Best Holiday Gifts for Employees in 2026: 10 Ideas Ranked
Most year-end gifts are forgotten by February. A 2026 survey of employees by Custom Ink found that only 40% of the gifts people had most recently received from an employer were still in regular use; the rest were sitting unused, re-gifted or thrown away. If you are choosing the best holiday gifts for employees this year, the question is not "what looks nice in a photo" but "what will this person still be using next November?"
This guide is written for the people who actually do the buying: HR and People teams, office managers, executive assistants and team leads who need one gift that works for a mixed team, carries the company's name without shouting it, and arrives at home addresses before the holiday break. We ranked ten ideas against the same criteria, starting with the one we think does the job best.
Gifting for a team or clients? EZRI customizes backpacks, bags and Italian-leather wallets with your logo, packs them gift-ready and offers corporate pricing on volume orders. Tell us your quantity and timeline and we will send options and a digital mock-up of your logo on the bag.
Request a corporate gifting quote →How EZRI corporate gifting works
Our top picks at a glance
- Best overall: EZRI Premier laptop backpack, a daily-carry bag with a clean look and a subtle embroidered logo
- Best for choice: a curated pick-your-gift collection
- Best for remote teams: a home-office upgrade kit
- Best for tech lovers: noise-cancelling headphones
- Best for cold-weather teams: a premium insulated jacket or vest
- Best shared experience: a gourmet food and drink box
How we chose
We judged every idea on the same six points, based on what employees say they value and what gift buyers tell us goes wrong:
- Daily use: will it still be in use months later, or end up in a drawer?
- Works for a mixed team: does it suit different ages, roles and tastes without sizing headaches?
- Perceived value: does it feel like one premium item rather than a handful of cheap ones? In the same survey, 55% of employees preferred one premium item, while 22% preferred several cheaper ones.
- Branding done right: can the company's logo be added in a small, tasteful way? Custom Ink reports that 42% of employees prefer low-key logo placement and only 17% want a large logo.
- Ships to many addresses: can it go straight to each person's home, including remote staff?
- Arrives on time: 81% of employees want their gift between early December and the start of the holiday break, so lead time matters.
The best holiday gifts for employees in 2026
#1 · EZRI Premier laptop backpack: best overall holiday gift for employees
The EZRI Premier is a lightweight, sleek laptop backpack that people carry every working day, which is exactly what keeps a gift out of the drawer. Its concealed zippers give it a minimal, professional look, while a full-range zipper plus an overhead zipper give quick access to everything inside. It has five outer zipper pockets and two compressed bottle pockets, and padded laptop and tablet compartments inside.
Like every EZRI backpack, it is made from water-resistant, durable fabric and includes strap pockets for cards and cash, hidden side pockets, internal wiring with a USB port for charging, a suitcase sleeve so it rides on a carry-on, and a protected passport pocket inside that sleeve. It comes in blue and light grey, at 11.61 x 5.70 x 17.91 in.
Best for: teams that commute, travel or move between home and office, and recipients who already own a basic work bag. Keep in mind: it is a fabric backpack, not leather; if part of your team prefers a smaller bag, mix in the EZRI Compact (see "More EZRI options" below).
#2 · A curated pick-your-gift collection: best for giving choice
Instead of one item for everyone, employees choose from three to five pre-approved gifts. Custom Ink found that 58% of employees want to choose from a few options. It handles different tastes well and cuts down on unwanted gifts. Best for: large or very diverse teams. Keep in mind: someone still has to track choices, and some people never redeem.
#3 · A home-office upgrade kit: best for remote and hybrid teams
A good desk lamp, a laptop stand and a quality mouse pad improve the space people work in every day. Best for: fully remote teams. Keep in mind: office products rank near the bottom in employee surveys when they feel generic, so pick pieces that are a clear upgrade on what people already have.
#4 · Noise-cancelling headphones: best for tech lovers
Tech and electronics had the highest regular-use rate of any gift category in the 2026 survey. Over-ear noise-cancelling headphones help in open offices, on calls and on flights. Best for: engineering, sales and travel-heavy roles. Keep in mind: branding options are limited, and some people already own a pair.
#5 · A premium insulated jacket or vest: best for cold-weather teams
Quality outerwear is one of the categories employees rate most positively, and a small embroidered chest logo suits the low-key branding most people prefer. Best for: field teams and offices in cold climates. Keep in mind: you need everyone's size, which slows ordering down.
#6 · A gourmet food and drink box: best shared experience
A box of quality coffee, chocolate or regional treats feels festive and can be enjoyed with family. Best for: a warm, inclusive gesture at the end of the year. Keep in mind: it is gone in a week, and you need to plan for dietary restrictions.
#7 · An insulated travel tumbler: best low-key everyday item
A well-made tumbler gets daily use from coffee and water drinkers. Best for: a small add-on in a larger gift. Keep in mind: drinkware divides people: many use it regularly, but about one in five rank it as a least-favorite gift, and many already own several.
#8 · A premium leather wallet: best small luxury
A slim leather wallet is personal, carried every day and easy to ship. Best for: recognizing a smaller group, such as managers or a winning team. Keep in mind: wallet styles are personal, so choose a classic bi-fold or a card holder.
#9 · An experience voucher: best for memories
Credit toward a class, a dinner or a local experience gives people a story to tell. Best for: teams in the same city. Keep in mind: it carries no branding and is easy to forget to use.
