We’re rolling right into the holiday season and it’ll be here before you know it. If you haven’t started shopping for your friends and family yet, you’re probably (and hopefully) at least coming up with some ideas.
While you’re at it, you may be thinking about the professional relationships you have, too. Thanksgiving and Christmas are seasons dedicated to showing the appreciation we have for those closest to us. Many companies use this time to thank clients and business partners for everything they do. Sometimes giving gifts is hard, though.
Here are a couple suggestions and ideas to get your gift-giving self all ready to start shopping.
The secret of great gifts
The number one secret of great gifts? Personalization! There’s nothing more disappointing than opening a gift and realizing it was just a generic gift. The point of a gift is to be thoughtful about it. So, think of the person you want to send it to and figure out what would be interesting and useful to them. Are they into gourmet food? Get them something that matches their hobby.
Also, remember, this is not the time for promotion. You’re not marketing your business, you’re appreciating the giftee. Don’t send over something with your logo or name on it. A much better solution is to personalize the gift with the giftee’s logo or name (maybe even their spouse’s name).
Don’t forget the note! Once you’ve picked out something meaningful, write a note to go along with it.
While the holidays are a great time to send out gifts, don’t forget to send them during the rest of the year. An unexpected and out of the blue gift can be really memorable and meaningful to a person. If you thinking about sending a gift, do it. It’s always a good idea to show your clients the gratitude you have for them.
Gift-giving etiquette
If you’re looking to thank and show appreciation for clients, vendors, or employees, here are a few etiquette tips to keep everyone happy.
It’s considered bad form for an individual to give a gift to any type of supervisor. Not only can it been seen as a way to get in good with the boss, but the other employees may also resent you for it. If you really want to give a gift to the boss, get together with the other employees in your department and go in on a gift together.
Don’t ever send over a gift if your company is in the middle of negotiating prices or bidding with the individual’s company. Doing so can be considered bribery.
Sometimes a manager will want to reward a secretary or assistant. The gift choice should depend on the length of service, according to Emily Post. If it’s fewer than five years, $25 is recommended. For those who have worked for more than five years, a more generous gift is acceptable.
No matter who you’re buying for, keep the gift professional, yet personal. Books, food baskets, tickets to sporting events, and gift certificates are all good ideas. If you choose food, remember to send enough for the people in the department. Most people will share and you want to make sure there is enough for everyone.
If you’re looking for a good gift, Sara’s Sweets can help
Sara’s Sweets offers several options for a customized gift, and also offers holiday gift boxes as well. Throughout the year, you could choose from a personalized cake, a dozen cupcakes, or our brownies, cinnamon rolls, and bars.
During the holidays, we have a more expansive gift menu.
Want a really fun option? Try our Cookie Decorating Kits! You’ll get an assortment of 18 unfrosted holiday cut-out cookies, three bags of colored buttercream, and three containers of sprinkles. It’s just $22 for this kit, or $25 if you need gluten-free cookies.
We also have our Cookie Gift Boxes available! Each box is an assortment of our most popular petite-size cookies, bars, and orange-glazed pecans. Packaged in a window gift box and wrapped with ribbon. A small is 25 pieces, which serves about 15 to 20 people, for $25. Or, we have a large box with 50 pieces, which serves between 35 and 45 people, for $45.
Our other snacks include Aunt Betty’s Party Mix, which is a mixture of cereal, pretzels, mixed nuts, and those special seasonings that make you keep going back for more! And, we have Puppy Chow, too. It’s everyone’s favorite chocolate peanut butter snack mix without all the hassle of making it yourself!