Build your own Corporate Christmas Hamper: Christmas gift giving (2022) for Businesses

When you receive a Christmas hamper it's always a bit of a gamble. Do they know I'm vegan? Did they remember I do not drink alcohol? I really hope it's full of chocolate! That feeling when you finally open the Christmas hamper to find you cannot wait to try every product inside. This is because when your boss bought your corporate Christmas gift they built their own hamper, especially with you in mind.

For any boss that wants that perfect Christmas gift for employees that reflects their values, is exciting to give and exciting to receive, look no further. 

Fortunately, there is something you can do to keep the magic of Christmas alive, even if you work in an office: create your own corporate Christmas hamper! This way you can know exactly what is going inside and you can choose chocolates for Charlie, and socks for Sam. 

At Social Stories Club, we help businesses build their own sustainable Christmas gifts for those who care about social causes and communities. Every product inside a build your own sustainable hamper with Social Stories Club has a social story of making the world a better place.

 If you are going to select chocolates for Charlie you can choose chocolate truffles that are providing training opportunities to women who have previously touched the justice system, chocolate bars that support reforestation projects, chocolate melts that support refugees, or other chocolates empowering local coffee farming communities.

Corporate hampers for Christmas do not have to be just a few snacks in an old sock – there are many ways you can go about organising your own hamper and make it feel like a company-wide initiative but still feel very personal, be very original, and have a lasting impact.

What is a Corporate Christmas Hamper?

A corporate Christmas hamper is a gift basket that you can put together and send to your colleagues over the Christmas period. Hamper ideas include things like food, drinks, and beauty products. You can even build your own gift hamper with a variety of different items based on your budget. 

Hamper ideas include things like food, drinks, and beauty products. You can even build your own gift hamper with a variety of different items based on your budget. 

Many corporates when looking to send employees Christmas hampers are looking for more than just food in a basket. 

Sending a Christmas gift for staff can highlight your company values, as well as demonstrate how much you appreciate your staff. This is why businesses are getting their company Christmas hampers from Social Stories Club, a social enterprise gifting company that pays the living wage, employs individuals with barriers to employment, offsets their carbon, and invests in the social enterprise economy.

How to Build a Hamper

There are a few steps you need to take when building your own Christmas hamper. Book a 1:2:1 call with us and have a chat. Start the conversation with us and let us know the answers to steps 1 and 2. We can do step three for you.

• What is your corporate gifting budget per person?
  
  We are here to make sure you are delighted with your hamper purchase. If you want to build your own hamper, the first step is to find out how much you can spend on each gift.
• Who are you buying gifts for?
  
  After you have decided on the budget you need to decide who you will be buying gifts for, and how many gifts you want to purchase. Are you sending gift boxes to staff or clients?
• Brainstorm gift ideas
  
  Once you know how much you can spend on each gift, you can start brainstorming ideas for each of your coworkers. You can use this opportunity to find out what they would like. You can also use the internet to find gift ideas for specific people. The important thing is to identify any dietary requirements as vegan staff will appreciate a vegan food hamper. Decide what you want inside your bespoke Christmas gift and whether you want a branded corporate gift. Having your brand front and centre will remind the recipient of who gave them the gift when they open it. 
• Collect addresses to send the gifts
  
  Once you have your gift ideas, it’s time to get organised. Create a list of recipients' addresses, or maybe you want the gifts to be sent to the office and distributed in person.
• Buy the corporate gifts
  
  Once you have your gifts sorted, you can go and buy them online or through us directly via email.

Can someone else build my hamper for me?

Absolutely! In fact, this is one of the benefits of using Social Stories Club as a corporate gift hamper company. You can either choose a hamper from our pre-made selection, or you can build your own hamper using our online hamper builder. The online hamper builder will walk you through the entire gift selection process to ensure you get the perfect gifts for your colleagues. 

If you want to build your own hamper for your colleagues, you can either purchase your gifts online or to buy in bulk get in touch with us and we can process this for you manually. This way, you can visit various gift shops, and then find the same items online to make sure you are getting the best deal.

Can my staff choose to build their own gifts?

Yes! More and more companies are allowing their staff to build their own gifts this year. If you would like to let your staff build their own gifts, there are a few things you need to do. First, you need to select how many treats you would like each staff member to choose and whether you would like a gift box or a gift hamper. You can find all these options in our build your own gift section of our website. 

