- Finding the right holiday gifts for your co-workers can be a real challenge.
- There are many companies that cater specifically to corporate gift giving.
- This list includes gifts such as book subscriptions, experiences and charitable donations.
- This article is for anyone who is looking for ideas for gifts to give at work.
Gift giving at work can be tough; many people struggle to find the right gifts for their co-workers, bosses and employees. The good news is that there are plenty of small businesses that offer unique and exciting ways to show someone you care. From mobile gift cards to curated gift baskets, these 20 businesses make it easier to give gifts at work.
Creative gift ideas for co-workers and bosses
1. Book of the Month
If your gift recipient loves reading, Book of the Month will be a great surprise. Book of the Month is a subscription box where users get to pick a book from five curated options, including early releases and debut novels. From mysteries to romance novels, there will be books for every reader on your list. You can gift members three months, six months or 12 months of a subscription.
2. Elfster
While Elfster is marketed as a "free Secret Santa generator," it's helpful for all holidays and gift-giving occasions. The Secret Santa function allows you to set up an exchange in minutes. You can also establish rules to make sure you never draw your spouse or yourself.
With Elfster, you can also add links and notes to your wish list. When someone buys something off your list, they can mark it as bought so others know not to buy you that gift. Elfster also keeps track of birthdays and addresses and will remind you if someone you follow is having a birthday soon.
3. Giftagram
Giftagram was created to make gift giving easier and is a great resource for 2020, with personalized, unique gifts topping this year's wish lists. It is a free, easy-to-navigate app that offers users instant access to a marketplace of handpicked, curated products. Giftagram uses propriety technology to send items that can be chosen in just a couple of clicks. First, choose your gift from a selection of high-quality products from local and international retailers. Next, enter your recipient's information so Giftagram can contact the person via text or email about your gift. Once the recipient enters their address, the company will ship the gift.
4. Giftsnideas
Giftsnideas is an international gift-sending website that allows you to send gifts to more than 12,000 international cities. The website lets you peruse a variety of handpicked gifts from around the world. You can also browse by occasion, recipient, category and more. You can even choose the date by which you want the gift delivered, to avoid shipping worries. Find the perfect gift for every occasion, knowing it can be sent to your loved ones no matter how far away they live.
5. GiftTree
Gift baskets are an easy, fun gift to give, but compiling and packaging a basket on your own can be time-consuming and expensive. GiftTree creates beautiful, themed gift baskets that are assembled by hand. You can search for baskets by price, occasion and gift type. In addition to its keepsake baskets, GiftTree offers an extensive collection of personalized and engraved gifts for all occasions.
6. Gyft
Everything is going mobile, including gift giving. With Gyft, you can give and manage gift cards from your mobile device. Users can purchase and send gift cards that can be used at more than 200 retailers, including stores, restaurants and even airlines. Recipients can manage and redeem their gift cards from the app on their iOS or Android devices.
7. Handwrytten
Handwrytten makes personal connections through ink and paper quick and easy, using robots to send handwritten messages directly to your chosen recipient. Simply pick out a card and type your message, and the website's robotic handwriting machines will write your message in any handwriting style you choose, from casual to fancy. The card is then sealed in an envelope, addressed, stamped and sent out for delivery. The starting price is $3 per card (cheaper than some store-bought cards), making Handwrytten an affordable way to send meaningful notes.
8. Packed with Purpose
Packed with Purpose sells gift boxes that contain handcrafted products from nonprofits and businesses that employ people with disabilities. The company has a range of boxes to fit any occasion. One of its most popular boxes – A Sweet Thanks, Deluxe – includes items from seven socially responsible companies or nonprofits. For example, one business, Greyston Bakery, employs individuals with histories of incarceration, homelessness or drug use and provides housing, health services, childcare and training to its workers.
9. Personal Creations
Personal Creations offers a personalized gift-sending experience. The company sells a wide range of thoughtful and fun gifts with a personal touch, such as stockings, ornaments, photo frames and pillows. All products offered are available to etch, monogram or embroider with names, initials or a personalized message. Personal Creations focuses on major holidays and releases limited-time items for each occasion.
10. Snappy
Snappy makes it easier for managers to send gifts to their teams, allowing team members to choose the gifts they want from a curated online collection of things such as tech products, gift cards and subscriptions. You can create your gifting campaign in seconds, and all gifts can be personalized with logos and more.
11. Sugarwish
With Sugarwish, you can send a personalized assortment of candies, without having to worry about choosing the wrong ones. All you do is select a bag size, personalize an e-card and send the gift to your recipient. They will receive an email with your e-card and a coded link to the Sugarwish website, where they can select candies for the box. Once your recipient has submitted their choices, Sugarwish packs up the gift and sends it out. This company makes it easy to send personalized gifts to friends, family, employees or even your boss.
12. CorporateGift.com
CorporateGift.com is more than a corporate gifting marketplace; it's a comprehensive gifting platform that allows you to easily streamline multi-address orders, send e-gifts, allow recipients to choose their own gifts, automate gifting and customize gifts with logos or messages. CorporateGift.com can even integrate with other platforms, such as Salesforce, to make your gifting experience even smoother.
13. Caroo
Caroo is a curated gift box provider with a purpose: For every box ordered, Caroo donates meals to families in need through its partnership with Feeding America. Caroo allows you to import addresses, set a custom budget and track your orders.
14. Blueboard
Want to give a gift that's not a material item? Blueboard is here to help. This service makes it easy to gift experiences – like rock climbing lessons, concert tickets or restaurant gift cards – that make for memorable, unique gifts. Recipients can choose their own experiences from a broad list so that they get something they truly want and will enjoy.
15. Alternative Gifts
Alternative Gifts is a great option for anyone who wants to make a difference in the world with their gifting. As a gifter, you can select a cause and support it on someone's behalf with just a few clicks. Alternative Gifts lets you choose from a carefully vetted list of charities, select a cause and your donation amount, and then send a card to notify the recipient of your contribution.
16. Firebox
The perfect gift idea for the person who has everything, Firebox offers a selection of unusual gifts that are sure to please even the most hard-to-buy-for recipients. Options include hot sauce samplers, personalized face pillows and novelty lamps.
17. Bloomscape
Bloomscape is an easy way to send live plants to your recipients with no hassle and no worry of harming the plants en route. Bloomscape chooses pots that optimize the health of the plants. The recipient also receives instructions on how to care for the plant. You can choose between herb and vegetable plants, tools and accessories, and special gifts on the website.
18. In Good Taste
In Good Taste is a wine gifting company that offers virtual wine tasting, giftable wines, tasting flights and gift cards, making it the perfect gift choice for any wine lover. For the holidays, the company is offering a wine Advent calendar with a different wine sample for each day.
19. Swag.com
Swag.com is the perfect answer for a unique gift for those who are tired of the same old corporate swag. Swag.com offers highly customizable, quality products that employees will be proud to rep. Choose from custom bags, apparel, drinkware, tech and office supplies. The process is streamlined, allowing you to find what you're looking for, design your products and ship them to your recipients.
20. Knack
Knack is a big supplier with a small-store feel, providing carefully selected gifts from suppliers with inspiring stories and strong values. You can shop the site by the stores' ethos, such as sustainability, handmade goods or female entrepreneurs. You can also create your own gift boxes.
Key takeaway: Although gift giving at work can be a challenge, many companies make it easy to send creative gifts to co-workers, employees and bosses. With products such as subscription boxes, personalized goods and memorable experiences, these businesses ensure your co-workers will get the gifts they actually want.
Additional reporting by Saige Driver, Brittney Morgan and Camille Mason.