Holiday Gifts

I'm curious how many of you send holiday gifts to your clients?

I've been mulling this over for a while, and would like to act on it this December by sending all current clients a gift from a local company. Nothing big, probably like a $25 item, give or take, per client.

Just want to show my appreciation. Also, it adds to the client experience. My ulterior motive is to create raving fans that can't shut up about me and I eventually have to start turning down referrals.

I just mail Holiday cards. For select business clients I used to take them out to breakfast/lunch but I don't think that is possible while COVID-19 is still around and the social distancing restrictions at my favorite diner.

Used to send out Christmas cards and sent our highest value clients decent gifts, but have not done that in a very long time.

I might resume sending out cards thanking them for their business and trust in my firm, but I would want them customized so I just need to sign each one. No gifts...I randomly do it throughout the year by adding unexpected discounts to certain invoices.

Just as a thought, you may get better appreciation by giving Calendars, pens, Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts gift cards. I gave coffee gift cards to a few select clients because I always noticed them walking in with a coffee from their favorite place!

This is a huge undertaking by us. We send out cards to all clients (around 600) plus I send Lindt chocolates to my top 50 or so revenue generators. It takes 2 days but I think it is worth it. It puts you on their mind right before tax season starts. Not many businesses do it so it sets you apart.

I used to drop off my homemade Christmas cookies and candy to the business clients. One would give me the tin back so I could refill it the next year. I'm shutting down the business accounting end due to semi retirement.

I bet they will miss the homemade treats.

I used to drop off my homemade Christmas cookies and candy to the business clients. One would give me the tin back so I could refill it the next year. I'm shutting down the business accounting end due to semi retirement.

I had a nice lady client for years and she was a very good baker. She would come to my office with a plate full of Chocolate and Macadema nut cookies every year. Unfortunately for me she and her husband moved to FL and I miss those cookies!

I have another client a construction guy and he always shows up to his appointment with two cups of coffee from Dunkins. One for him and one for me.

I bet they will miss the homemade treats.

I'll take that bet.

This is a huge undertaking by us. We send out cards to all clients (around 600) plus I send Lindt chocolates to my top 50 or so revenue generators. It takes 2 days but I think it is worth it. It puts you on their mind right before tax season starts. Not many businesses do it so it sets you apart.

I like the Lindt chocolate idea...they have those small packs of 3-4 pieces that are not that expensive. Sam's sells larger packs (a dozen?) for like $9-10.

I might do something this year for my top 5 largest clients (mostly the ones that have contracts with me), and cards to everyone else. It is too expensive to send all of them gifts, too.

Question: how many of you stick to your own beliefs by having cards say Merry Christmas instead of Happy Holidays? I do not hide that I am Christian and I cannot think of any of my clients that are a different religion, agnostic, or atheist.

I buy Lindt direct from their website. The best pricing is Black Friday. I buy them in bulk, bunch of flavors and then put together bags of 75. With shipping it costs me around $25 per client.

I send Holiday cards. I do not know my clients religious beliefs, nor do I care to know. I do not discuss politics with them either.

Cornerstone, I think any greeting that is well-intentioned cannot be offensive. Now, if you had, say, a Jewish client and sent them a Christmas card, that would be insensitive to say the least. On a personal level, we send cards to my wife's family saying "Happy Holidays" or similar, as she is Jewish. For most of my family it is "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year," (because New Year is as important a holiday to many Scots as Christmas is). For my wee brother, it's "Happy Holidays" as he and his partner are atheist.

Some people are very sensitive when it comes to religion. I have always sent Holiday/Seasons Greeting cards just to be safe.

I personally don't care what religious card they send me. It is the thought that counts!

Thanks for all the responses guys.

It gives me a lot to think about...

Regarding the holiday cards, I don't see anything wrong with "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays" depending on the circumstances.

I'm going to go with "Happy Holidays" as I'm aware that a few of my clients are Jewish.

Christians, Jews, and Muslims all have major religious holidays in or around December, so I don't think "Happy Holidays" is off base for anyone. It is safe. Sending "Merry Christmas" cards in this situation would seem to me like sending chocolates right after the client says they don't like chocolates. Just seems...not as thoughtful....