Once you have selected an option, get in touch with us and you can purchase a gift card for the same price as the gift you have selected. For example, if you have selected Build Your Own Gift Box - 9 Treats then we can create a gift card for that exact price. Your staff can then use this gift card to build their own Christmas hamper and choose what they want inside. This is the perfect way to make sure everyone gets exactly what they want from a Christmas gift and there is no waste.

Another option is for your company to create three gifts that are similar but have slight differences. E.g. one Christmas gift only contains food, another is a vegan Christmas gift box, and another is full of reusable items. Your staff can be sent a unique code to claim their gift on the website, where they can input their address and choose their favourite.

Both these options are great to ensure staff receives a sustainable gift box they are excited about but also mean the corporate does not have to collect individual addresses for shipping.

Which Items to Include in Your Corporate Hamper

Depending on your budget, you can choose from a range of different items. Here are a few ideas to help get you started.

Food - Food can make a great addition to a Christmas gift box any time of the year, and it’s especially fitting for the Christmas season. You can choose from a variety of different food items, including dried fruit snacks, chocolate bars, nuts, honey, biscuits, and chutneys - just to name a few!

Drinks - Drinks can also make a great gift, and they are especially helpful if you are buying gifts for people who are not allowed to eat certain foods. You can choose from tea, coffee, cordials, hot chocolate, mulled wine, and soft drinks. Just remember that every product inside our sustainable gift boxes creates positive change.

Beauty Products - You can choose from a variety of beauty products, including soaps, bath salts, candles, lotions, pamper kits, face masks, and beard bars. These are becoming very popular in corporate gifts as they feel more personal.

Stationary - You can choose from a variety of different stationery gift items, including pens, pencils, and notepads

You can check out the different impactful brands we work with here.

What should I look for in a corporate gifting company?

When choosing a company that will build your ethical corporate hampers, there are a few things you should look for. 

First, make sure that they offer pre-made corporate hampers. This way, you will be able to see the sorts of gifts that will be sent to make sure it suits the needs of your employees. 

Next, make sure they offer both food and non-food items. This way, you will be able to select a gift basket that suits the needs of all your employees. Finally, make sure that they offer a variety of different price points. In our shop range, you can select gifts by budget. This way, you will be able to find a gift basket that suits your budget.

Tips for Building a Great Hamper

Once you have chosen your gift items, it’s time to put everything together. Follow these tips to make sure your hamper is great.

• Make sure every item is wrapped in sustainable packaging. This will make your gift basket look more professional, and your gifts will be more appreciated because the gift reflects the sustainable values of your company. Social Stories Club uses sustainable packaging such as compostable wood wool from sustainable timber forests, a reusable hamper made from paper rope, and a biodegradable cardboard box.
• Make sure the hamper contains a note, and the items are presented beautifully. You want your team to know exactly who their gift is from so do not forget to include a personalised note. If you want your brand front a centre you can even select an A6 card with your branding.
• Choose a company that is creating positive change in the world. Social Stories Club creates social enterprise Christmas hampers for businesses. They hire individuals with barriers to employment and are a living wage employer.

Wrapping and Delivery

Once your gift is built, you have to decide how you want to wrap it. There are a few different ways you can wrap your ethical Christmas gift. Gift Hampers are great for large gifts, but they are also the most expensive option.

Letterbox gifts are the cheapest way to send a gift, but you are also limited with what you can include in a gift. Gift boxes are a great mid-point, are sustainable, and look beautiful. Finally, you need to decide when to deliver your gift hamper. I recommend arranging delivery for the first week in December so your gift is the first Christmas gift they receive that year.

Conclusion

Building your own corporate Christmas hampers is a great way to show your employees that you appreciate them. They are a more personalised gift than chocolates, and they allow you to specifically choose gifts that your employees will love. 

These gift baskets are also a way to boost employee morale before the holiday season, and they are a great way to start the year off on the right foot. If you are looking to give your employees a special gift this holiday season, you should consider putting together a corporate Christmas hamper. A corporate hamper is a thoughtful gift that shows your employees that you appreciate them. If you are looking for a social enterprise Christmas gift Social Stories Club has a wide range of gift boxes and gift hampers.