Gift Giving for Executive Assistants and Clients
We’re here with a fun post to answer a question we’re often asked - what sort of gifts should you give to executive assistants? Also, what are some gifts that executive assistants should look at if gift purchasing is one of their responsibilities?
It’s not that it’s an expectation, but receiving a gift is definitely appreciated and can be a good way to show you value your EA, clients, or team members. Whether it’s for the holidays, for Administrative Professionals Day, as a thank you, or just because, there are great gift options for every budget.
We’ve compiled a few ideas here, based on feedback gathered from EAs and others in receipt of gifts:
$50 and under
Here are some of our top picks for $50 and under:
Books or guided journals
If you know the person’s taste in books, a copy of a desirable new biography or inspiring story can make a great gift. Outside of books, consider journals - we like some of the guided journals that are designed to help people be successful.
The Next Right Thing Guided Journal is a good example. It’s based on the idea of what you should do next when you’re not sure what to do - the next right thing. This sort of journal is a great gift for anyone who has goals they’re aspiring toward.
Custom gifts
Custom-made gifts range in price, but you can definitely find many in this price range. Custom gifts might be personalized with the recipient’s name, or have your business name and logo. You can look for gifts at any companies you usually use to create business swag, or check out Etsy.
There’s a whole section on Etsy for personalized gifts and we love it because you can find some truly unique items. Custom journals, wine glasses, and leather toiletry bags are some examples. Or what about a custom cutting board? You could include some cheeses and crackers for a personalized charcuterie.
Local cafés or tea shops
Most people like to head out to cafés or tea shops! A gift card for a local shop will always be appreciated, allowing the recipient to support a local business and enjoy a break at the same time.
Local entertainment
There are often great options for local entertainment near the gift recipient. For example, escape rooms, magic shows, or premium experiences at movie theaters.
We suggest that for any gift like this, you get to know the person and what they enjoy doing. You might find that your otherwise mild-mannered EA or executive would love the excuse to fire paintball guns at their family, for example...
$100 and under
Here’s what we’ve come up with for gifts of $100 or less:
Gift baskets
Gift baskets are a go-to for a treat that will always be appreciated. We again love to support local businesses wherever possible. Most areas will have a local delivery service for gift baskets, often including local contents in those baskets.
You can also look at gift basket companies that offer delivery everywhere. Limelily is one that has been popular for EAs and for client or executive gifts as they’ve needed to buy them. They have a range of basket types that should suit all tastes. You can also look at Caroo, which offers customization options for gift baskets.
App or print subscriptions
Magazine or newspaper subscriptions are tried-and-true gifts for executive assistants, clients, or executives. People still enjoy getting a subscription to their favorite reads. These days, you can add a modern twist by looking at app subscriptions, too. Also consider Audible.com for books and podcasts. If the person is into fitness at home, there’s Alo Moves or Centr.com. As another wellness example, there’s Calm, a sleep and meditation app.
Grow kits
Do you know someone who would love to grow fresh herbs or vegetables indoors? There are a few different grow kit options out there designed to make this easy, whether at home or in the office.
Check out Modsprout for various indoor grow kits that use a passive hydroponic system. These are low maintenance, meaning a few days away from the office won’t kill the plants! These can also be a great idea for the staff lunchroom as part of any wellness initiative.
Classes
There are many options for classes, either for professional development or pure fun. You might look at locally-run classes such as cooking or crafting of some kind, or online classes. This is one of those gift options that can be fun as a group - for example if everyone in your team got a couple of classes at a local ceramics studio for the holidays.
$150 and under
What can you get for $150 or less?
Subscription boxes
There are many different subscription boxes out there. Some popular types for executive assistants or clients include snack boxes where they are sent a selection of different snacks each month.
Some alternative subscription box ideas include pamper boxes, coffee boxes, book boxes, or activity boxes. You can opt for a subscription on a monthly basis, or most will allow you to gift 6 months or a year of boxes with one payment.
Restaurant gift cards
Everyone eats! A restaurant gift card is always going to be something that the recipient can use. Look for nice, local restaurants or send a “general” restaurant gift card that covers multiple brands.
$200 and under
Here are some of our picks for $200 and under:
Custom Apple Airpods
Airpods make a great gift for Apple users as everyone needs a decent set of earbuds for listening to their favorite podcasts or music. We’ve put this in the $200 and under category as all but the AirPods Pro are within this price point.
Engravings or customizations are available, including text, numbers and emojis. Apple offers the engraving service for free and will also send out your purchases in nicely-wrapped gift boxes, including a personalized card.
Custom Kindle
Almost everyone can use a decent e-reader, and Kindle stands out as one of the original and best. You can go a step further by customizing Kindles as personal or corporate gifts.
Swag.com is a great site to check out for all sorts of corporate swag, but in particular here, customized Kindles. You can upload a design which they will have engraved on the Kindles.
Wine delivery
If the person is a fan of wine, you could have a box delivered with a selection of high-quality wines. Many local vineyards have some sort of membership or delivery service and you get the satisfaction of supporting local businesses at the same time.
You can also look at some of the nationwide, more general wine delivery services. For example, Naked Wines, Wine.com or Firstleaf.
$250 and under
What can you choose for $250 and under?
Customized wireless headphones
Swag.com comes in again with the customized gifts. You can find some great wireless headphone options (such as these from Skullcandy), and have them personalized for your gift recipient. Perfect for remote workers or anyone who just needs a decent pair of headphones.
Game or show tickets
Treat the person to tickets to see their favorite sports team or a popular show. Cirque du Soleil? A dinner and show? Basketball? Almost everyone has something they’d love to see live. Bonus points when those tickets are not easy to get! (This is where executive assistant networks often come in handy…)
Final thoughts
This article has given you a few thoughtful places to start when gift-buying for executive assistants, executives, or clients. It pays to know recipients’ interests, but there are definitely many general-interest gifts where you can’t go wrong (like gift cards or customized headphones).
Making an attempt to personalize gifts is always a best practice, because it tells people you value them. Consider the person’s likes and hobbies to send something that will be meaningful to them.
Lastly, consider gifting outside of holidays, too! While the holidays often prompt us to think about sending gifts, doing so at other times of the year can be a pleasant surprise for your gift recipients. Happy shopping!
