During the holidays, gift giving can feel overwhelming. Whether you are a supervisor trying to figure out what to give your team or you need to find something for your coworkers, we're here to help! Let's start with some general tips for the holiday season, and then we'll look at everything from what to give your cubicle mate to something that works for your entire team.
Gift Exchanges
Not everyone has the same ability to buy presents for all of their coworkers. This is where gift exchanges can take the pressure off employees (and their wallets) by only requiring them to purchase a single gift. There are a number of fun ways to set up gift exchanges, and we recommend that you include a price limit so that the gifts are all of similar value. The point is to make sure that everyone who wants to participate can.
- Secret Santa: This is a common style of gift exchange in which everyone draws a name of another participant and then buys a gift for them without anyone knowing who their "Santa" is. There are many ways the gifts can be distributed, from face to face at a party to secretly leaving it to be found. Some organizations have the participants fill out a questionnaire, especially if coworkers don't get a lot of chances to interact. This allows people to get to know each other while giving ideas for potential gifts. And if you don't want to make it Christmas-themed, you can always name it something else, like if your organization has a logo of a lion, you could do "Secret Lions".
- White Elephant: While this game can be known by many different names, some of them are less culturally sensitive than others, so that should be monitored when planning. The rules generally follow that everyone brings a present and, without labeling it, leaves it on a table. Then, some type of order is established, usually by handing out numbers or going around a circle. The first person chooses a present off the table and opens it in front of everyone. Then, the next person can choose to take a present off the table or steal the present from the first person. This continues on, with people choosing to steal a previously opened present or picking a new one until all presents are distributed. If someone's present is stolen, they then get to pick a new one from the stack. To ensure fairness (and to keep the game from continuing on ad infinitum), you can put a max on the number of times an individual present is stolen depending on the number of people playing.
- Random Gift Exchange: You can also come up with a game in which gifts and people are randomly assigned numbers, and then the person receives the gift with the corresponding number. This might look like a Christmas Punch Game, musical chairs, or hot potato-style games to assign presents. There are also a multitude of alternative ways to play any of these games, like using cards or dice to create additional actions or rules. We recommend checking out the following website for inspiration on some creative variations on these games: 22 Best Christmas Gift Exchange Games - Play Party Plan.
Gifts that Give Back
So, you have a Secret Santa that you don't know, or you work for a small team that won't be doing a gift exchange. What are some options for appropriate and professional gifts that will still be appreciated by the recipient? One consideration is gifts that have a charitable or socially conscious angle. That way, your recipient can feel good about receiving instead of getting something they may not be able to use.
- Gift A Heifer: Heifer International is renowned for giving people the opportunity to purchase livestock, education, and other resources to help people out of poverty. Likewise, there are many other organizations that have similar programs. You can select an item in someone's name or, in some cases, give them a gift card that will allow them to purchase whichever item they wish to donate.
- Giving Good Cards: It's hard to go wrong with a gift card, especially one that works at multiple stores or restaurants. It's even better when that gift card also gives proceeds to a charity. Look for cards like the ones from the Giving Good line that give a percentage back to a designated charitable organization.
- Protect the Environment: Do you have a coworker that always forgets their water bottle or has an accumulation of plastic bags in their desk? Look for environmentally conscious nonprofits that sell sustainable products and get the double benefit of giving someone a useful gift that can help protect the environment while also giving money directly to an organization that is also working to save the planet.
- Support Your Community: Take the time to look for local small businesses and artisans. You may find exceedingly unique gifts that cannot be found in a mass market store, giving additional significance to your present. Also, by supporting a local business, you are contributing to the local economy and helping the environment by not relying on shipping to receive the present from somewhere far away.
What To Get Your Team
If you are in a supervisory role over a larger group of employees, from managers to those in the C-suite, you may be considering buying presents for your entire team. It's a great way to thank your team members for their hard work throughout the year, and, by giving to everyone equitably, there won't be feelings of envy or accusations of unequal treatment. But there are ways to get gifts that everyone will enjoy.
- Engraved or Embroidered Gifts: Personalizing a gift helps make it feel more special, especially when you are giving to a larger group of people. Consider glasses or mugs etched with a special saying or embroidered ornaments or bags. They can include an inspirational saying or something to show you appreciate them.
- Shop the Clearance Section (no, really!): While gifts don't have to be identical, they should all be of similar value. Consider looking at sales or clearance sections for upscale brands or designers that your team members aren't likely to shop for themselves. It can be easy to put together an assortment of gifts that people will prize while not breaking the bank. Giving a nicer present helps your employees feel valued, which, in addition to simply being the right thing to do, helps with employee engagement and retention.
- Branded Gear: These days, it's possible to put a logo on just about any item you can dream of. Look at providers of promotional items and see if there is something that you can add your organization's branding to that will make a nice present. Think about branded pullovers or portfolio bags. This is also a fun way for people to keep track of their time with your organization based on the number of branded holiday gifts they have received over the years.
- Cash!: There are some that believe that they only way to give a gift is as a physical object. However, there is no shame in saving money and providing it instead as a holiday or end-of-year bonus. Many people struggle with finances at the end of the year, especially when they have a lot of holiday expenses. Giving "cash" as a gift is more than just giving money; you are lightening your team members' financial burdens. This shows compassion for your employees and that you are truly paying attention to their needs.
The holiday season is a fantastic time to put your commitment to inclusion into action. While many consider Christmas to be the main holiday during this timeframe, there are a significant number of religious, spiritual, and cultural holidays that also take place around the Winter Solstice and the new year. Take this time to check in with those on your team and find out what they will be celebrating. You might be surprised! And see where you can fit in all of the various types of celebrations into your organizations' festivities so that everyone can enjoy.
Above all else, the most important part of giving gifts this holiday season is to communicate openly with your coworkers and employees. It's much easier to give meaningful, thoughtful presents when you know the person you are giving them to. Let this be a time to share with each other and bond while winding down the year. There is a lot of stress around the holidays, and the gift of peace and calm is highly underrated. Allow yourselves and others to have fun, and maybe one of these gift ideas will lead to a new tradition for your organization. Happy Holidays from CHCI!
