from a selection of expert-curated gifts based on price, occasion, interests, holidays, and vibes ✨
2.

Custom Gift Collections

Create custom gift collections from the Loop & Tie marketplace options. You can even add your own swag and specialty items!

Your corporate gifting timeline & checklist

You’ve decided to send holiday gifts. You’re planning to give recipients options so they can pick the gift they want most. You’re ready to get this big task off of your to do list. Now what? Don’t worry, we got you! Use this timeline and checklist to keep your holiday gifting on track.

July - August: Planning & Budgeting

  • Decide if you want to send holiday gifts and who your target audience will be. Consider including employees, customers/clients, partners, and board members.

  • Set your budget with wiggle room to cover taxes, shipping costs, and other unexpected expenses.

  • Identify the purpose of your holiday gifting program (e.g. showing appreciation, building stronger relationships, celebrating end-of-year milestones).

  • Start brainstorming gift ideas

    Key input from key stakeholders and create a shortlist of gift options
    Request quotes if you’re planning to send branded merchandise or other customized items

Loop Tip: Sending gifts from Loop & Tie makes budgeting much easier. Pick collections by dollar amount so you know exactly what you’re spending on each gift. You’ll only pay $5 for standard shipping when you use the Free plan. For subscribers, shipping is included.

September - October: Logistics & Communication

  • Finalize your gift options

  • Make a list of recipients and their contact details. Check it twice!

  • Create a communication plan for key stakeholders

    Think about how you want to talk about your holiday gifting initiative so it aligns with your objectives
    and brand values.
    Should you make an internal announcement so employees know you’re sending gifts to customers?
    Do you want to tailor employee gift messages by teams or individually?
    Do you need anyone to sign off on messaging?

Loop Tip: You can schedule gifts to deploy on a specific date so you can go ahead and check this task off your to-do list!

November - December: Final touches, sending & monitoring

  • Final check on contact information accuracy

  • Prep your gifts to send

  • Send gifts in time to arrive on or before the desired delivery date

  • Request quotes if you’re planning to send branded merchandise or other customized items

November - December: Final touches, sending & monitoring

  • Gather insights and feedback from recipients to evaluate satisfaction with the gifts

  • Conduct an internal review to evaluate the program's success and document learnings for next year

Loop Tip: You can analyze redemption rates and thank you notes to evaluate the success of your gifting initiative.

Last minute store run? Standing in line for hours at the post office? Nope, not for you. You followed this timeline and sent your corporate holiday gifts ahead of schedule.

Last call for shipping!

Use these recommended shipping deadlines to make sure your gift arrives right on time.

Please note: It's quite common for gift recipients to take a few days to decide which gift to select from your collection. This table of estimated arrival dates assumes your gift recipient redeems their gift the day you send their digital redemption. In the event that your recipient needs time to decide, your gifts will arrive roughly 2 weeks after redemption if not sooner.

Domestic

(based on recommendations from USPS)
For delivery by…
Send by…
US Thanksgiving (November 28)
November 20
Hanukkah (December 25 - January 2)
December 16
Christmas Day (December 25)
December 16
Kwanzaa (December 26 - January 1)
December 17
New Year’s Day (January 1)
December 22

Sending internationally? Your best bet is to send out your gifts 3-4 weeks before you want them to arrive.

Tongue-tied? Use these templates to write your corporate holiday gift messages!

Your gifts are set…now you just need to figure out what to say in your personal note. In general, you want your messages to be brief, personalized, and show appreciation for the relationship.

Here are a few templates you can use and customize for your gift send:

Holiday gift message template for employees

Dear :first_name:,

Thank you for all you’ve done for :company_name: this year! Our team wouldn’t be the same without you.

Obviously I can’t thank you enough for the ways you’ve shown up for the team and customers this year, but I wanted to send this token of appreciation to express my gratitude.

This year, we’ve partnered with Loop & Tie to send a hand-picked collection of gifts you can choose from, including the option to gift-it-forward to a charity of your choice.

Happy holidays!
[Your Name]

Happy holidays, :first_name:!

The holidays are a time for celebration, reflection, and thanks.

As we wrap up another year, we wanted to send a heartfelt thank you for your hard work this year.

As a small token of our appreciation, we’ve partnered with Loop & Tie to offer you a selection of specially curated gifts.

We hope you have a wonderful holiday season with your family and friends, and look forward to next year!

Best wishes,
[Your Name]

Holiday gift message template for customers & clients

Happy holidays, :first_name:!

I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for getting to work with you this year.

[Company Name] wouldn’t exist without amazing customers like you, and I’m looking forward to continuing our partnership in the New Year.

It’s impossible to get the perfect gift for everyone, so I’m sending you a collection of options to choose from. Pick whatever will make your holidays more merry & bright!

I’m wishing you the happiest of holiday seasons and a great New Year.

[Your Name]

Dear :first_name:,

Thank you for your support of :company_name: this year. Customers like you make our world go ‘round!

I wanted to send a small token of our appreciation before the New Year.

This holiday season, we’ve partnered with Loop & Tie to send a hand-picked collection of gifts for you to choose from, including the option to gift-it-forward to a charity of your choice.

I hope you pick something as meaningful to you as you are to us.

Happy holidays!
[Your Name]

Holiday gift message template for partners & advisors

Happy holidays, :first_name:!

I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for your contributions to [Company Name] this year.

We wouldn’t be where we are without amazing partners like you and I’m looking forward to continuing our partnership in the New Year.

It’s hard to get the perfect gift for everyone, so I’m sending you a collection of options to choose from. Pick whatever will make your holidays more merry & bright!

