Team Gift Ideas for the Holiday Season

Trying to come up with unique team gift ideas year after year can be a real challenge. Instead of succumbing to un-personalized gift cards or looking like you didn’t put much thought into your work family, we have created the ultimate list of thoughtful team gift ideas.

While considering which employee gifts you should be getting, keep in mind that any cash gifts are taxable to the employee. This includes bonuses and gift cards!

This year, we’ve made it simpler than ever with a unique compilation of gifts for each and every person on your team. Continue reading for our favorite suggestion of team gifts! 

Team gift ideas for 2024

With the holiday season in full swing, I’m sure you’ve already begun crossing friends and family off of your gift-giving list. However, by the time you get around to selecting the perfect thoughtful gift for your boss, favorite colleague, or entire team, you may be a little stumped as to what to get.

We put our heads together and came up with a curated list of ideas, separated by function: 

For their desk

• Desk Mug Warmer (Google Shopping): For the coffee or tea lover who is always forgetting their drink halfway through. This link features USB plug-in mini hotplates that fit under any mug.
  

• Moleskin notebook (Google shopping): This gift idea is friendlier on the wallet, especially for smaller businesses.
  

• Milano Times Hourglass (MoMA Design Store): This handmade hourglass is intentionally asymmetric, providing a visually pleasing and functional piece for any desk. It’s perfect for practicing The Pomodoro Method! 

For everyday ease

• Stanley Cup (Stanley website): These popular insulated cups with a lid and straw doubles as a water bottle, and are the perfect way to ensure your team members stay hydrated, while staying in style! With multiple style options to choose from, there is something for everyone with Stanley.
  

• Yeti Mug (Yeti website): Well insulated mugs and coffee presses for the hot drink enthusiast. These mugs are high-quality and keep hot drinks hot for extended periods of time. Choose from a variety of styles and applications.
  
  Protip: Add your company logo to any of these options for a branded gift that shows off your company culture!
  

• Blissy sleep mask (Blissy website): These beautiful sleep masks come in an impressive range of over 70 different colors and styles! Made with silk and featuring a travel carrying case, these masks are perfect for the new manager working long hours, the regular commuter, and even the new mom on your team.

For their self-development

• The Five-Minute Journal (Intelligent Change website): A prompt journal that encourages readers to lead with mindfulness and intentionality in their lives. Its simple structure is based on positive psychology research, making it the perfect resource for any teammate interested in self-growth and exploration.
  

• Holstee Reflection Cards (Holstee website): This 100+ questions deck is designed to introduce more intention and engagement to conversations, covering topics like kinship, gratitude, compassion, and so much more.

For them to choose

• Sugarwish corporate gifting (Sugarwish website): This personalized gifting website allows you to set some parameters on the type of gift and budget you’d like to offer, but lets your employee choose exactly what they want.
  

• Goody business gifting (Goody website): Similar to the service above, Goody offers a range of gift ideas from affordable to luxe. From branded swag to gift baskets, Goody features a personalized experience for each member of your team. 

For their reading list

• Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara (Amazon): Featuring sparkling stories of his journey through restaurants, Guidara urges us all to find the magic in what we do—for ourselves, the people we work with, and the people we serve. Learn not just the how, but the why behind transforming ordinary transactions into extraordinary experiences.
  

• Hidden Potential by Adam Grant (Amazon): We live in a world that is obsessed with talent, but we also underestimate the range of skills that we can learn and how good we can become. We can all improve at improving. When opportunities don’t knock, there are ways to open the door. In Leadology terms, if you could blend growth mindset and strengths-based development… it would be this book.
  

Want more book recommendations? See Leadology’s other reading lists: Friends of Leadology books and other leadership books

From Leadology’s friends

• Aesop Travel Kits (Aesop website): Choose individual items or a gift set for the employee who travels often or has a long commute.
  

• Boll and Branch Candles (Boll and Branch website): These exclusive, small-batch candles are paraffin-free, coconut and apricot wax blend, hand-poured by artisans in the U.S. Affordable and universally loved, candles are a simple way to say thank you while staying mindful of your budget.
  

• Clinique holiday gift guide (Clinique website): Check out the Clinique Holiday Gift Guide for the beauty obsessed. Gift ideas are offered in a range of pricing.

Get to know your employees better through strengths

Here at Leadology, we encourage all teams to know each other’s strengths. The CliftonStrengths assessment is our preferred tool for strengths-based development. Understanding each team member's strengths allows for more personalized interactions, including gift-giving, as it enables leaders to select gifts that resonate with each individual's unique talents and preferences. This thoughtful approach not only boosts morale, but also reinforces a culture of appreciation and recognition within the team.

• CliftonStrengths 34 Assessment (Gallup website): Using this assessment can help anyone to better understand their strengths and leverage this knowledge to maximize their potential. Give someone on your team access to a comprehensive personalized report, as well as countless other resources for personal and professional development.