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TL;DR: The best holiday gifts for employees are things people would pick for themselves, paired with a specific thank-you for their work. Gift cards and cash are flexible, but there are other ideas you can consider. Low-cost ideas include an extra day off and a handwritten note; bigger budgets can cover classes, subscriptions, or a great kitchen tool.
Your team shows up every day and makes real things happen. A year-end gift is one way to say you noticed.
But how do you make your company’s appreciation for all of these contributions tangible? An annual $10 Starbucks gift card given out indiscriminately to everyone (including the non-coffee drinkers) doesn’t always convey that message strongly enough.
That’s why HR teams often have gifting on their minds this time of year, as they are focused on how to show employee appreciation in a genuine way.
With the holiday season approaching, we've rounded up 35 of the best holiday and employee appreciation gift ideas and organized them by low, mid, and high price points. We added a 🌱 for sustainable ideas too. And if you’d rather let people choose their own gift, an employee rewards program lets them pick from a catalog instead of guessing.
What makes a good employee appreciation gift?
A good employee appreciation gift fits the person, is easy to use wherever they work, and comes with a specific reason you’re thanking them. The note matters as much as the gift: it turns a present into recognition.
Human beings like to feel appreciated and recognized for everything they give, in work and in life. It’s hard to feel motivated to perform at your best when you don’t feel those efforts are seen and valued. An employee appreciation gift can be a meaningful part of your overall employee appreciation strategy.
Of course, a once-a-year gift doesn't replace compensating employees fairly, offering great benefits and perks packages, and recognizing them each day. After all, effective recognition is timely, specific, frequent, visible, inclusive, and values-based.
But a thoughtful, personalized gift is a great way to show employees that you care about them and value their hard work.
Gallup’s 2023 study of more than 10,000 US workers, Is Your Employee Recognition Really Authentic?, found that employees who strongly agree the recognition they receive is authentic are seven times as likely to say they’re treated with respect at work, and four times as likely to feel connected to their organization’s culture.
How do you choose holiday gifts for employees?
Choose holiday gifts that work for every tradition, can reach every employee wherever they live, and give people some choice. Then decide your budget and timing early, so the gift arrives before people log off for the year.
Pick gifts that work for everyone
Not everyone celebrates the same holidays, and not everyone drinks alcohol. Calling it a year-end or holiday gift, and offering non-alcoholic options, keeps everyone included. Here’s more on how to celebrate holidays inclusively at work.
Plan for remote and international teams
Physical gifts need home addresses, shipping time, and options that work in every country you employ people. Digital gifts, subscriptions, and gift cards skip most of that. If you’re planning a virtual celebration too, see our remote holiday party ideas.
Give people a choice
Choice avoids the unused-gift problem. That’s why gift cards as employee rewards are so common. Just know that in the US, cash and gift cards are taxable income for the employee, no matter how small (more on that in the FAQ below).
Add the why
A two-line note that names something specific the person did this year is what people remember. Write it yourself, and send it with the gift.
Set the budget and timing
Decide on a per-person amount before you shop, and include the cost of shipping. Our guide to setting a recognition and rewards budget and the rewards budgeting calculator can help you size it.
Ideas from the list below that suit the season: grocery gift cards (#2), puzzles, games, and hot chocolate (#16), a movie night kit (#21), a sled (#22), and a National Parks pass for the year ahead (#19).
Want more? Download 40 Holiday Gift Ideas for Employees.
If your team uses Bonusly, you can also turn the last week of the year into a gratitude week. Admins can add Flash Points, extra points added to everyone’s giving balance for a set window, so people recognize each other for the year’s work. Recipients then redeem their points for rewards they pick themselves.
When should you give employee appreciation gifts?
Employees love to be appreciated at any time of the year, in most cases, but there are a few times when these gifts are particularly welcome.
