Most lists of Christmas gifts for employees read like a coworker gift swap. If you hold the budget, you need three answers: what to give, how much to spend per person, and how to get it there before everyone logs off.
Christmas gifts for employees start with your headcount, a budget per person, and the date the gift has to arrive. With those set, give a choice-based gift card or a useful item matched to each person. As for the best holiday gift cards for employees, pick ones each person can use where they live and choose for themselves.
What should you give employees for Christmas?
Give employees something they can use outside work, with a note that names what they did this year. A choice-based gift card is a practical default when you don’t know everyone’s tastes. A physical item suits a team whose preferences and addresses you already know.
An employee Christmas gift is a thank-you from the company for the year’s work. Remote staff and people on leave belong on the list too.
Nine Christmas gift ideas for staff, with a reason to choose each
Good Christmas gift ideas for staff fit into everyday life and leave room for different tastes. When you don’t know someone’s preferences, offer a choice. Pick a physical gift only when you can check the item and the delivery address in advance.
- A choice-based gift card. Each employee picks a brand available where they live, which suits a team with mixed tastes. Based on Giftronaut redemption data from January to October 2026, Amazon.com is the brand recipients choose most, followed by prepaid Visa, Walmart, Starbucks, and Target.
- A grocery or everyday-retail gift card. Choose this when you know where the person shops; Walmart and Target both made that top five. For staff outside the US, check that the card is issued in their country.
- A meal or food-delivery gift card. It’s a good fit for the person who’d rather not cook during the holiday rush. Check that delivery reaches their area and that the value covers a real meal.
- A book they pick. Let them choose the title, or send a bookshop gift card. A business book can feel like homework, so leave the choice to them.
- Coffee or tea with a personal note. A small selection, or a Starbucks card from that same top five, suits the colleague who never skips the afternoon cup. Have another option ready for people who drink neither.
- A useful everyday accessory. A good notebook or an insulated bottle works when you know the person’s habits. For tech accessories, confirm the device fits, and keep required work equipment in its own budget.
- A blanket or other home comfort. Match it to the person’s climate and taste. December isn’t winter everywhere, so one seasonal item shipped worldwide can miss.
- A puzzle or small hobby kit. A jigsaw or a sketching set works when you know the hobby. Check what they already own first, and offer another option if the hobby isn’t theirs.
- A charity gift card as one of the options. Some employees would rather pass their gift on to a cause. Giftronaut’s catalog includes charity gift cards such as CharityChoice and Charity On Top; check each card’s eligible organizations and terms before you offer it.
If you’re buying for peers rather than your staff, gift cards for coworkers has picks for that.
Best Christmas gifts for employees under $25
With an illustrative US budget under $25 per employee, keep the gift simple and put the effort into the message. A small gift card or a paperback both fit. For a physical item, check the delivered cost before you commit.
Start with who’s eligible and when the gift should arrive. A 40-person team with an illustrative US $25 reward budget needs $1,000 for the gifts themselves. Keep the rest of the program budget for any funding fees, delivery, and payroll costs that apply.
| Illustrative US budget | Gift direction | Check before buying |
|---|---|---|
| Under $25 | A $20 gift card, a book they choose, or coffee or tea. | Minimum card value and delivery. |
| $25 to $50 | A $40 useful item or a gift card of the same value. | The same value for every employee, plus delivery. |
| Above $50 | A $75 choice-based reward the employee picks. | Local availability and the full delivered cost. |
For more picks under $25, see inexpensive Christmas gifts for employees.
Christmas gifts for employees from the boss
A Christmas gift from the boss should come with a note that names what that person did this year. Giftronaut orders support a custom subject line and message body, with first- or last-name personalization when those recipient fields are provided.
Take a manager with office-based staff, two remote colleagues, and one employee on leave. Put each person on the recipient list before you order. A note like “Thanks for keeping the customer handover clear during the October launch” names the work you’re thanking them for.
Best corporate Christmas gifts for employees
A practical corporate Christmas gift is one choice-based gift card at the same value for every eligible employee. Remote staff and people on leave get the same gift as the office, and nobody has to guess tastes. Before you order, confirm who’s eligible and how payroll will treat the gift.
