The 6 Do’s and Don'ts of Holiday Gifting

Hampers. Booze. Diaries. Christmas Cake. ??????♀?

With the holidays fast approaching, many of us will be both receiving and sending corporate gifts.

Some of these gifts are truly thoughtful and meaningful.

Most, however, are quick to end up in the ‘re-gift’ pile or worse, in landfill.

So, if you’re a giver of a gift this holiday season, here are six tips to consider to give a corporate gift that stands out from the crowd.

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#1 REALLY, YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE

Research by ING found that $400 million (AUD) worth of unwanted presents were given in Christmas 2018.

While it is difficult to estimate the number of corporate gifts that end up in landfill, it is sure to make up a sizeable portion of the 'unwanted pile'.

A 2007 study by the Stockholm Environmental Institute estimated that 80kg of carbon dioxide per person during the festive season could be saved if unwanted gifts were not purchased.

If you’re going to gift a physical product, think carefully and thoughtfully.

Consider the likes (and dislikes) of your giftee and ensure that you don’t send a gift ‘just’ to tick a box.

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#2 THINK PEOPLE, NOT THINGS

Culture is the hot topic de jour, and for a good reason.

Richard Branson puts it best:

“Customers come second, employees first.”

A 2018 “State of the Global Workplace” Gallup poll painted a grim picture:

• 85% are dissatisfied with their jobs leading to almost $7 trillion in lost productivity globally
• The cost of replacing employees can be twice (or more) of their base salaries

Rather than sending a ‘thing’, why not consider an experience that will benefit the giftee (and their organisation) for years to come?

Through thought-provoking education, people can learn together, grow together, and connect far more meaningfully than with physical gifts.

We’ve noticed this year that our short mindset focused workshops have become a popular activity for both staff and client functions.

In person seems to still reign in popularity, however the pandemic instilled a new level of comfort around zoom meetings, which can have high levels of interactivity with a skilled presenter.

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#3 BE INVENTIVE

A 2018 survey indicated that only 28.3% of the population continue to use day planners, notepads, pens and diaries, yet they continue to be the go-to gift.

Let’s be honest: giving a daytime calendar in a world of smartphones not only shows a lack of imagination, but a lack of consideration.

Before sending yet another brand-stamped tokenistic gift, think about your giftee’s note-taking style.

If you’ve never seen them use a pen, re-consider your idea.

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#4 HEALTH PLEASE

Coming from a European family, I wholeheartedly understand how food is synonymous with love! Chocolates, cookies and cake were a top-of-the-list gift for our family and friends. (And yes, that's me (circa 1998) next to my annual biscotti bake off)

However, I also know that the onslaught of calories can zap our energy and sap the restful benefits of our time off.

This doesn’t mean you can’t give the gift of food! There are hundreds of more nutritious options to choose from, like:

• Dark organic chocolate
• Nut butters
• Herbal teas
• Raw balls
• Seeded crackers
• Artisan breads from your local baker
• Protein-packed muesli

(p.s. Please contact me for my mailing address if you are sending food).

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#5 TIME

“To give somebody your time is the biggest gift you can give” - Franka Potente

If Covid-19 taught us anything, it’s that authentic, meaningful connection is worth its weight in gold.

Whilst I acknowledge that giving the gift of time with all of our corporate Christmas list is not only impossible (and many times impractical or not appropriate), I invite you to consider this option for a select few.

For example, booking a walk-n-talk with a fellow dog lover or sharing a cuppa at your local coffee shop might just be that gift that sets you apart from the rest.

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#6 SHARE YOUR STORY

What sets you and your team apart from everyone else?

Sure, you may have a cool logo and a great website, but that is far from memorable.

What makes your company different is why you do what you do - your own, DNA specific story.

And people connect with stories - in fact, psychologist Jerome Bruner suggests we are 22 times more likely to remember a fact when it has been wrapped in a story.

As an example, I give out custom velvet shoe bags, printed with the quote “The only time I look down is to admire my shoes”. Why?

I adore high heels and have been collecting them for over two decades.

The reason has very little to do with fashion, but rather how they make me feel - fabulous, fierce and that anything is possible.

My love of shoes led me to create a video series called “In Her Shoes”, where I interview accomplished women who describe their barriers to their success.

My passion is to help women, but the story starts with shoes.

So, what gift could tell your story?

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SUMMARY (For the article skimmers)

If you’re an article skimmer, here’s the main message: think outside the box (badum-tss) this holiday season.

Ask yourself, if I were to receive the gift I was about to send:

• Would I like it? Would I use it?
• How would I feel? Surprised? Excited? Grateful?
• Would I want to reach out to the giver right away to say “wow, thanks!”
• Would I want to show it to someone?
• Would it help me deepen my emotional connection to the company/business/brand?

While this all sounds oh-so easy to do, it’s important to know that despite how much effort we put into a gift, it still might not be right.

You could send the juiciest peach in the world, but some people just don’t like peaches.

And whilst it’s the ultimate of cliches - at the end of the day, it’s the thought that counts.

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Oh hi there! Thanks for reading this far (you are a rare gem).

If you'd like to know a bit more about me, here are three random facts.

• What gets me out of bed in the morning: Challenging women to achieve more by helping them think, feel and do things differently. And shoe shopping.
• Where you'll find me most days: Other than walking my two dogs, you'll find me teaching teams to think, feel and do things differently through my science-based mindset programs for greater connectedness, resilience and improved physical and mental wellbeing.
• ?My latest proud as punch moment: My partner recently took the company we co-founded (waaaaay back in 2014) to the NASDAQ. This journey has certainly given me a oh-so unique insight on how mindset training can increase performance and foster greater wellbeing with high performance teams in rapid growth companies.

(THE END... no really, that's it).