Gift giving is officially getting down to the wire.
The dash through the stores to get a last-minute present has not just shoppers competing with one another for the only item on the shelf. Retail giants are fighting each other in the race to see who can stay open the longest, nonstop, through Christmas Eve. In the lead right now is Toys R Us at 112 straight hours that started at 6 a.m. today and will conclude at 10 p.m. Dec. 24th. Following at a close second is Macy's from 7 a.m. Wednesday Dec. 21st until 6 p.m. Dec. 24th. And Target rounds it out with a less impressive extended hour set, open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day until- you guessed it- Christmas Eve.
In the midst of all of this frantic frenzy to get everything on this year's wish list, shoppers may be opting out of the crowds. This rings true in the case of the white elephant/company gift exchange where the the pricing is set at a lower bar as well as the expectations. Driving out to the store, wandering the aisles for just the right gift, driving back home, forgetting the wrapping paper, driving back to the store, finding other things you might like to buy for yourself... it all adds up to a lot of time and money spent than you may think! Why not just buy a gift card to Starbucks and call it a day?
There are a lot of reasons why not. It's not personal, for starters. Everybody likes at least one beverage at Starbucks and if they don't, it isn't too terribly difficult to find a generic iced tea or hot chocolate on the menu to please your taste buds. A gift card to Starbucks also displays a lack of time and effort put into getting one. You don't even need to go to an actual Starbucks location anymore to buy their gift cards. They sell 'em on racks at the grocery store.
More than that, unless you pen a cute aside on the envelope, noting your employee's taste in coffee, it may show that you don't even really know your own employees or coworkers. Kind of a "meh" gift: it'll come in handy in the future, but you wouldn't put it in the list of your top 5 best presents ever.
Tis better to give than it is to receive so give these 10 thoughtful, more locally based stocking stuffers instead.
1) A Book
Ironically enough, books get plenty of judgment for their covers. Traditionally they aren't considered the most exciting gift in the world, but I find that's only true if the person giving you the book doesn't understand what you like. Give a meaningful book that you know your employee will love on a subject that they would actively read about. Not sure what that is? Have a quick one-on-one lunch together to find out!
2) Gift Card to a Restaurant You Know They Love Not even two paragraphs later and I'm advocating giving a gift card after ripping the Starbucks one to shreds. The only difference here is that I said a restaurant. Not a fast food place (In-n-Out is the only exception) but a sit down restaurant that you know they enjoy eating at with the family or with friends. It's a nice nod to your staff that you know they work hard, now it's time to relax over a good meal.
3) Outing Certificates
The perfect present for employees with tiny tots, giving out passes to bowling alleys and to the movies keeps the kids occupied and allows you to all spend some time together. I like to pair these up with additional items, for example a tin of kettle corn popcorn to go with the movie passes.
4) Edible Arrangements
These can get a bit pricey but Edible Arrangements composed of pineapple, strawberries, and honeydew among other festive fruits make a wonderful and healthy present for the office. And if you're looking for something to satisfy a sweet tooth with minus the added guilt after, they dip many of their fruits in chocolate.
5) Bath & Body Works Gift Sets
All wrapped up in sweet scents, the nice thing about these Bath & Body Works gift sets is that they aren't just shower gels and fragrances anymore. Pick out a set of hand lotions to soothe skin that spends its days braving the chilly elements or a couple of hand sanitizers as a handy desk accessory.
6) iTunes Gift Card
For that member of the office who is eternally plugged into their headphones. There's always one.
7) Bottle of Fine Wine
I'm not trying to advocate we bring back the Mad Men era liquid lunch (or am I?) but in certain offices the act of giving an expensive bottle of wine or any other alcoholic item is considered both a thoughtful gift as well as good manners. 'To be enjoyed at the home' is the unspoken tagline of course.
8) Fun Tie/Scarf A tie for the gents and a scarf for the ladies. The cheesier the tie the better in the case of a white elephant exchange (if you can get it to light up, you're golden).
9) Color Me Mine Certificates
If you aren't quite ready to make your own set of ceramic pottery, Color Me Mine is a fun alternative for the whole family. Pick the ceramic you want to paint, plan a design, select your own colors, and paint away. They glaze and fire up the piece after for you to enjoy! These certificates make great gifts that are safe activities to engage in too.
10) Flowers
Or during the winter season especially, a beautiful blooming bouquet of poinsettias are always appreciated, both in and out of the workplace.
There are no comments yet