15 Christmas Gift Ideas for Corporate Managers

Hard-working employees deserve to be recognized at Christmas. 

A lower-level team member will receive something from their boss, or from senior leadership, to show that their efforts are appreciated. It can also go the other way, with employees celebrating their manager with a small token of their appreciation.

But how do you make the right choice? Don't worry, we've got you covered. 

In this article we cover:

• What Does a Good Gift for a Manager Look Like?
• Do’s and Don’ts for Gifting a Manager
• 15 Great Christmas Gift Ideas for Corporate Managers
• Tools for Managing Corporate Gifting 

What Does a Corporate Manager Gift Look Like?

Before we get started with ideas, let's cover the basics. While it can be anything, gifts for managers usually fall into two categories:

1. Those given from employees to their bosses, and 
2. Those handed out by the organization to its senior management

In the former category, when a junior team member is looking to give their boss a gift, it’s important to make sure that the present is both thoughtful and appropriate.
The last thing you want is for your boss to feel uncomfortable or offended.

On the latter, if your company is looking to give gifts to managers, then you can and probably should spend a little more.
In this case, you will likely want to focus on something that is both memorable and useful.
For example, a high-end coffee maker or luxurious business-class travel bag would be great choices.

Depending on the size of the organization and the role of the manager in question, it could even be something much more expensive, like a generous bonus or an all-expenses-paid trip. Even new vehicles have been given as gifts in some cases!

We're not going to get that crazy in our suggestions below. 

We'll focus more on gifts being given from employee to boss, and make sure they are relatively inexpensive.
Before we jump into the 15 gift ideas though, let's go through a few rules to follow when choosing what to get!

What’s the Best Way to Choose a Gift?

If you are buying for a boss, you'll need to consider the following things:

• Consider the Relationship — Is your boss a mentor? A friend? A father figure?
  The answer to this question will help you decide what kind of gift to give.
  A notepad or an inspirational book is a great gift for a mentor.
  For a friend though you can get a little more adventurous with things like personalized hot sauce or a mini desk vacuum. 
   
• Your Budget — It’s important to set a budget for yourself before you start shopping.
  This will ensure that you don’t overspend, and it will also help narrow down your options.
  Don’t worry, there are literally thousands of options out there for any budget.
   
• The Office Environment — Is your office casual or formal? This can affect the type of gift that you give.
  For example, a more casual office might appreciate a funny mug or desk toy, while a formal office might prefer something like a nice pen set.
   
• The Person’s Interests — This is probably the most important factor to consider. What are your boss’s hobbies and interests?
  Do they love to read? Are they into fitness?
  Knowing this will help you choose a gift that they will use and enjoy.
   

If, on the other hand,  you are a business looking to reward several managers at the same time, you might want to offer your recipients a choice. 

At Corporategift.com we offer gift collections which you can send your recipients a link to and let them choose from.
You can learn more about it in the video below:

eGift Collections ensure that everyone can choose something that they will like, and it also takes the pressure off of you to choose the perfect individual gift for each person. 

We also offer corporate gifting services that can help you choose and send the perfect gifts to your employees, without any of the hassles of picking something specific out for each one. 

Christmas Gift Ideas that Stand Out 

You don't want to just wrap up a tie or slide a gift card under the door.
Showing your boss or manager that you put some thought into their Christmas gift will go a long way. 
 

Here are 15 thoughtful gifts for a boss that will make you stand out - certainly not a bad thing when it comes to impressing the higher-ups:

Personalized Golf Shoe Bag

• Price: $39.99
   
• Why It’s Great: Nearly 80% of surveyed executives say that playing golf helps them establish new business relationships, meaning there’s at least a plausible excuse for when your boss is out-of-office at 10 am on a Wednesday. 
   
• What They Get: A personalized golf shoe bag can be an inexpensive gift that can be useful for your manager.
  Maybe it will even earn you an invitation to the course.

Brownie Ganache Bakery Assortment

• Price: $80.00
   
• Why It’s Great: If your manager is always sneaking a donut during the morning briefing or snagging an extra piece of cake at Sheryl’s office birthday party, you’re going to want to lean into the sweet tooth. 
   
• What They Get: Whoopie pies, glazed mini bundts, and decadent brownies make up this box set, all surrounded by a pound and a half of assorted rugelach.
   

Leather Circle Luggage Tag

• Price: $38.00
   
• Why It’s Great: These beautifully crafted luggage tags give their bags a bit of style and lean into the executive aesthetic.
  Better yet, they’ll be a constant reminder of how thoughtful you were - and maybe even how you need a promotion!
   
• What They Get: One tag that can be monogrammed with your boss’s initials, a nice personalized touch.

The Connoisseur Gift Basket

• Price: $59.99
   
• Why It’s Great: Is your boss always talking about the amazing restaurant they visited with a client?
  Or the recipe they put together over the weekend? I
  f they are dedicated to food, a basket of gourmet treats might be the perfect gift. 
   
• What They Get: Stuffed full of snacks like peppercorn crackers, cranberry-sesame cookies, and bacon habanero bites, this basket will have them crunching and chewing for days.

