Christmas Gifts for Employees and Clients: Ideas That Land

Every autumn the same question lands on the desk: what do we give the team this year, and what about our clients? Christmas gifts for employees should say thank you without looking like something picked from a promotional catalogue. Client gifts should be remembered, not recycled in January. Here is what to think about when planning, which ideas tend to work, and where a Soapi fits in.

Plan first, then choose

Before you look at a single product, four questions are worth answering.

• How many people? Ten people in one office is a different job from 80 clients spread across the country. The more there are, the earlier you should order and the more it matters that the gift posts well.
• What budget per head? Set it before you start browsing. Otherwise a small token quietly turns into an expensive project.
• Hand over or post? At the Christmas party a gift can be bigger and more fragile. In the post, flat, light and sturdy wins.
• What about tax? Gifts to staff and gifts to business contacts are each treated differently. Have your accountant confirm the tax treatment before you order.

What makes a good staff Christmas gift

The honest answer: a gift lands well when it gets used and doesn't feel like a box-ticking exercise. A few things help.

• Useful beats clever. Nobody gets excited about a tenth branded pen. Something they pick up every day is a different story.
• Works for everyone. Teams are varied. Alcohol, sweets or heavily scented items can easily leave someone out. Go for something that works without knowing much about the person, or offer a small choice.
• A few personal lines. A handwritten card from the boss often means more than the gift itself. Two sentences on what went well this year are enough.
• Keep the logo discreet. A big company logo turns a present into advertising. Small and tucked away is usually the better call.

Christmas gift ideas for employees

• Time together: a team breakfast, a cooking class or a day out in January, when December is already packed.
• Something to use up: good coffee from a local roaster, honey from a nearby beekeeper, tea or spices.
• Everyday helpers: a water bottle that really doesn't leak, a sturdy umbrella, a lunchbox that keeps the soup inside.
• Time off: an extra free afternoon before the holidays is, for many people, the best present of all.

Christmas gifts for clients: small, with a story

Clients are a different audience from your team. The gift should show that you thought about them and, ideally, give them something to talk about. A hamper full of things they already own rarely manages that. Something small with a story you can tell in one sentence works much better.

That is where the Soapi comes in. You press a bottle cap halfway into a bar of soap, the soap hangs from a magnet on the wall and dries all the way round instead of going soft in a dish. The Soapi is made in Berlin. The housing is injection-moulded from recycled plastic, around 90 % of which comes from discarded fishing nets and ropes. It sticks to tiles, glass, mirrors or stainless steel without drilling and comes with a 10-year durability guarantee. Since 2023 it has been sold in more than 250 shops, rated 4.88 out of 5 stars from over 1,600 reviews.

For a ready-made present there's the Starter Kit at €14.95: one Soapi in the colour of your choice, a 100 g lavender soap handmade in Marseille and a cleaned bottle cap. It's flat, light and ready to use straight away. If you'd rather give something for the hallway, the magnetic key holder uses the same technology and holds even heavy bunches with a car key.

Small teams: Mix & Match

For a team of five or ten there's no need to wade through a corporate gift catalogue. With Mix & Match you pick 5 products, pay €50 and get free delivery within Germany. You can combine Soapis in all ten colours, the key holder, soaps, shower soap, Skargard solid shampoo and children's soaps. That way not everyone gets the same thing: a teal Soapi for the colleague in accounts, the key holder for the one in the warehouse, a solid shampoo for the apprentice's gym bag. For ten people, simply put together two sets.

Larger orders, logos and company enquiries

Need a lot more gifts, or have an idea involving your logo? Branding, for example on the bottle cap, is possible on request. Get in touch via our page for businesses and retailers and tell us the quantity, your preferred date and the delivery address. We'll come back to you with what's feasible.

FAQ

How much should you spend on Christmas gifts for employees?

There's no fixed rule. Many companies stick to a small gift per person and put more care into a personal card. Which amounts make sense for tax purposes is best checked with your accountant.

What do you give clients who already have everything?

Something small that solves an everyday annoyance and comes with a story. You'll find more ideas in our article on gifts for people who have everything.

And what about gifts between colleagues?

That's a separate question, usually with a smaller budget. Ideas are in Small Christmas gifts for colleagues.

In short

Good Christmas gifts for employees and clients are planned early, get used and come with a few personal words. For small teams, put together five items for €50 with Mix & Match; for larger quantities and logo requests, send us an enquiry.