TL;DR
Offer branded options employees will still use after the holidays (apparel, drinkware, bags, and a few less common categories), with solid construction and subtle logos.
For distributed and global teams, let employees pick item, size, and color. Print-on-demand reduces leftover inventory. On-demand swag on Goody has no order minimums.
Budget for quality: about $25 to $40 for one item, $50 to $100 for a stronger item or simple two-item set (around $75 is a comfortable middle for a hoodie or solid tumbler), up to $200 for premium kits.
Skip rush shipping. Send a gift notification on time and ship the branded item after production.
What makes holiday swag worth keeping
Holiday swag gives employees something tangible that connects them to the company, especially when teams aren't all in the same place. The best swag feels useful first and branded second: a hoodie they'd wear anyway, a tumbler they'll keep at their desk, or a bag that becomes part of their routine.
Unlike a traditional holiday gift, swag is intentionally branded. That branding can make your team feel more connected to the company, but only if the product itself feels worth keeping.
A practical filter: if you wouldn't wear or use it in January with the logo on it, don't order it in November.
Why bulk warehouse kits struggle with global teams
Ordering swag in bulk is easiest when most employees are in one office and you can distribute everything in person. Facilities can hold leftover sizes, and people can swap if something doesn't fit.
It gets more complicated when employees are remote or international. You have to predict sizes in advance, store extras, collect addresses, and account for different sizing standards and shipping requirements. A unisex large in the US isn't the same cut as a large in the UK. A warehouse shipment can sit in customs while office kits are already opened. You also pay for inventory that never gets gifted.
Print-on-demand changes the order of operations. You approve artwork once. People pick the garment and size. The swag is branded and ships to them. All of Goody's on-demand swag has no order minimums.
For distributed teams, recipient choice makes sizing and fulfillment easier.
Three ways to send holiday swag
There are a few ways to handle a company-wide swag send, depending on your team size, location, and how much customization you want.
Let them choose (recommended)
Offer a curated menu of branded options and let each employee pick one. Hoodies, crewnecks, and tumblers are a solid base. You can go wider when you want men's and women's apparel cuts, accessories, or kid-friendly picks. There's no hard limit on how many swag items you put in the selection.
This is the path we recommend for distributed and international teams. Recipients enter their own address and select the right size and color for themselves. You send one gift notification instead of collecting hundreds of home addresses in a spreadsheet.
With Goody, you can curate your swag selection by building a Custom Collection. The recipient chooses their favorite from the options within the Collection. On paid plans you can brand the collection experience with a banner, logo, and colors. Collections are available on all Goody plans.
If you want branded merch in the send, put it in a Custom Collection so people can choose from the options you curated.
One specific on-demand item
Sometimes you already know the item: everyone gets the same hoodie style, the same tumbler, or something like branded AirPods, printed on demand. Recipients still pick size (and often color) when the product needs it, and the item ships after production. You skip a multi-item menu when one strong product is enough for the moment.
This works well when brand guidelines call for a single approved SKU, or when you want a simple company-wide look without building a full collection.
Branded kits or custom boxes
Some teams want a designed holiday box with a printed note and a few logo items. That can be a strong choice when you want a unique branded gift with more customization: embroidery, print, embossing, debossing, and a broader bespoke swag selection than a standard catalog send.
On Goody, apparel works in custom kits. You send a digital notification in advance (you can reveal what's inside or keep it a surprise). Recipients select size and address. Goody assembles and ships so everyone gets their size. Kits can go to home addresses the same way other gifts do, through gift acceptance. For inspiration, see kits like the Stocked & Seasoned kit or the Self Care kit.
Custom kits need more lead time than on-demand. For holiday timing, plan around an October 31 deadline with the team. Book a call if you want help designing a custom swag box with Goody.
Don't make one coordinator the warehouse. Partner with someone who holds inventory and ships per person when you're running a kit program.