Employee Appreciation Day is the first Friday of March every year (in 2027, that’s Friday, March 5), so that’s a natural opportunity to double down on gifting efforts. You can also do some thoughtful gifting around the end of the year, as a celebration for the year’s hard work and the upcoming holidays. Or if your company or team has been hard at work on a major project, these gifts can be a nice thanks as you wrap it up.
Without further ado, here are 35 employee gift ideas.
What are good low-cost gifts for employees?
1. An extra day off 🌱
Giving your employees a bonus day off is one of the easiest, universally appreciated gifts you can bestow upon your team. Besides the opportunity cost of employees missing a day of work, this gift is virtually free for you to give. In a 2023 Harvard Business Review article, executive coach Rebecca Zucker explains how taking a vacation improves your well-being: more rest, lower stress, and room to think. This gift will end up paying you back in employee engagement anyway.
2. Grocery gift cards 🌱
Give the gift of an extra run to the grocery store, a big holiday meal, or a homemade pizza night. The nice thing about this gift is that it can cost as much (or as little) as you’d like.
3. Fan their fandom
Here’s a simple exercise: go on Etsy and type in any TV show, book, comic, movie—you name it. Your search will yield custom portraits, mugs, candles, signs, games, and much much more. Not only is this a fun activity (ahem, rabbit hole), but it’s a great way to find meaningful gifts for your employees.
4. Handwritten notes
This idea is almost free, but the time spent communicating your appreciation is a great way to show you value your team’s contributions. Remember to be specific and values-based in your praise.
5. Piñata
Let your employees reconnect with their inner child. We love the idea of receiving a piñata in the mail chock-full of candy and appreciation for a job well done. Check out Piñatagrams for candy-filled piñatas in hundreds of designs, from unicorns to holiday themes.
6. Desk toys
A fidget toy or a small desk puzzle gives restless hands something to do during long calls. Cheap, fun, and easy to ship.
7. Desk accessories
An under-desk footrest, a cable organizer, or a good desk lamp makes any workspace more comfortable, whether that’s at home or in the office.
8. State candles
Gift a state candle representing your corporate headquarters. Bonusly is based in Boulder, and Homesick’s Colorado candle has a delicious description: “Spruce and cedar encapsulate the snow-covered Rockies. Sandalwood and hints of cinnamon warm up the fragrance of this scenic state.” We can almost smell it now.
What are good mid-range gifts for employees?
9. Cold hard cash 🌱
First on our mid-price list is the classic, but always appreciated, gift of cold hard cash. Everyone appreciates some extra bills in their wallet and this is a great option if you work at a larger organization and want a gift that’s equitable and easy to fulfill. In the US, cash is taxable wages, so plan for withholding (see the FAQ).
10. Subscription box
Bonus points if it's catered to employee personality. There is a subscription box for everything nowadays. Meat? There’s a box for that. Foods from around the world? Box for that. Bulb of the month club? Yep, that exists too. Our point is you can choose a subscription box that matches the personality of each employee. Gift a multi-month subscription for a gift that keeps on giving.
11. Something green that’s not cash 🌱
For the office green thumb or aspirational home gardener, brands like Bloomscape offer great ways to appreciate employees by gifting them house plants. In a 2014 field study reported by the University of Exeter, adding plants to a “lean” office could increase productivity by 15%.
12. Instant camera
Help employees memorialize the big moments in their life with a Fujifilm Instax Mini. At under $100, employees can capture the big moments and you can share big appreciation.
13. At-home crafts
For DIY enthusiasts, consider sending a kit to knit, embroider, or crochet. The internet is your limit, therefore the limit does not exist. Throw your own pottery planter with this make-at-home pottery kit. Needlepoint the night away with a needle felting kit.
14. Cookbook
Chefs, gourmet hopefuls, and dough punchers alike can rally around a good cookbook. We love the New World Sourdough cookbook for bread bakers. For the chef who is just starting out, Samin Nosrat covers the fundamentals in Salt Fat Acid Heat. For the classic cook, we recommend a return to the basics with Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking.
