The end of the year is an exciting time for all of us. It’s when we look forward to taking time off work, enjoying the company of loved ones and getting that coveted work bonus. But, most employees are probably not looking forward to the annual staff party and the cringe wrap gifts that come with it.
From oversized and blindingly bright Christmas sweaters to impractical items that you’ll never use again, there’s no shortage of wrap gift horror stories out there.
Below we share some of the most side-splittingly funny wrap gift stories as told by Reddit users and a few suggestions of what you could replace some of these items with if you’re planning to host a wrap party soon. Read on for more.
White t-shirt with bright screen print front
One crew member from a Hollywood production recalls receiving a pure white t-shirt that had a massive screen print design on it, which made it uncomfortable for him to wear it in public. This makes sense considering how glaringly bright printed colors can be on white fabric.
That’s why it’s best to stick with dark colors when giving away branded shirts. Not only are they more discreet, but they’re easier to wear and are less likely to embarrass your employees while wearing them.
In fact, they might even wear your branded t-shirts out and about if they’re tastefully designed.
Wine opener with a magnifying glass
One Reddit user reports their worst wrap gift being a wine opener that came with a magnifying glass. Now, the wine opener itself was a decent gift, but she just didn’t know what to do with the magnifying glass.
This gift is a perfect example of overdoing it. If you’re going to give your employees drinkware accessories as gifts, it’s best to keep it simple with stuff that you know they’re going to use.
A good example of a simple and useful drinkware gift would be something like a portable wine tumbler that someone can keep in their car and use on the go.
Branded chapstick
This one takes the cake as not only the worst but the cheapest wrap gift ever. One can only imagine what the employees of this company thought when they received it, and it shows a complete lack of appreciation for your staff.
Even if you’re on a budget, you can do better than branded chapstick. It’s unimaginative and miserly. There are plenty of affordable and thoughtful gifts like personalized playing cards or this eco journal with pen that communicate appreciation without breaking the bank.
Wrist bangles
Jewelry is a tricky one and you have to be really sure about your employees’ tastes before you go ahead and invest in something like silver wrist bangles with your brand name on it.
The cringiest part about this gift is that most of the employees were wondering what to do with it afterward because you can’t exactly wear a branded silver wrist bangle at a fancy dinner or event.
A great work around for this type of gift would be something like a cashmere scarf or this wooden watch. Both are stylish gifts that your employees can wear more than once and they’ll make a good impression on the receiver.
Staged photo frame
If you’re going to give people a framed photograph of their colleagues, the least you can do is organise a proper photoshoot beforehand so that you don’t have to Photoshop old pictures of everyone in post-production.
This is what happened to a crew member who worked on the set of a major Hollywood movie. Needless to say, this gift did not go down well with cast and crew members, with most calling it ‘underwhelming at best’.
If you’re going for a personalized wrap gift that’ll help foster a sense of camaraderie among your staff, consider these unisex slides which you can print your company’s name on or the name of the project they worked on.
It’s something that people can wear with socks during the winter or at the beach during summer. Plus, it’ll remind them of the good times they shared with their colleagues and provide free promotion for you.
Monogrammed stationery
Most employees work with stationery all year long, so the last thing they want to get is monogrammed stationery with their company logo on it. This type of gift is a sure-fire way to irritate employees and it’s guaranteed to fall flat with pretty much everyone.
If you want your employees to think about you in an agreeable manner while cutting costs, consider this wireless bamboo desktop organiser or this Ambassador Power gift set. The latter comes with a customised journal, a fancy pen and even a power bank- all useful and versatile gifts that are sure to appeal with most everyone.
Conclusion
Wrap gifts are highly appreciated and it’s an opportunity for managers to show how valuable their employees are to the organisation. The key is to keep it fun and creative. Avoid giving the same gift every year and make sure the gifts are practical enough for everyday use.