The Best Holiday Gift for Employees Isn't in a Box
Every December, business owners start searching for the perfect holiday gift for their employees. Gift cards, branded jackets, a nice bottle of something. I get it. You want to say thank you.
But the best holiday gift I can give my team isn't something I can wrap. It's time. Every year, L&L Collective closes for the holidays, and it's the thank you I'm proudest of. Here's why we do it, how we make it work, and what I've learned about employee gifts that actually mean something.
Why I decided to close for the holidays
Early in my career, I worked at two retail corporate headquarters. In retail, the holidays are all hands on deck, so every year someone at headquarters had to work the Friday after Thanksgiving and the days around Christmas in case the stores needed support. I understood why. But I also remember how it felt. One year you got to be home with your family. The next year you were rushing out the door to sit at a desk.
And those days were so quiet. Most of us ended up doing our Christmas shopping online at our desks because there was nothing else to do. I remember thinking: if I ever own my own business, I'm going to do this differently.
Later, I worked at an agency that closed around the holidays. It was a beautiful gift, and one I'll always cherish. When I started L&L, I knew I wanted to give my team the same thing.
What our holiday break looks like
We close a few days before Christmas and come back after New Year's. Depending on how the calendar falls, that's usually somewhere between ten days and two weeks. We also close the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of Thanksgiving week, and take two days around the Fourth of July.
We're a small business. I know we can't always match the benefits packages big companies offer. But time off is something I can give, and I think it's one of the most valuable things anyone can receive.
Time off only works if it's really time off
A break isn't a gift if people spend it checking email. So during our holiday closure, the whole team is fully off. Everyone's out-of-office message points to me.
That's on purpose. I don't want anyone else working during the break. Being the point person while everyone else rests is my way of giving back to a team that gives so much all year.
How we make two weeks off possible
Closing for the holidays takes planning. Our clients are paying us and trusting us, so we work hard to make sure nothing slips.
- We tell clients early. Everyone knows our holiday schedule well in advance. Honestly, our clients have always been very supportive.
- We get ahead of the work. In the weeks before the break, we finish what needs to be finished and get ahead where we can.
- We plan January before we leave. We think through what's coming in the new year and start it ahead of time, so we're not starting from zero.
- We protect the return. Nobody should come back to a fire drill. The goal is no hair-on-fire January and no Sunday scaries the night before we're back.
What most companies get wrong about employee holiday gifts
A lot of companies think a $100 gift card, or a jacket with the company logo on it, says thank you. It doesn't really say much. A gift card can feel like a transaction. Logo gear is mostly about the company.
The gifts that mean something show that you see the person, not just the employee.
Why I gift all year instead of once in December
I usually don't do a big gift for my team at the end of the year, because I try to give throughout the year when the moment is right. That looks like:
- A Lowe's gift card when someone is building a new fence.
- The purse someone has always wanted.
- A soft blanket when someone is expecting a baby.
- Money for a babysitter when we have an after-hours team event and spouses are invited, so both parents can actually come.
That last one is my favorite example. It's gift giving at its finest, because it sees the whole person and removes the thing that would have made it hard to say yes.
Holiday gift ideas for employees that actually mean something
If you're planning holiday gifts for employees this year, here's how I'd think about it:
- Give time first. Extra days off, an early close or a full holiday break.
- Make the time off real. No expectation of checking in. Someone in leadership covers, not the team.
- Tie gifts to their life. A new home, a new baby, a hobby, the thing they keep mentioning.
- Remove the obstacle. If your gift requires a babysitter, a drive or a reservation, take care of that part too.
- Write a note. A few honest lines about their year from the person they work for can mean more than anything in the box.
What if your business can't close for the holidays?
First, really ask whether you can't. A lot of businesses assume they can't close when, with some planning and an early heads-up to clients, they could.
If the holidays truly aren't possible, ask when you can close. Maybe it's a week in July. Maybe it's the week after your busy season ends. The point isn't the date on the calendar. It's giving your team real, protected time to rest and be with the people they love.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best holiday gift for employees?
In my experience, time off. Protected, fully offline time with family and friends is something people remember and value long after a gift card is spent.
Are gift cards a good holiday gift for employees?
On their own, they can feel impersonal. A gift card tied to something specific in someone's life, like supplies for a project they're working on, means a lot more.
Should employee gifts have the company logo on them?
Branded gear is fine as swag, but it isn't really a thank you. The best employee gifts are about the person, not the company.
How do you close for the holidays without upsetting clients?
Tell them early, finish or get ahead of the work before you leave, plan the first weeks of January in advance and have one clear point of contact for anything urgent.
The gift that lasts
My team works hard for our clients and for me all year. Giving them real time off over the holidays is my way of saying thank you, and it's one of the things I'm proudest of as a business owner. If you can find a way to give your team that kind of time, it may be the best gift they ever get from you.
Want to meet the people this break is for? Meet the L&L Collective team.
Keep reading
Want this kind of thinking on your team?
Let’s talk about where you want your business to go and the fastest way to get there.
Let’s Talk Strategy