15. Wine, whiskey, chocolate, or coffee tasting kit
For the fill in the blank aficionado, there are all kinds of kits that will provide a sampling of the best of the best. Wine, whiskey, and coffee tasting sets are widely available; offer a non-alcoholic option for anyone who doesn’t drink. Maybe the sweetest option on this list is this chocolate tasting kit with cocoa from around the world.
16. Puzzles and games
There’s nothing cozier than a puzzle on a winter day with a mug of hot chocolate in hand. Of course, you can get puzzles from anywhere, but we’re partial to a local Boulder puzzle brand, Liberty Puzzles. We think you’ll love their hand-crafted wooden puzzles. In the games category, we enjoy Codenames or Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza. And, if you’d like to gift hot chocolate along with your game offerings, we love Lake Champlain Drinking Chocolates from Burlington, Vermont.
17. Self care kit
We’re guessing your employees could use some relaxation. You can build your own self care kits for small teams or buy pre-packaged versions. Check out Unbox Me's royal treatment gift box, this Work From Anywhere Kit, or this luxurious bath box.
18. Meditation app subscription 🌱
Practicing and promoting mindfulness in the workplace is a great way to boost morale and increase employee motivation. It’s also a great way to say “thank you” to hardworking employees. Check out Headspace for organizations.
19. National Parks annual pass 🌱
Encourage your employees to get outside with a National Parks pass for the upcoming year. If you want to make this gift sing, consider offering a day off for employees to encourage them to take the time to visit a National Park of their choice. For $80 (the price for US citizens and residents) you’re giving employees the gift of crisp mountain air, wildlife sightings, and crystal-clear alpine lakes. Is there anything better?
20. Picnic basket
A picnic basket defines the perfect gift in our humble opinion: something your employees might not buy for themselves, but they’d use if they had it. The basket itself is a great gift, but make it lawn-ready with all the (shelf-stable) goodies for a bonus gift.
21. Movie in a box kit
Gather all the fixings for a home movie night for the books. We’re talking popcorn, candy, and maybe even a cozy pair of slippers. Add a streaming gift card and you’re done.
22. Sled
We love the word toboggan, and we love the idea of gifting employees with this winter staple (climate permitting, of course). Prices vary wildly so you can customize your purchase to your gifting budget accordingly. We love this classic, albeit spendy, sled from L.L. Bean.
What are good high-end gifts for employees?
23. Food boxes, but make them unique
Everyone’s received a bucket of popcorn so big that it goes stale before a fourth of the kernels are consumed. Luckily, food gifts have become a little more sophisticated than oversized vats of popcorn. Sites like Goldbelly and Zingerman’s offer everything from full-on meal kits to Zingerman’s corned beef reuben kit.
24. Experiences 🌱
Give your employees the gift of a meaningful experience. From Alpaca encounters to glassblowing and food tours, there’s something for everyone, and we mean everyone. Platforms like Airbnb Experiences list options in many cities.
25. Massage 🌱
Purchase a gift card for your employees to schedule their own R&R with a service like SpaFinder or Groupon.
26. Classes 🌱
Mixology class, anyone? Sign us up. This gift option is about as broad as could be, depending on employee interest and headquarter location. Consider looking into craft, mixology, or cooking classes in your area for a fun experiential gift. Online classes work for remote teams.
27. Espresso machine
What’s better than a coffee gift card? An espresso machine. Yes, this is a big ticket item and yes it also requires your employees like coffee.
28. Pasta maker
Imagine all the homemade fun your employees could have with this pasta maker. Alfredo, bolognese, lasagna, the pastabilities are endless.
29. Masterclass subscription 🌱
With a Masterclass subscription, you can promote employee interests in and outside of work. Your team can learn from iconic instructors like Malcolm Gladwell, Shonda Rhimes, and Judy Blume.