Holiday swag ideas people keep using
Pick fewer categories and make each option solid enough to use in February. When you're building the selection, look through branded swag and branded apparel. Most companies already handed out a hoodie or tumbler earlier in the year, so holidays are a good time to mix in something less expected.
Apparel people will wear outside the office
A midweight hoodie or crewneck is a strong apparel option for most teams. Look for substantial fabric and construction rather than the lightweight fleece commonly used for promotional apparel. An Eddie Bauer full-zip microfleece is a practical lightweight layer. Marine Layer zip hoodies are a softer, more casual option. American Giant full-zips sit at the heavier end if budget allows.
Holiday art should stay small: a chest mark or sleeve detail. A full-back "Happy Holidays from Acme" graphic with the year on it makes the item hard to wear in March. Most companies stick with the logo or a short company-aligned phrase rather than seasonal artwork.
If apparel is in the selection, choice matters more than almost anything else in this category. Fit is personal, and climate is personal. Someone in Miami might opt for a tee, while someone in Minneapolis might prefer a heavier zip-up.
Drinkware that holds up to daily use
Insulated tumblers and bottles work well because they're useful at home, at work, and on the go. A branded Stanley 40oz Quench is a recognizable, popular option that already feels more like a retail product than traditional promotional drinkware. A Fellow Carter 12oz slide mug is a cleaner desk option. YETI and Hydro Flask offer similar everyday drinkware at different price points.
Subtle logo placement helps. People will carry a clean tumbler into a client meeting. A loud logo cup often stays at home.
Pair drinkware with apparel only if the budget supports two solid items. One $60 tumbler is usually better than a $20 tumbler plus a $20 hat that never leaves the drawer.
A tote or small bag they already needed
A canvas tote or compact backpack is worth including if the material is thick enough for groceries or a laptop. Thread Wallets utility totes sit at a friendly price. A Cotopaxi daypack is a higher-end option. Browse bags when you want options beyond a free event tote.
Hats and cold-weather extras
A beanie or cap works well for teams in colder cities. For a global list, treat it as one option among others rather than the default for everyone. Put it next to a warm-weather pick so people can choose what fits. Caps also work year-round in a lot of climates. Hats and accessories sit comfortably next to apparel and drinkware when you want another category in the menu.
Office pieces as supporting items
A Moleskine pen or a solid notebook works as a lower-price add-on. They're better as supporting merch next to something people will use daily.
Something less expected (and still scalable)
If you want the selection to feel more personal without guessing sizes, look at fun, team-wide options: a wood stacking tower, a Jiggy personalized puzzle you can upload a design to, picnic blankets, pickleball or golf accessories, or travel pieces like luggage tags. Offer these as optional picks alongside the core categories.
How to build a print-on-demand holiday drop
Start by approving the artwork, colorways, and logo treatments you'll use across the collection. Getting brand approval upfront prevents each product from becoming a separate review later. One colorway and one logo treatment that works on dark and light fabric is usually enough.
Include as many options as you need for fit, gender, climate, and taste. Men's and women's apparel cuts, accessories, and a couple of non-apparel picks often make the menu feel complete. A limited visual system (same logo treatment, related colors) still keeps the collection looking intentional even when the SKU count is higher.
Send the gift notification with a short note from a recognizable person or team. First-name tokens that auto-fill each person's name are enough personalization at this scale. Make the message short and specific to your team.
Decide who owns the send and use a reliable employee roster, such as an HRIS export, so remote and international employees aren't missed.
Budget
Start with the quality level you want, then decide whether your budget is better spent on one higher-quality item or a multi-item kit.
One branded item (tee or simple drinkware): about $25 to $40. Fine when you want a light touch or you're covering a large headcount.
One higher-quality item or a simple two-item set: about $50 to $100. This range gives you more room for heavier apparel, premium drinkware, or a simple two-item set. Around $75 is a comfortable middle if you want a hoodie or a solid tumbler.