#10 · A charitable donation in the employee's name: best values-led gift
Letting each person pick a cause from a short list shows the company's values. Best for: mission-driven organizations, or as an add-on. Keep in mind: on its own it can feel impersonal, so pair it with a tangible item.
Side-by-side comparison
| Rank | Gift | Daily use | Mixed team | Subtle logo | Ships to homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | EZRI Premier laptop backpack | Every workday | Yes, one size | Embroidered | Yes, drop-shipped |
| #2 | Pick-your-gift collection | Depends on choice | Yes | Varies | Yes |
| #3 | Home-office upgrade kit | Daily at home | Mostly | Limited | Yes |
| #4 | Noise-cancelling headphones | Often | Mostly | Limited | Yes |
| #5 | Insulated jacket or vest | Seasonal | Needs sizes | Embroidered | Yes |
| #6 | Gourmet food box | One-time | Diet limits | Packaging only | Yes |
| #7 | Insulated tumbler | Often | Yes | Printed or engraved | Yes |
| #8 | Leather wallet | Every day | Mostly | Ask the vendor | Yes |
| #9 | Experience voucher | One-time | Local only | None | Digital |
| #10 | Donation in their name | None | Yes | None | Digital |
Why the EZRI Premier is our top pick
Daily use. A work bag is not a seasonal item. The Premier carries a laptop, tablet, water bottles and everyday essentials, and its USB charging port and card-and-cash strap pockets are details people notice on day two, not just on gift day.
Works for a mixed team. There are no sizes to collect. Blue and light grey are both conservative business colors, so the bag suits the analyst, the sales lead and the executive alike.
Perceived value. It is one premium item, the format most employees told Custom Ink they prefer, rather than a bundle of small extras.
Branding done right. EZRI embroiders your logo on the bag, and you see a digital mock-up of your logo on the bag before you order, so you can keep it small and tasteful.
Ships to many addresses. EZRI drop-ships to each recipient's address, which matters for remote and hybrid teams, and there is no minimum order quantity, so a ten-person team and a company-wide order are handled the same way.
Arrives on time. Corporate orders typically take 7–10 business days. To land in that early-December window, request your quote in November and leave room for approving the mock-up. Request a corporate gifting quote or read how EZRI corporate gifting works.
More EZRI options
For a smaller, lighter bag: the EZRI Compact, in light grey or black, suits people who carry a laptop and a few essentials.
For heavy travelers: the EZRI Professional comes in dark grey, navy blue and black, with the same built-in EZRI features, including the suitcase sleeve and USB charging port.
For a small luxury or a leadership team: the EZRI Luxe is a classic bi-fold wallet in top-grain Italian leather with multiple card slots and a bill compartment, and the EZRI Success pairs a navy blue exterior with a cognac interior. Ask us about branding options for wallets.
Want more ideas? See our holiday corporate gifts page, our employee gifts page, the best corporate gifts for 2026 and our corporate holiday gifts timeline.
How to choose holiday gifts for your team
- Set a budget tier, not a list. Decide whether this is a token, a solid everyday item or a premium thank-you, then compare options only within that tier.
- Know your recipient mix. Count remote and office staff, and anyone with sizing or dietary needs, before you pick.
- Work backward from the date. Choose the week you want gifts to arrive, then add production time, mock-up approval and shipping.
- Keep the logo small. A subtle embroidered logo turns a company gift into something people are happy to carry in public.
- Ask vendors the right questions. Is there a minimum order? Can I see my logo on the product first? Can you ship to each home address? What is the typical turnaround?
- Avoid the drawer categories. Generic stationery and office supplies scored lowest with employees; spend the budget on one thing people will actually use.
The verdict
The best holiday gifts for employees are the ones still in use next year. For most teams, that is a premium everyday item, and the EZRI Premier tops our list because it is used every workday, needs no sizes, carries a subtle embroidered logo and can be drop-shipped to every home with no minimum order. Tell us your team size and timeline, and we will send options and a digital mock-up of your logo on the bag.
Gifting for a team or clients? EZRI customizes backpacks, bags and Italian-leather wallets with your logo, packs them gift-ready and offers corporate pricing on volume orders. Tell us your quantity and timeline and we will send options and a digital mock-up of your logo on the bag.
Request a corporate gifting quote →How EZRI corporate gifting works
Frequently asked questions
What is a good holiday gift for employees?
A good holiday gift is one people still use months later. In Custom Ink's 2026 employee survey, only 40% of recent employer gifts were in regular use, and tech, apparel and outerwear scored best. A premium everyday item, such as a quality work backpack, usually beats a bundle of small extras.
When should employee holiday gifts arrive?
Aim for early to mid-December. 81% of employees in the same survey said they prefer to receive their gift between early December and the start of the holiday break. Work backward from that date and allow for production, logo approval and shipping.
Should holiday gifts for employees have the company logo?
Yes, but keep it small. 42% of employees prefer low-key, subtle logo placement and only 17% want a large logo. An embroidered logo on a quality bag looks like a design detail rather than an ad.
Is it better to give every employee the same gift?
One premium gift for everyone is simpler to order and ship, and 55% of employees prefer one premium item to several cheaper ones. For very large or diverse teams, letting people pick from a short list of options also works well.
Can EZRI ship employee gifts to remote workers?
Yes. EZRI drop-ships to each recipient's address, there is no minimum order quantity, and corporate orders typically take 7–10 business days. You see a digital mock-up of your logo on the bag before production.