The order goes in the week after Thanksgiving. The quarter-zips everyone wanted are sold out in medium and large, the backup choice needs three weeks to decorate, and the last boxes reach remote employees on January 4. Nobody planned it that way. The list just was not final until December.
Most problems with holiday gifts for employees are timing problems, not taste problems. This guide covers both: what to give at four budget levels, when each kind of gift has to be ordered, and how to get the same gift to the front desk, the field crew and the employee who works from a kitchen table two time zones away.
When to order holiday gifts for employees
Order as soon as your list is final, and sooner if the gift carries your logo. Holiday gifts come from many suppliers, and each one sets its own production time. Some ship within a day or two, others need three weeks or more, and popular items sell out. That is why Bob Lilly Promotions does not publish one order-by date. The date depends on what you choose.
| Kind of gift | How late you can order | What sets the timing |
|---|---|---|
| In stock, no logo | As late as 24 to 48 hours before your in-hands date, while stock lasts | What is on the shelf and where it ships |
| With your logo | Confirmed with your quote | The product, the decoration and the supplier’s schedule |
| Custom kits and packaging | Talk to us early | The more custom the box, the more lead time it needs |
| A gift site where employees choose | Plan the furthest ahead | The site is set up before anyone picks a gift |
Two things add time that buyers forget. Every order gets a digital mock-up and a factory art proof, and nothing goes into production until you approve both, so a proof that sits in an inbox for four days costs four days. A pre-production sample, if you want to hold one first, adds cost and a week to 10 business days.
December adds its own delay. Winter weather and carrier volume slow deliveries every year, so the safe plan is to order when you know your list, not when the calendar says you must.
Employee holiday gift ideas by budget
The best employee holiday gifts are still in use in January. Set the budget per person first, then choose the gift. The ranges below are planning bands for the item itself. Decoration, packaging and shipping add to the item price, and Bob Lilly Promotions quotes the full cost before you commit.
Under $25: one good thing
Buy one item of real quality instead of three cheap ones in a bag. Good choices at this level:
- An insulated tumbler or a ceramic mug with a small logo
- A knit beanie or a pair of touchscreen gloves
- Good coffee, tea or a snack box for the desk
- A notebook and pen worth keeping
$25 to $50: a gift with a box
This is where presentation starts to matter. A gift box and a card turn a product into a present.
- A plush blanket
- A wireless charger or another desk tech accessory
- A drinkware set with something to pour into it
- A candle, a cutting board or another gift for the kitchen
$50 to $100: something they would buy themselves
Retail brands and wearable quality live here. If you can collect sizes, apparel is a gift people keep.
- A soft hoodie or a quarter-snap pullover from a retail brand
- A backpack, tote or weekender bag
- A covered charcuterie board or another gift for the host
- A boxed gift set built around one theme
$100 and up: for milestones and top performers
Reserve this level for executives, tenure milestones and the people who carried the year.
- Premium retail-brand outerwear or luggage
- Outdoor and entertaining gear
- A multi-item kit in custom packaging
Three rules hold at every budget. Keep the logo small, because a quiet logo gets worn and a billboard gets donated. Choose gifts that need no size when you cannot collect sizes. Offer a give-back or eco-friendly option for the employees who would rather not receive one more thing.
For more corporate holiday gift ideas, browse the 2026 Holiday Gift Guide. It sorts this season’s gifts into 14 categories, from drinkware and tech to gift sets and give-back gifts.
Year end gifts for employees: why kits beat single items
A kit makes three modest items feel like one planned gift. The box, the card from leadership and the way the pieces go together do the work that a bigger budget would otherwise have to do. Year end gifts for employees land harder when the unboxing has an order to it: the note first, then the items.
Bob Lilly Promotions designs the packaging as well as the contents: custom boxes, sleeves, tissue and cards built to match. Depending on the gift, a kit is assembled and shipped by one of BLP’s preferred suppliers or kitted in BLP’s 25,000 square foot facility in Garland, Texas. Every year BLP designs and ships a holiday kit to its own clients, built from scratch and kitted in that warehouse. For one client, BLP built a President’s Club gift kit and shipped it to 350 home addresses with zero missed shipments.
