12 Days of Christmas (Staff Gift Edition!)

Hobby Lobby has had its Christmas decorations out since July, we know, but believe it or not, the Christmas season is actually right around the corner. Now is the perfect time to begin planning and shopping for holiday gifts for your staff. 

We believe that your greatest asset is the people who work day in and day out to further your mission and that they deserve to be celebrated. Depending on your staff size, budget and values, take these ideas as a jumping-off point and customize them to your organization’s culture as a fun way (or ways!) to celebrate the holidays and show your staff how much you value them:

1. Branded Gift Boxes

   Forget ceramic coffee mugs and tote bags. Up your branded merch game and give each employee a themed basket. Think a Yeti or Ember mug with gourmet hot chocolates, coffees, teas and snacks. A quick Google search will reveal tons of services that will actually build and brand these gifts for you and even allow your employees to swap out or customize the options!

2. Stock the Breakroom

   12 Days of Christmas style! Make every day a new and exciting surprise! Fill our break room with both personal and whole-staff favorite beverages and snacks. Wrap up your 12 days of breakroom bliss with a top-notch catered lunch or take the whole staff out to a fancy local restaurant.

3. Amazon Prime Account

   Gift your staff a year of Prime! It’s the gift that keeps on giving and has something for everyone. Everyone either has Prime or could use it in our increasingly online world. This is an easy option especially for a staff with several new members who is still getting to know one another.

4. Quality of [Work]life Improvements

   Make sure your employees feel as at home as possible in the office. Provide each employee with a generous Amazon gift card or send them on a shopping spree at Office Depot or Ikea with the sole purpose of bettering their quality-of-[work]life gear. Upgrade their office chair or ask them to find something they consider helpful but maybe a little luxurious. What children’s minister wouldn’t want a personal laminator?? Just remember, if you get your staff a gift card that you do need to report it as wages.

5. Thank You Card

   This seems elementary but hear us out. Take time to individually write each of your staff members a letter detailing how proud you are of their work and how thankful you are they’re on your team. Don’t skimp! Only do this if you’re really going to commit and take the time to encourage each member well. This is a great option for a small ministry with a small budget who still wants to show their staff how much they value them.

6. Something that shows you’re listening.

   This takes a little more time and effort, but plan and purchase a custom gift for each member of your staff. Choose something that shows you know and listen to them. Perhaps an exotic plant for the green thumb or alpaca yarn for the knitter. This is a great option that shows your staff members how much you care about them not only as employees but as individuals.

7. Dash Pass or Meal Kits

   Ministry can often require staff members to work odd and late hours making mealtimes extra complicated. Show your staff you’re thinking about their family, too, by helping them spend less time in the kitchen and more time with the ones they love at the end of a hard day.

8. The Gift of Giving

   Fund your office’s traditional Secret Santa gift exchange. Give each staff member their own budget to purchase gifts for another. Draw names out of a hat or intentionally pick out who will shop for whom. This is a great option for really tight-knit teams!

9. Continuing Education

   Invest in your staff’s minds. Provide each member with a generous book budget to use throughout the year or pay for an extra conference or class above and beyond their usual continuing education budget. Make sure this isn’t just more work, though. Look at opportunities for staff members to not only increase their knowledge but also their networks or spiritual walk. (By the way, we actually have an awesome cohort that can teach your staff member everything they need to know about HR!) 

10. Office Upgrade

    Musty carpet, chipping paint, dated fixtures, or lighting. If this sounds like where your staff spends most of their time, give them a budget to make over their space and make it their own! A can of paint and some LVT can offer a serious facelift and letting your staff member pick the color (within reason!) will help them feel right at home.

11. Staff Christmas Party

    This isn’t the stereotypical office party. Really get creative with what you know about your organization’s culture. Invite their families and make it worth their while! Plan giveaways, games, awesome food, and activities. (If they don’t already have time-consuming holiday responsibilities, recruit your youth ministers to help plan!)

12. Paid Week Off Between Christmas and New Year

    Shut down the whole office. The holidays are especially stressful for ministries and most of your employees find themselves working well over their regular hours. Even those who take time off, won’t find much rest when the rest of the staff is still firing off emails and stressing over details. Closing down for a week gives your staff real rest and is definitely the least costly gift on this list for your organization!   

Need more help navigating how to reward your staff well?

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Authored by the HRMS Team, a group of dedicated church HR experts who draw from extensive ministry experience to keep your organization compliant and healthy. Schedule a call and find out how we can help you simplify your organization’s HR here.