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Christmas gift for employees

4,342 Views | 25 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by Duncan Idaho
aduey06
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7:40p, 11/28/18
I have been a team lead the last few years with only a couple of contract employees reporting to me so I have never done much for office Christmas gifts. We had a re org this year and I now have 4 full time employee direct reports with 4 contract employees. I want to get everyone something for Christmas but dont want to break the bank or look like a cheap ass either.

Anyone in this situation or what do other manger get a team of 5 to 10 people. TIA.
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BrazosDog02
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8:41p, 11/28/18
AG
I received a lot of stuff over the years but the best was 60-100 dollar gift cards for specs. Lol
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90 bull
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10:46p, 11/28/18
AG
Last Christmas my wife gave her 9 direct reports the 20 Oz yeti tumblers. That was generally appreciated
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cjo03
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1:13a, 11/29/18
AG
some gifts are considered taxable income for the employee (I.e. gift cards over a certain threshold.. $25 I think). may want to check your companies policies too for additional guidelines.

Unlikely one of your employees would raise a stink about it, but some companies are pretty conservative in the space.

if all else fails you can give them a personalize bobble head of yourself
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gig em 02
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5:09a, 11/29/18
Cash, amount depends on How much you make and how much your employees know you make
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Kool
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In reply to cjo03 • 7:00a, 11/29/18
AG
cjo03 said:
some gifts are considered taxable income for the employee (I.e. gift cards over a certain threshold.. $25 I think). may want to check your companies policies too for additional guidelines.

Unlikely one of your employees would raise a stink about it, but some companies are pretty conservative in the space.

if all else fails you can give them a personalize bobble head of yourself
Yup. Not knowing any better, a few years ago I gave out Visa gift cards to my employees for Christmas, and my CPA went apoplectic about it. Probably not a big deal if you are not the business owner, but it wouldn't be the worst idea to look into company policies, ask the accountant or CPA, etc.
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94chem
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10:13a, 11/29/18
t.u. koozies?
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Martin Q. Blank
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10:40a, 11/29/18
Take them out for a nice $$$ lunch. I can't think of any Christmas gift I would want from my boss that everyone on my team would equally enjoy.
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ktownag08
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11:51a, 11/29/18
AG
Continued employment....







Actual answer, take 'em to a nice lunch and let them go home after.
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ATM9000
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12:28p, 11/29/18
AG
Donation to The Human Fund in their name.
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IrishTxAggie
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12:34p, 11/29/18
AG
Lunch at Fogo or Texas De Brasil.
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Baby Billy
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1:03p, 11/29/18
AG
Subscriptions to the Jelly of the Month Club
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agnerd
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4:17p, 11/29/18
AG
I got this last year from a contractor:


https://rattlesnakeranchpecans.com/collections/texas-gift-tins/products/candied-pecans-gourmet-gift-baskets-6way

I hauled it around to all my holiday destinations and parties until it was gone. People seemed to like it.
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aduey06
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6:24p, 11/29/18
Thanks. Was leaning towards a yeti cup or pocket knife before I posted. I like the idea of a nice lunch. Only problem is there are probably 5 others that work closely with my team but aren't my direct reports. I guess they will just have to deal with it not being invited if I only want it to be my direct reports.
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20ag12
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In reply to Baby Billy • 6:36a, 11/30/18
AG
Huell Babineaux said:
Subscriptions to the Jelly of the Month Club


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JimmyHouston
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7:48a, 11/30/18
AG
Every year our company gives us an American Express gift card or an Amazon gift card. I have never heard anyone complain as its always very helpful around the holiday time to get some cash
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TwoMarksHand
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8:14a, 11/30/18
AG
I've gotten Yeti Cups the last couple years.
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Oh Four Five
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In reply to cjo03 • 11:18a, 11/30/18
AG
cjo03 said:
some gifts are considered taxable income for the employee (I.e. gift cards over a certain threshold.. $25 I think). may want to check your companies policies too for additional guidelines.

Unlikely one of your employees would raise a stink about it, but some companies are pretty conservative in the space.

if all else fails you can give them a personalize bobble head of yourself
I got into it a bit with our CFO about gift cards. The IRS actually states that any amount is supposed to be considered taxable income.

https://www.irs.gov/government-entities/federal-state-local-governments/de-minimis-fringe-benefits
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Duncan Idaho
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11:35a, 11/30/18

As a manager, the important thing is to make sure it is not expected and includes a person note.

If you give them something expensive and it becomes expected it doesn't really carry any value and you become anchored to that cost.
Things I have received that I liked/appreciated
1) Picking up lunch after taking a few minutes to thank the team and actually acknowledge some of the times we hustled/went above/saved someone's ass.
2) a $20 gift card to Starbucks. Simply because it came with a simple note that thanked me for being on his team and saying he was looking forward to our new projects.
3) "dude. Youve made your hours. Get out of here. Take a few days and don't worry about taking vacation will dump the time to business development"

Stuff I didn't like (to sound like an ingrate)
1)having a team lunch where it is put on his company card and is presented as "hey I was told to take you guys to lunch, since it is the end of the year "
2)handing out a stack of $50 gift cards after a meeting that was called a team party because we had cake. (This fell particularky flat with the team because the year before it was $100) but the big compliant was how impersonally it was done.
3) a Christmas card bulk mailed to my house that was clearly had a signature done by the printer and wish "you and your family a special holiday"

Basically the ones where I felt it was an honest attempt, were well received and appreciated. The ones where it was clear that they were doing something out of an obligation regardless of the price were at best trashed or at worst increased resentment on the team.
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The Wonderer
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1:16p, 11/30/18
AG
Nice lunch on a Friday and send em home after for 2.5 day weekend. My former employees loved it.
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n_touch
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In reply to aduey06 • 3:38p, 11/30/18
We do a lot of personalized tumblers at Christmas. If you go with RTIC, you can get a nice cup and personalize if for $25 or so depending on which one you get.
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YouBet
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9:45a, 12/1/18
AG
May want to be careful giving gifts to your contractors. We are extremely strict with ours and I think it would be frowned upon where I work.

I've made the mistake Duncan has mentioned in tying yourself to a high cost item. Example: wine.

I had to move away from that last year because the team has grown. Unsustainable.
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coolerguy12
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5:39a, 12/2/18
AG
Lunch with booze and the afternoon off would be great.
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gigemhilo
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1:10p, 12/3/18
AG
I give my employees $$ and let them buy themselves a gift. they then bring the gift to our office party for "show and tell"
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double aught
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In reply to gigemhilo • 2:35p, 12/3/18
AG
That seems odd. Cash with strings attached.
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gigemhilo
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In reply to double aught • 8:11a, 12/4/18
AG
double aught said:
That seems odd. Cash with strings attached.
actually its a lot of fun. they get what they want, and they have fun showing it off.

our office is mostly women too - so there is that.
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Duncan Idaho
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9:16a, 12/4/18
I could see where it would work
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