Wishing you the happiest of holiday seasons and a great New Year.

[Your Name]

Dear :first_name:,

Thank you for your support of :company_name: this year. Partners like you make us tick!

To show our gratitude, I wanted to send a small token of our appreciation before the New Year.

This holiday season, we’ve partnered with Loop & Tie to offer a hand-picked collection of gifts for you to choose from, including an option to gift-it-forward to a charity of your choice.

I hope you pick something as meaningful to you as you are to us.

Happy holidays!
[Your Name]

Expert tips for better holiday gifting

Hey, you made it this far! That means you’ve learned a lot about sending great corporate holiday gifts, but you might be a tad overwhelmed by all of the information.

We asked our gifting experts to share their best tips your holiday gifting program – plus, tricks for applying this advice through Loop & Tie.

The people handling all the gifts for the company have vacations, too. Even though you're going on holiday, you can get your work done ahead of time.”
-Johanna Beaulieu, Sr. Account Manager

Tip 1

Add personal touches to your gifts. Whether selecting a special gift exclusively for each recipient or simply adding a genuine note of thanks to your gift message, personal touches can create a more meaningful connection.

Use magic tokens in your message to personalize gift emails with the recipient’s name.

Tip 2

Plan ahead for international gifting. International gifts may have more restrictions than domestic gifts and will most likely have a longer delivery timeline. You should also expect to pay additional shipping costs and duties. (And yes, shipping to Canada does count as international!)

Use Loop & Tie’s international collections to streamline the process with all-inclusive pricing. All you need to worry about is sending the email on time.

Tip 3

It’s better to send gifts in advance than wait until the last minute. We promise no one will mind if their gift comes a week or two early.

Save time (and stress) by scheduling your gift sends in advance. You can cross the task off your to-do list without breaking a sweat.

Tip 4

You don’t need to send branded gifts to create a brand experience. Think of your end-of-year gifting program as a way to reinforce your brand and brand values that won’t dilute the value of the gesture.

All paid subscriptions allow senders to customize emails to giftees with branded banners and messaging. Premium and Enterprise customers can create custom collections with promotional products and branded packaging.

Tip 5

Offer options to gift-it-forward. Some folks might not be allowed to accept gifts but would take the opportunity to make a charitable donation in their name. Others may simply prefer to give than to get. The option to donate the value of a gift will be much appreciated!

Nearly every Loop & Tie marketplace collection includes options donate the value of a gift to a good cause. You may also send a collection of only charity options if you know your recipient can’t accept gifts.

Do’s:

  • Do plan your budget early in the year so you can send high-
quality gifts.
  • Do give your recipient a few options to choose from to prevent your gifts from ending up in a landfill.
  • Do set up your gifting initiative to track success metrics like redemption and satisfaction. This will help you improve similar initiatives in the future.

Dont’s:

  • Don’t limit gifts to only what can be branded!
  • Don’t send one-size-fits-all gifts to your list of unique recipients.
  • Don’t wait until the last minute to finalize your gift of recipients. You’ll want to confirm contact details as soon as possible to ensure smooth delivery.

FAQs: Easier holiday gifting with Loop & Tie

Q.
Do I need a paid plan to send gifts?
A.
Nope, you can start sending gifts from the Loop & Tie marketplace without a subscription by signing up for a free plan. There are some added benefits and features available with the paid subscription, but you don’t need to subscribe to start sending!
Learn More ->
Q.
Can I customize a gift collection in Loop & Tie?
A.
Yes! Customizing marketplace collections is a great way to curate a collection for your recipients based on their interests or a common theme.
Learn More ->
Q.
How do I send gifts outside of the US?
A.
We have several international collection options that are super easy to send! The price of international collections is 100% all-inclusive and reflective of the price you'll see at checkout.
Learn More ->
Q.
I sent a gift but my recipient hasn’t redeemed it yet. What should I do?
A.
Loop & Tie has pre-set, automated reminders for any recipients who have not yet redeemed a gift. You can view and edit upcoming reminders in your user portal.
Loop & Tie has pre-set, automated reminders for any recipients who have not yet redeemed a gift. You can view and edit upcoming reminders in your user portal.
Learn More ->
Q.
What if my recipient never redeems their gift?
A.
Don’t worry, you have a couple of options. When the gifts you send aren't redeemed by their recipient— either because their gift link expired or you canceled the gift— the gift value automatically gets returned to your account in the form of credits. You can use those credits for future gifts or to resend a gift to the original recipient!
Learn More ->
Q.
How can I send multiple gifts at one time?
A.
This is super easy! You can send up to 100(?) gifts at once with the Free plan by simply adding the contact details of your giftees in the Loop & Tie checkout flow. Need to send more than that? If you’re a subscription plan user, you can upload up to 500 contacts at a time.
Learn More ->
Q.
Does Loop & Tie connect to my CRM?
A.
You can use the Loop & Tie Salesforce app to send gifts to contacts directly through your Salesforce instance. Important note: your Loop & Tie Account must be set up by your Salesforce Admin to use our Salesforce App.
Learn More ->

Wrapping Up

If you’ve made it this far, you’re ready for the most successful holiday gifting program of your career (so far)! We’re excited for you to send amazing gifts to your customers and employees.

There are a lot of factors to consider, but you’ve got this task in the bag – the gift bag. 😉

If you have any questions, need help, or just want us to handle all the nitty-gritty details, contact us. You deserve to sit back, relax, and eat holiday treats in peace.

Start your holiday gifting now

Start gifting right now—no subscription required