High-end branded kit: about $75 to $200 per person. At higher budgets, prioritize product quality over adding more items just to make the kit feel larger.
Spend the same amount across roles. Holiday thank-yous work best when the amount is consistent across the company.
Global, remote, and distributed teams
Start the roster from HRIS, not from who RSVP'd to the party. Manual lists can make it easier to overlook contractors, remote employees, or international team members.
Global swag shipping is available on Goody Pro and Team. You can ship to 140+ countries, and international shipping is $55 per item for taxes, tariffs, and freight. Local gift options are available in the US, Canada, and the UK. International takes more time than domestic, so plan earlier for EMEA and APAC rather than treating those markets as a last-minute add-on. For broader logistics, see this guide to sending international corporate gifts.
Sizing systems and winter weather differ by market. A broader selection helps when climate and local preferences differ. Someone in London can pick the crew. Someone in Singapore can pick the tote.
Address collection is where programs stall. If you ask managers to gather home addresses in a spreadsheet, you'll miss people and put personal data in a shared drive. Let recipients enter the address themselves upon gift acceptance.
Tax, in plain language
Employee gifts and client gifts follow different rules. Client gifts have a deduction cap under IRS section 274. That cap applies to clients, not employee gifts.
For employees, physical holiday swag of nominal value often qualifies as a de minimis fringe. Cash and cash equivalents are different. IRS Publication 15-B treats gift cards and gift certificates as cash equivalents. They're taxable at any amount.
SHRM flags the same year-end trap: holiday gifts and prizes can become wages if you get the form wrong.
This isn't tax advice. Have finance confirm your threshold for "nominal" and how you record the send. For the fuller employer walkthrough, read the tax implications of employee gifts.
Timing without rush fees
Custom swag still requires lead time for artwork, approvals, and production, so September and October are ideal planning months. Custom kits lean earlier (around October 31 for holiday).
If you miss the ideal shipping window, a digital gift notification can still reach employees on time while the physical item is produced and shipped afterward. Overnight labels are rarely worth it just to force a box onto a deadline.
For non-swag Christmas gift ideas and timing, use the Christmas gifts for employees guide. For company-wide holiday swag, logo or company-aligned copy usually travels better year-round than heavy seasonal art.
FAQ
What is a good holiday swag idea for employees?
A hoodie, tumbler, or bag with solid materials and subtle branding is a safe place to start. For distributed teams, offer options that account for different climates and preferences, and consider one less common pick (a game, puzzle, or travel accessory) so the menu isn't only apparel and drinkware.
How much should we spend on company holiday swag?
There's no one right number. One branded item often falls in the $25 to $40 range, while higher-quality apparel, drinkware, or a two-item set often costs $50 to $100. Premium kits can reach $200 per person depending on what's included.
Can we send holiday swag to a global team?
Yes. Print-on-demand and recipient choice can make sizing and address collection easier for distributed teams. On Goody, global swag shipping is available for Pro and Team customers to 140+ countries at $55 per item for taxes, tariffs, and freight. Local gift options are available in the US, Canada, and the UK.
Is holiday swag taxable?
Physical items of nominal value are often de minimis for the employee. Gift cards are taxable income at any amount. Confirm with your tax advisor. See IRS Publication 15-B and the employee gift tax guide.
When is it too late to send holiday swag?
If the gift can be accepted through a digital notification, you still have options even after the ideal shipping window has passed. Employees can receive the gift notification first, with the physical item shipped afterward. Skip rush shipping.
Can branded swag go in a Gift of Choice?
On Goody, branded swag goes in a Custom Collection rather than Gift of Choice. Custom Collections let you curate branded options, while Gift of Choice gives recipients access to an open, unbranded catalog up to a set amount.
Ready to send holiday swag your team will want to use?
Build a curated selection of branded gifts employees can choose from. Sign up free on Goody, or book a call if you're interested in learning more about our paid plans or want to plan a custom swag send for the holidays with an expert on our team.
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