The short answer: choose a gift that the whole team can enjoy or that one person can take home, check the office's holiday hours before you send, and keep the card short and personal. A gift basket suits a team that likes to share, a plant suits a client's desk for months, and a centrepiece or a poinsettia dresses up a reception area through the last weeks of the year. This guide covers what to send, how to manage a list, and how to get the timing right.
Start with who is receiving it
A gift for a team is different from a gift for one person. Before you choose, ask where the gift will end up and who will see it.
- A client's office or shop: a gift that sits on the front desk thanks the whole business, not just your contact. Our gift baskets and Christmas and winter holiday flowers both work well here.
- One contact you know well: choose something they can take home, such as a plant or a small basket. If you know they love a certain colour or treat, use it.
- Your own team: treats to share in the staff room are an easy way to say thank you to everyone at once. For a manager or a long-serving employee, a personal gift sent to their home feels more special.
- A remote worker: a delivery to the house shows they are not forgotten, and it arrives when they can enjoy it. Ask for their address in advance, or check with human resources.
Gift baskets: easy to share
Treats work well for a business because nobody has to find a vase or take care of anything. The Tea Time Gift Basket and the Gourmet Amour Gift Basket suit a small office or a single contact. For a larger team or an important client, look at the Taste of Indulgence, French Riviera and Grand Gala baskets, which are made for sharing. Our gourmet gift baskets collection has more choices, from chocolate to sweet and salty.
Keep in mind that gift baskets are made to order and need at least one day's notice, so plan these a little earlier than a flower order. If you are sending to a client you do not know well, it is also worth checking the items on the product page, since food gifts can raise questions about allergies or dietary needs. If in doubt, a plant or flowers is a safer choice.
Plants: a gift that stays
A plant keeps your thank you on a desk well into the new year, long after the holiday treats are gone. Our plants and succulents and our orchids are good choices for an office, since they need little attention. Orchids look polished on a reception desk, and a small planter garden suits a personal workspace. A poinsettia is the seasonal option, and our guide on how to care for a poinsettia explains how to keep one looking good through the holidays.
Flowers: the most festive choice
Fresh flowers make the biggest first impression. A holiday centrepiece is a good fit for a boardroom or a reception area, as long as someone at the office is happy to look after it. Candle centrepieces are a lovely look for a dinner, but many workplaces do not allow lit candles, so tell your contact the candles are decorative or choose a bouquet in its own vase instead. Our guide to Christmas flowers and holiday gift ideas has more on which designs suit whom.
Managing a list
A few simple steps will save you time if you are sending to several people:
- Make a list with each person's full name, company, street address, suite and floor, plus a phone number at the office.
- Note the last day each office is open before the holidays.
- Write the card message for each person ahead of time, even if it is only a sentence or two.
- Decide what you want to spend per person, and choose one or two gifts to keep things simple.
- Call us at 905-677-9999 if you have a longer list and want to talk it through.
Getting the timing right
Many offices close early or shut down altogether in the last week of December. A gift delivered to a locked door helps nobody, so ask your contact about their holiday hours. Early to mid December is a good time for office gifts, because the gift is there to enjoy through the season and your message arrives before the rush. Our article on sending flowers to a business covers address details and the best days to send.
What to write on the card
Every order includes a free handwritten card, so a personal line goes a long way. Mention something real from the year if you can. Some ideas:
- "Thank you for a great year of working together. Wishing you and the team a happy holiday season."
- "We could not have finished the year without you. Please enjoy this with the team."
- "Thank you for all your hard work this year. Enjoy a well-earned break."
If you do not know whether your contact celebrates Christmas, "happy holidays" or "season's greetings" is a warm and safe choice.
Order directly from the florist
Every flower arrangement is hand-arranged in our Mississauga studio. We offer same-day delivery of fresh flowers across the GTA, and delivery is free on orders over $50. To talk through a holiday order, call us at 905-677-9999, or see our delivery map and zones.