The holiday season is fast approaching and, if you’re a founder or CEO, the time to think about corporate gifting is, well, right now.

This time of year is filled with holidays, parties, and gift-giving obligations, and if you’re a busy executive, your attention belongs on ending Q4 on a high note. Brainstorming, planning, finding, ordering, and organizing the distribution of gifts is something your executive assistant can take off your plate.

From corporate and employee gifts to something for your mother-in-law, the executive assistants at Lisa & Co. are experts at finding just the right thing for any occasion or holiday.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when asking your executive assistant to help with gift-giving:

Give your EA plenty of notice about what you’re looking for and when you’ll need it.

Starting in October is really the latest you should start thinking about holiday gifting. Having a list in mind of everyone you need to shop for as well as preferences around type of gift and budget are good to know well in advance.

Create a budget.

Once your EA knows who they’re buying for and a few ideas around what that person/group of people might like, be sure to set a budget so your EA can quickly narrow things down.

Give them a heads up about any allergies or other considerations.

This is a task that only needs to be done once. After your EA gets this information down, they’ll be able to select and order the perfect gift for your colleagues, spouse, or anyone else on your list. If you’re planning corporate gifts, they can brainstorm and gather those, too.

We’ve curated a list of our go-to vendors for gift giving and holiday cards. Some of these are products and services from our clients (or recommended by them), and others are the businesses we love to use.

Homeboy Industries

For 25 years, Homeboy’s cookies, cakes, and homemade goodies have provided hope, training, and support to formerly gang-involved and recently incarcerated men and women. All of their proceeds benefit Homeboy's comprehensive wraparound programs, helping give out second chances. We recommend the gift packages for corporate gifting and the cookie tins for close friends and family with a sweet tooth.

Goody

Goody is a genius idea. It's a gifting service that doesn’t require an address and allows you to pay only after your recipient has opened and accepted the gift. They have tons of vendors from New York City’s famous Levain Bakery to gorgeous cookware from Hedley & Bennett to luxurious home goods from Well Told. There is something at every price range for every person with Goody. And because you don’t need an address – just name and phone number – you can send gifts to absolutely everyone without the hassle of tracking down personal information.

Postable

Sending thoughtful cards has never been easier than with the help of Postable. We love how simple and hands-free their process is. All you do is pick your card, write a message, and Postable prints, stamps, and mails the card(s) for you. Great for sending to the whole company with a note from the CEO or to your parents for Thanksgiving.

Shutterfly

Shutterfly is another great option for sending cards to everyone on your list. With more than 700 designs in a variety of styles (seriously, from rustic to classic to modern), there is something for everyone. These are especially excellent for ordering in bulk to send a little cheer to all your employees. Have your EA pick the card and draft the message and all you’ll have to do is approve.

Interested in more ideas? Check out our other recommendations here.

Corporate + Personal Holiday Cards and Gifting