#1 Best Seller Book + Fine Stationary Gift Set 

• Price: $79.00
   
• Why It’s Great: The bestseller gift set is constantly updating with the newest reads and also includes a notepad for them to write down those inspirational phrases.
  One tip? You’ll have to do a little bit of reconnaissance to make sure they haven’t already read it.
   
• What They Get: One of three best-selling books and an extra-large leather notepad.
  The book options change every six months, meaning you can send this again and again. 
   

True Blue Coffee Gift Set

• Price: $48.00
   
• Why It’s Great: No one wants the generic office coffee that has sat on a warming plate for hours, especially not the manager. 
   
• What They Get: This 12oz bag of ground coffee comes with a classic mug and a decadent dark chocolate espresso bar. 

Beer Making Kit

• Price: $48.00
   
• Why It’s Great: Experimenting with making beer is a fun activity that has gained popularity in recent years, and is a perfect gift for the zythophile at the office (yes, there’s a proper name for beer lovers).
   
• What They Get: All the equipment needed to make a batch of delicious beer, and your choice of several varieties including Single Hop IPA, Afternoon Wheat, and Chocolate Maple Porter.

The Connoisseur’s ROCKS Whiskey Chilling Stones Gift Set

• Price: $55.00
   
• Why It’s Great: More of a Don Draper type? Make a perfect Old Fashioned with this gorgeous whiskey set, which comes with two glasses and six chilling stones.
  People who appreciate scotch will love the waterless stones that won’t dilute your Macallan.
   
• What They Get: Two diamond design crystal glasses, six whiskey stones, and a wooden presentation tray all wrapped in a gold foil box. 

Peace Lily

• Price: $99.95
   
• Why It’s Great: Brighten up any space by bringing some peace and beauty from the outdoors.
  This easy-to-care-for plant is a great gift for the boss that spends lots of time in their office.
   
• What They Get: A 12” peace lily that will bloom for a long time and stay alive with little maintenance.

Personalized Cufflinks 

• Price: $30.00
   
• Why It’s Great: Is your stylish boss always sporting a suit? Help them complete their look and boost their personal brand with customized cufflinks.
  These traditional items are attractive but not too flashy for that extra touch of class.
   
• What They Get: Personalized rectangular cufflinks fit for any tuxedo or dress shirt with a polished metal finish.

Holiday Candle Gift Box

• Price: $26.50
   
• Why It’s Great: Sometimes you just want to light a candle, sit back, and take some time off around Christmas.
  This gift box gives your manager the chance to relax and recharge. 
   
• What They Get: Choose from ten different scents for the handmade candle, and include a package of cocoa mix and a candy cane for some holiday cheer.

Personalized Rustic Mouse Pad

• Price: $27.99
   
• Why It’s Great: Even bosses can forget to personalize their office a bit.
  This gorgeous mouse pad is perfect for the manager that spends most of their time on the computer. 
   
• What They Get: Faux-leather mousepad that is water resistant and can be monogrammed with the manager’s initials or company logo. 

Bert’s Bites

• Price: $36.00
   
• Why It’s Great: Support a female boss with this woman-owned snack company.
  The almond trail mix is incredibly addictive and way healthier than some of the other classic Christmas gifts.
   
• What They Get: A huge jar of the classic Chunky Almond Snack, or - if they are allergic - the Crunchy Maple Snack which is a no-nut version. 

Oros Auto-Pairing Earbuds and Wireless Charging Pad

• Price: $35.00
   
• Why It’s Great: For that manager that is always on a call, these earbuds are the perfect holiday gift.
  They will automatically sync after taking them out of the case, and charge when you put them back. 
   
• What They Get: Bluetooth 5.0 earbud set with power bank case and wireless charging pad. 

Personalized Corporate Glass Top Humidor

• Price: $72.99
   
• Why It’s Great: If your boss celebrates big sales with a cigar, this monogrammed humidor is the perfect office accessory.
  Holding up to 50 at a time, you’ll hopefully have a lot to celebrate.
   
• What They Get: Macintosh Oak and Walnut humidor that can be personalized by the recipient if sent as an eGift.

Managed Corporate Gift Giving

If it’s just you buying for your boss, you might not need any help.
But some companies may want to pre-screen the gifts given between employees and assign budgets to avoid any conflicts. 

As an HR representative that has to take care of gifts for multiple managers, or even a company-wide Christmas list, a solution like CG Elite membership can save hours and hours. 

As a CG Elite member, you will get access to a corporate gifting dashboard from which you can schedule triggers to automatically send gifts for birthdays, holidays, or new recruits, making sure those important milestones don’t get missed. 

You can assign different gift tiers and options so that every entry-level employee doesn’t end up with the Rolex that you’re handing out to senior VPs.
And you won’t have to ever collect another mailing address or wonder how many custom-branded shirts of each size you’ve got in stock.

It can even integrate directly into your existing HR management tools so that you don’t have to learn a whole new platform.
You can contact us here to request a demo of our tools and see if your order volumes make you eligible for a free membership.

Final Thoughts

If you take anything away from this article, it's this - gifting doesn't need to be hard!

Just keep your relationship with your manager in mind, think about what they're interested in, and stay within your budget.
With those three things considered you're sure to find a gift that's perfect for them and gives you a leg up when the performance evaluation period comes around!