30. Book subscription box
Give your employees the gift of cracking open a new adventure. There are plenty to choose from, but we like this one from BlackLit, a monthly box built around a book by a Black author, with products from Black-owned businesses.
31. Cameo 🌱
Send your employees the gift of a celebrity shout out with Cameo. Surprise and delight your team with a virtual appearance from an actor, athlete, or other public figure.
32. Headshots 🌱
Offer your team a fresh professional look by gifting them vouchers to get new headshots. For a “fast casual” experience with Soona, employees can book an in-studio session if they live near the Austin, Denver, or Minneapolis areas.
33. Cleaning services
For those work-from-home folks or just the very busy, having a clean, calm environment at home is great for their mental health. Consider giving your employees the gift of a clean house with a local cleaning service gift card.
34. Digital photo frame
For the team member whose desk is littered with cute photos of their families, pets, and friends, this gift is perfect. We love this digital photo frame so your team can load up all their favorite memories and enjoy looking at them each day as they settle into work.
35. A bottle of nice champagne
When we say a nice bottle of champagne, we mean the kind that collects dust until a worthy occasion arises. Of course, we recommend offering a non-alcoholic beverage to those who don’t drink alcohol.
How can Bonusly help you give gifts employees will use?
Bonusly is a recognition and rewards platform where teammates recognize each other’s work with points, and people redeem those points for rewards they choose. The rewards catalog includes gift cards, curated gifts, charitable donations, and custom rewards your company sets up, like extra time off.
Bonusly offers more than 1,200 rewards across 200+ countries. For standout work you want to call out before the year ends, you can give an award with an item from the catalog attached as the prize. Awards with a reward attached go to one person at a time.
The takeaway
So there you have it: 35 gift ideas that we truly think will delight your employees.
Since you made it to the end of this blog post, we can tell you are truly invested in appreciating your employees—which is critical. A comprehensive peer-to-peer recognition program is the gift that keeps on giving and can help improve employee motivation and team performance year-round. Bonusly turns everyday recognition into rewards your team picks for themselves.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I determine the best time to give an employee appreciation gift?
Employee appreciation gifts can be given at various times throughout the year to maximize their impact. While Employee Appreciation Day in March (Friday, March 5, in 2027) and year-end celebrations are popular, gifts can also be well-received after project completions or during times of team achievement.
What should I consider when choosing an employee appreciation gift?
When selecting an employee appreciation gift, consider personalization, relevance to the recipient's interests, and the overall message you want to convey. Gifts that align with sustainability (indicated by 🌱 in our guide) or enhance personal well-being tend to be well-received. Additionally, ensuring the gift is timely, thoughtful, and not perceived as a generic token of appreciation can amplify its impact on employee morale and engagement.
What are good holiday gifts for employees?
Good holiday gifts for employees are inclusive, easy to receive anywhere, and personal. Popular picks include grocery or restaurant gift cards, food boxes, subscription boxes, puzzles and games, and an extra day off. Give people a choice where you can, offer non-alcoholic options, and add a short note naming something specific each person did this year.
What do employees want as appreciation gifts?
Most employees want a gift they’ll use and a clear sign that their work was noticed. Choice helps with the first part, and a specific thank-you helps with the second. Gallup’s 2023 study found that employees who strongly agree their recognition is authentic are seven times as likely to say they’re treated with respect at work, so the message matters as much as the item.
Are gift cards for employees taxable?
Yes, in the US. IRS Publication 15-B says cash and cash-equivalent benefits, including gift cards and gift certificates, “no matter how little, are never excludable as a de minimis benefit,” so they’re taxable wages. Low-value holiday gifts other than cash can qualify as de minimis. Check with your payroll or tax advisor for your situation.
What are good gifts for remote employees?
The best gifts for remote employees are digital or ship easily: gift cards, subscriptions, online classes, meal kits, and self-care boxes. Check that the gift is available in each country where you have people, collect home addresses early, and pair the gift with a virtual moment, such as a team call where people share what they received.