Kits are not always the right call. They cost more per person because of the packaging, and they need more lead time than a single item. When the budget is under $25 or the date is close, one good item beats a thin kit. When you have the time, custom gift kitting is the difference between a gift and a shipment.
Client holiday gifts: same deadline, different rules
Client holiday gifts follow different rules than employee gifts: fewer recipients, a higher budget per person and a gift policy on the receiving end. Many companies cap the value of gifts their employees may accept, and some do not allow gifts at all. Ask before you send.
Three things separate a client gift that helps from one that ends up in a drawer:
- Make it shareable or make it personal. A gift for the whole office or a gift chosen for one person both work. A generic item for one person does neither.
- Put your logo on the card, not the gift. The client should want to use it in front of other people.
- Time it to arrive before offices close for the year. A gift that lands on an empty desk on December 29 is a January gift.
For ideas by relationship and budget, see client appreciation gifts.
How companies run holiday gifting without the spreadsheet
The hard part of employee gifting is not choosing the gift. It is the list: names, home addresses, who moved in October and who started last week. There are two ways to hand that off.
Send one list. Send Bob Lilly Promotions a spreadsheet of names and addresses, and each gift is packed, labeled and shipped to the right address, from BLP’s facility or direct from the supplier. Office staff, field crews and remote employees get the same gift in the same week.
Let employees choose. Bob Lilly Promotions sets up gifting sites where employees choose a gift from a selection you approve, and BLP ships each choice. That takes the guessing out of what each person wants. A gift site takes longer to set up than a single order, so start that conversation first.
Holiday gifts often sit beside a year-round recognition plan. If yours does, pair them with employee recognition gifts so December is not the only time people hear from you.
When the program is bigger than one gift and one list, see how BLP runs corporate holiday gift programs from first conversation to last delivery.
Plan your holiday gifts with BLP
Send the headcount, the budget per person and the date the gifts have to land. Bob Lilly Promotions has spent 27 years getting branded gifts to the right people on the right day, and we will come back with options and an order-by date that fits the gifts you pick.
Holiday gifts for employees: frequently asked questions
What is a good holiday gift for employees?
A good holiday gift for employees is one they will still use in January. Quality drinkware, soft retail-brand apparel, a plush blanket and a boxed gift set all work. Bob Lilly Promotions recommends one well-made item over several cheap ones, with a small logo and a card from leadership.
How much should a company spend on employee holiday gifts?
There is no required amount. Set a budget per person first, then choose the best gift at that level. Under $25 buys one quality item. $50 to $100 buys retail-brand apparel or a boxed set. Decoration, packaging and shipping add to the item price, and Bob Lilly Promotions quotes the full cost before you commit.
When should companies order holiday gifts for employees?
As soon as the list is final. In-stock gifts without a logo can be ordered as late as 24 to 48 hours before the in-hands date, while stock lasts. Gifts with a logo and custom kits take longer, and Bob Lilly Promotions confirms the timing with each quote. December weather and carrier volume slow every delivery.
Are employee holiday gifts taxable?
Often not, when the gift is a low-value item given occasionally. The IRS lists holiday gifts among de minimis fringe benefits and sets no fixed dollar limit. Cash and gift cards redeemable for general merchandise are taxable at any amount. This is general information, not tax advice, so confirm with your accountant.
Can employees choose their own holiday gift?
Yes. Bob Lilly Promotions sets up gifting sites where each employee picks a gift from a selection the company approves, and BLP ships every choice. A gift site takes longer to set up than a single order, so plan it earlier than a standard holiday gift.
Can holiday gifts ship to employees’ home addresses?
Yes. Send a list of names and addresses and Bob Lilly Promotions packs, labels and ships each gift individually, from its Garland, Texas facility or direct from the supplier. For one client, BLP shipped a President’s Club gift kit to 350 home addresses with zero missed shipments.
Should employee holiday gifts carry the company logo?
Usually yes, and small. A quiet logo on a quality item gets used in public, which is the point. For some gifts, the logo belongs on the box or the card instead. Every Bob Lilly Promotions order gets a digital mock-up before production, so you can judge the size and placement first.