Keep the gift separate from any pay commitments. For US employees, the IRS guidance on de minimis fringe benefits, as of November 2026, treats general-merchandise gift certificates and cash equivalents as taxable. For W-2 and deduction questions, see gift card taxation. Ask payroll to confirm how employee gifts are treated before you send.
If your team is in several countries
Christmas gifts for employees in different countries should be one gift each person can use where they live. Set a value that makes sense locally instead of applying one US dollar budget worldwide.
A single retailer’s gift card doesn’t automatically work across borders, so check where a card is issued before you buy it. A gift the employee chooses after it arrives skips that check. Recipients select their country at redemption and choose from the rewards available there, which can include local gift cards or global prepaid options.
Not sure whether local cards or a global prepaid card suits your team? Compare gift cards for international employees.
For the message, “Thank you for your work this year” or “Season’s greetings” works when people celebrate different holidays. Check local leave dates and time zones too, since a Christmas-morning send won’t suit everyone. To set up a first send across countries, see sending employee gifts across countries.
Plan delivery before the team leaves for the holidays
Holiday delivery needs a funded account and a send date your team will see; physical gifts add supplier shipping deadlines. Giftronaut supports email, text, and reward-link delivery; text works only with US and Canadian (+1) mobile numbers. Email and text orders go out right away or on a date you schedule once funds are available. A reward-link order can’t be scheduled or canceled once you place it.
ACH funding typically takes two to three business days and wire one business day, counted from when the bank sends payment. Credit card funding carries a 3% processing fee; ACH and wire funding are free.
Work backward from your send date:
- Approve the employee list and local values. Include people on leave, and check email addresses before you upload the final list.
- Fund the account with time to spare. Confirm the balance is available before you place the order.
- Prepare the message and delivery channel. Preview the wording and tell employees who the gift will come from.
- Schedule for the right date. Review the final list and message, then follow up on any bounced deliveries.
Sent means the recipient’s mail server accepted the email; Bounced means the address is invalid or blocked. A Redeemed Date is shown only for orders placed with the Refund Option.
There’s no single last-order date for holiday gifts. Your supplier’s deadline, your funding method, and your team’s last working day set it.
Let employees choose their Christmas reward
With Giftronaut Choice Card, you set the reward amount and each recipient chooses an available brand. To send, add employees one by one or by spreadsheet, attach your holiday message, and send right away or schedule it. Check the chosen reward’s own fees and limits before you finalize the gift budget.
Start with the budget, finish with the thank-you
A good employee Christmas gift is something people can use, with a note that shows you know them. Set the budget and the send date first, then write the thank-you. When everyone on the list can receive it, including remote staff and people on leave, you’re ready to send.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 5 gift rule for Christmas?
Rex London’s October 2026 post on the five gift rule groups presents into want, need, wear, read, and something unexpected. For employees, use the categories for ideas rather than buying five gifts each.
What gifts do employees value most?
Employees value gifts they can actually use and choose for themselves. Based on Giftronaut redemption data from January to October 2026, Amazon.com is the brand recipients choose most, followed by prepaid Visa, Walmart, Starbucks, and Target. If you don’t know your team’s tastes, offer a short list of equal-value options.
What are some good gift ideas for coworkers?
A modest gift card, notebook, or coffee or tea selection suits a workplace exchange when it matches the colleague’s preferences. If the company is paying, treat it as a staff gift and use the budget steps above.
Are Christmas gift cards to employees taxable?
For US employees, yes. As of November 2026, the IRS guidance on de minimis fringe benefits treats gift certificates redeemable for general merchandise, or with a cash equivalent value, as taxable. Taxable benefits go into the employee’s wages on Form W-2, so ask payroll how they’ll report the gift.
How much should you spend on employee Christmas gifts?
There’s no set amount: pick one per-person value your budget covers for every eligible employee, such as under $25 or $25 to $50. Multiply it by headcount, then add delivery costs and any funding fees. Credit card funding carries a 3% processing fee; ACH and wire funding are free.
