Party favors can put your guests in the holiday spirit and make them feel appreciated. But choosing the right party favors is tricky. If you aren’t a professional party planner, you probably only spend a little bit of time thinking about cool prizes, gifts, and souvenirs to give to your friends and colleagues.
This guide can help. It contains ideas, tips, and resources for finding the perfect holiday party favors for your office party. We’ll help you choose something appropriate for your event and budget that will make your guests feel appreciated. First, we’ll give you some ideas on the best office holiday party favors for adults, and then we’ll walk you through the process of making your final list.
Gift Cards and Coupons
Gift cards never go out of style and can be given out as gifts or used as prizes. These are especially popular as holiday party favors for employees, because they’re so flexible. You can use them for just about anything, so you’re sure to find something that your guests will love. One very interesting idea we’ve heard some companies use is a coupon for days off from work. Some more classic choices include gift cards for:
- Amazon
- Department stores
- Starbucks
- Movie theaters
- Discount coupons for local businesses
- Memberships to gyms or other recreation centers
- Restaurant gift certificates
Personalized Items
Personalized items are always a hit at holiday parties. They show that you took the time to choose something special for each individual, and they make great mementos for guests to take home. You can find personalized items online or in stores. Some ideas for personalized items include:
- Customized ornaments
- Photo frames
- Engraved wine glasses
- Name tags
- Pillows
- Hot pads
- Aprons
- Mugs
Capturing the Memories with Photos
Capturing your guest’s image is a classic party favor that everyone loves. If you want to take things up a notch, consider setting up a photo booth with props and backdrops. This is a great way to get everyone in the holiday spirit and have some fun. You can also hire a photographer to take pictures of guests throughout the event, and these can be printed on the spot or sent to guests electronically.
Small Trinkets & Wearables
These are inexpensive items that you can include in swag bags or give out as prizes. They’re generally small enough to fit in a stocking stuffer, but they’re also fun and festive.
- Hats
- Scarves
- Gloves
- Watches
- Necklaces
- Pins and buttons
- Keychains
- Fidget toys
- Brain teasers
- Stuffed animals
- Playing cards
Food & Drink
Food is love, and what better way to show your guests that you love them than with some holiday treats? You can choose to give out small snacks, like candy canes or cookies, or go all out and provide a full meal. You can always ask your guests to bring a dish to share if you’re on a budget.
- Christmas cookies
- Chocolate-covered cherries
- Spiced nuts
- Candied fruit
- Fruitcake
- Gingerbread houses
- Peppermint bark
- Hot chocolate mixes
- Caramel corn
- Cookies in a jar
Make it Match the Theme
The main thing is to match the theme of your party. If it is a western-themed holiday party, you could get mini bottles of bourbon with a photo of the office printed on the label. If it is an ugly sweater party, you could stick with clothing and find some holiday-themed onesies or socks with fun designs. If it is a general holiday party, you can find anything that says, “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays” on it.
Consider the Price
You need to find something affordable for you and your budget. Luckily, there are a ton of great holiday party favors out there that won’t cost you an arm and a leg. Also, in many cases, the prices you pay depend on the scale of the party. Larger gatherings may offer marketing or networking opportunities. In this case, it might make sense to offer higher-priced gifts based on the value they could bring in return. If you have a smaller party, there are still plenty of great holiday party favors that won’t cost you much money. Even if the party is small, you can still make a big impression with your holiday party favors!
Is it Appropriate?
Ditch your preconceived notions about what is appropriate or not (even if you know you are right). Doing your research ahead of time will help you avoid costly and embarrassing mistakes. It will also help you pick holiday party favors that really hit home.
The first step is to identify the purpose of the party. Is it a company-wide holiday celebration? A teambuilding event? A reward for employees who have achieved a certain goal? Knowing the purpose will help you fine-tune your guest list and determine the overall tone of the party. You will most likely have several categories of people attending your party: management, employees, spouses/significant others, and maybe even children. It is important to find holiday party favors that appeal to everyone on your guest list.
Some companies like to give holiday gifts branded with their company name or logo. Others prefer to give more personal gifts that can be used in the recipient’s everyday life. There are pros and cons to both approaches. Company-branded holiday favors can be a great way to promote your business and show your employees that you are proud of your company. However, they may also be seen as tacky or impersonal. Personal gifts, on the other hand, can show that you care about your employees’ individual needs and interests. However, they can also be more expensive and time-consuming to find.
Sorting Out Your Options – Making a Shopping List
Use sticky notes, a spreadsheet, lists, cards, or any other method you’d like to build categories before you begin shopping. There are many different ways to do this. Try breaking the attendees into categories based on their attributes, such as job title, interests, age, etc. For example, if it’s a family gathering, you could make separate classifications for holiday party favors and children’s holiday party favors.
Make general categories such as:
- Significant Others/Family
- Employees
- Age
- Personal Interests
Break down different types of party favors:
- Prizes
- Gifts
- Branded content
- Foods, etc.
Make a category for the price point:
- Low
- Medium
- High
Once you have your categories and attributes, you can start brainstorming possible company holiday party favors for each type. One way is to use sticky notes and rapid-fire brainstorming. This works well if you have the whole team work on this. For example, write down ideas for gifts based on interests/age/job title, etc.
If you are working on this alone, give yourself a set amount of time (say, 15 minutes) to come up with as many ideas as possible. Write them down quickly without censoring yourself. You can edit your list later. The goal is to get all your ideas out of your head and onto paper. Below are some examples.
Company Holiday Favors for Employees
- Gift cards
- A day off from work
- A basket of healthy snacks
For Age:
- A gift card to a restaurant or store that appeals to a specific age group
- A book or movie series
- Gift certificate for a day of pampering
For Personal Interests:
- Tickets to a concert, play, or sport event
- Gift certificate to a favorite restaurant
- A basket filled with items related to a hobby
For personalized/branded content:
- Coffee mugs with names on it
- T-shirts with company logo
- Pens and notepads
- Keychains with company logo
Purchasing Those Holiday Party Favors
The last step is to narrow down your list and start shopping for those holiday party favors! Once you have your list of ideas, it’s time to start looking for vendors. You can use a search engine like Google or Bing or look for a holiday party favor retailers on sites like Etsy or Amazon. Candy companies like Sees or M&M have holiday packages as well. Whatever you do, make sure and check the reviews before you make a purchase.
Now that you have a guide to choosing the perfect holiday party favors for your office party, it’s time to get shopping! Happy holidays!
