It’s hard enough to choose gifts for the people you know and love, so when it comes to corporate gifting, you may be totally out of your depth.  How much are you supposed to spend?  Should certain people receive more expensive gifts?  What items are appropriate to send?  What if you end up offending someone?  The truth is that corporate gifts are largely optional and entirely at the discretion of the company.  But if sales expectations have been met and exceeded throughout the year, it’s not uncommon for a company to thank their vendors and clients during the holidays with symbols of their appreciation.  Here are just a few traditional gifts, as well as a couple that are a bit more modern.

1. Food baskets.  This is pretty standard fare for corporate gifting.  Baked goods are a holiday staple and there are hundreds of options when it comes to sending food gifts.  You can contract with companies that make gift baskets full of chocolates, baked goods, meats and cheeses, popcorn, and even fruit.  But if you want to do something a little different, think about sending out organic fruit boxes from a local farm co-op.  It’s a healthy twist on the old standard that shows your devotion to the environment.  Just make sure they arrive well before the holiday break or they could end up spoiling in the mailroom.
2. Wine.  Giving alcohol to coworkers, business partners, vendors, and clients is always a little risky.  For one thing, you never know who might be dry and rather offended at your presumptuousness.  And then there is the little problem of shipping alcohol across state lines (some states have very strict rules concerning the shipment of liquor without proper licensing or labeling, for example).  However, if you happen to know that a client or colleague is particular to vino, then there is really no harm in sending a nice bottle as a holiday gift (and writing off the expense).
3. Product.  Any company that produces goods has a built-in gift for the giving; product samples.  You can send out your regular wares or you might consider making a “special edition” that is just for clients and vendors.  This “swag” is a neat way to give a gift, save some expense, and reinforce your brand all at the same time.
4. Donations.  If you’re tired of wracking your brains to come up with the perfect gifts to send out to corporate partners each year, why not just admit that there are a much better ways to spend your money.  Those people don’t need more tchotchkes for their desks or cookies in the break room.  So why not take a different tack this year by taking the money you would have spent on gifts and donating it to a worthy charity in the names of your vendors, clients, and other business partners.  This is not only a good way to give something back to your community; it is also great for your brand image.
5. Gift cards.  Of course, if you think that your business contacts will expect a “real” gift this holiday season, you could always send gift cards.  While coffee cards are fairly standard, you could go the extra mile by contacting a prepaid card company, like Visa, to give gift card that can be used anywhere.

Sarah Danielson writes for Get Debit where you can compare and contrast debit cards like the AccountNow Visa, to find the best fit for you.