Why the Best Holiday Gifting Starts Before the Holidays
Every year, it happens.
September feels early. October still feels manageable. Then suddenly it's November, the company Christmas party is on the calendar, and someone realizes...
“Wait. Did we order the employee gifts?”
If you're responsible for corporate gifting this year, consider this your friendly reminder from the people who see this happen every holiday season: now is the time to start.
Not because we're trying to rush Christmas. (We promise—we're not ready either.)
But because the best corporate gifts usually aren't the ones chosen from whatever can arrive by Friday. They're the ones that have a little thought behind them.
A Good Gift Says More Than “Happy Holidays”
Corporate gifting can easily become another item on the year-end checklist.
Order something. Add the company logo. Hand it out. Done.
But a great gift can say so much more.
Thank you for choosing us.
We appreciate everything you've done this year.
We're proud to have you on our team.
Whether you're recognizing employees, thanking clients or showing appreciation to the people who helped make your year successful, the right gift creates a moment of connection.
And it doesn't have to be extravagant. Sometimes adding someone's name makes all the difference. Sometimes subtle company branding is perfect. And sometimes the best gift doesn't need your logo at all.
The goal is to give something they'll actually enjoy receiving—and hopefully still be using long after the holidays.
So...When Should You Order Corporate Holiday Gifts?
For personalized corporate gifts, September and October are great months to start planning, especially for larger quantities or products that need to be ordered.
Starting early gives us something incredibly valuable:
Options.
More product choices. Better inventory availability. Time for personalization and proofs. And, most importantly, time to find the right gift instead of simply asking:
“Okay...what can we get here by Friday?”
Will someone still walk into Awardmaster in December and say, “I know I'm last minute, but I need 40 employee gifts...”?
Absolutely.
Will we do everything humanly possible to help?
Also absolutely.
But your future self—and the entire Awardmaster production team in December—will be very grateful if we can start a little earlier.
What Makes a Good Corporate Gift?
There isn't one perfect corporate gift because there isn't one perfect recipient.
Tell us who you're buying for, how many you need, your approximate budget and what you want the gift to accomplish. From there, we can help narrow down the possibilities.
Maybe it's personalized drinkware employees will use every day. Maybe it's a beautiful cutting or serving board for clients. It could be a portfolio, executive gift, promotional product, gift set or something completely different.
And if you come to us saying:
“I have no idea what I want. I just need 75 gifts around $50 each.”
That's okay too.
Honestly, that's a pretty normal conversation around here.
Personalized, Branded—or Both?
Your company logo doesn't always have to be the star of the gift.
Sometimes that's exactly what you want. Other times, a person's name, initials, milestone or meaningful message makes the gift feel more personal.
That's also where working with a real, local team can make the process easier. As a locally owned Lafayette business, we've helped companies throughout Acadiana find gifts for employees, clients, executives, volunteers and business partners.
Sometimes customers know exactly what they want.
Other times they simply tell us:
“I need ideas.”
We love both.
Because Ultimately, It's Not Really About the Gift
At the end of the year, the tumbler, cutting board, portfolio, gift box or completely outside-the-box idea is really just a way of telling someone:
You mattered to our business this year.
That's why corporate gifting deserves a little thought—and why starting early can make such a difference.
September may feel a little early to start talking about the holidays.
But when December arrives and your gifts are finished, personalized and ready to hand out?
You'll be very glad you did.
And trust us...
The Awardmaster team will be pretty happy about it too. 😉
