You run a team, and you want to say thanks at Christmas. You're buying for six, twelve or twenty people at once, and you'd rather give everyone the same thing so nobody compares. But the team is a mix: coffee drinkers and tea drinkers, iPhone and Android users, people who love sweets and people who skip them.
That's where boss gifts go wrong. A box of chocolates misses anyone watching their diet. A gadget only works with some phones, or needs a charger at the desk. Clothing means guessing sizes. And a big, bulky gift is awkward to hand out at the party and carry home on the train.
We compared five gifts a boss can buy in multiples: an insulated water bottle, a power bank, a throw blanket, a box of chocolate truffles and a wireless charging stand. One stood out because it suits almost anyone, needs nothing to work, and is easy to hand out and take home.
Not sure? Let us pick for you
What is your team like?
Our pick for you: #1Owala FreeSip Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle, 24 oz
A 24 oz insulated bottle that keeps drinks cold up to 24 hours, with a locking lid and many colors to pick from.
Owala FreeSip Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle, 24 oz
Suits anyone: no size, diet or phone to match
Nothing to charge or plug in
Easy to hand out and carry home
A 24 oz insulated stainless steel bottle with Owala's FreeSip spout: sip upright through the built-in straw, or tip it back and drink from the wide opening. A push-button lid keeps the spout clean, and the carry loop doubles as a lock. Owala says it keeps drinks cold for up to 24 hours, and the listing offers many colors.
Cold for up to 24 hours with double-wall insulation, per the listing
Two ways to drink: through the built-in straw or from the wide spout
Push-button lid with a carry loop that locks it shut
Many colors on the listing, so you can pick one for each person or one for the whole team
For cold drinks only, and the bottle is hand wash (the lid can go in the dishwasher)
A slim 10,000mAh power bank that the listing says gives a phone nearly 2 full charges. It has two USB-C ports and one USB-A port, so it charges 3 devices at once, and a short braided USB-C cable that detaches and doubles as a wrist strap. It measures 5.26 x 2.7 x 0.5 inches and weighs 6.4 oz.
About 2 full phone charges, per the listing
Two USB-C ports and one USB-A port; charges 3 devices at once
5.26 x 2.7 x 0.5 inches and 6.4 oz, so it fits a pocket or bag
Detachable braided USB-C cable, a built-in flashlight and INIU's 3-year care plan
It has to be recharged, and no wall plug comes in the box
Eddie Bauer Sherpa Reverse Throw Blanket, 50 x 60 in
Suits anyone: no size, diet or phone to match
Nothing to charge or plug in
A 50 x 60 inch reversible throw with brushed fleece on one side and plush sherpa on the other, in Eddie Bauer's Edgewood plaid. The listing calls it warm but lightweight, and it is machine washable. It's a gift for home, not the desk, which many employees like better.
Reversible: smooth fleece on one side, sherpa on the other
Machine washable, per the listing
Edgewood plaid in red, blue, khaki or grey
No size to guess and nothing to set up
A 50 x 60 inch throw is a bulky package to hand out at work and carry home on a commute
Lindt LINDOR Holiday Deluxe Assorted Chocolate Truffles Box, 15.2 oz
Nothing to charge or plug in
Easy to hand out and carry home
A seasonal holiday gift box of about 36 individually wrapped LINDOR truffles in six flavors: Milk, Dark, White, 60% Extra Dark, Fudge Swirl and Sea Salt. It comes ready to give, so there's nothing to wrap, and it's easy to share at home.
About 36 truffles in six flavors, per the listing
Each truffle is wrapped, so it's easy to share
Holiday gift box, ready to give with no wrapping
Light and small enough to hand out at the office party
Food doesn't suit everyone: check for allergies and diets before you buy one for each person
Illustrative photo. Photo: James Tamim, CC BY-SA 4.0
8.1/10
Belkin Qi2.2 25W 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station
Easy to hand out and carry home
A magnetic stand that charges an iPhone, an Apple Watch and AirPods at the same time. The iPhone pad charges at up to 25W on iOS 26 or newer, a built-in fan keeps it cooler, and the weighted chrome base holds it steady. A 45W power supply and a 5 ft USB-C cable come in the box.
Charges an iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods at once
Up to 25W magnetic charging for iPhone on iOS 26 or newer, per the listing
45W power supply and 5 ft USB-C cable included
Works with MagSafe cases up to 5 mm thick
Made for iPhone and Apple Watch, so it won't suit Android users on the team
Needs a wall outlet, and the listing says a light fan hum is normal
The Owala FreeSip is a 24 oz insulated bottle with a spout you can use two ways: sip through the built-in straw, or tip it back and drink from the wide opening. For a boss buying one gift for a whole team, it's the rare thing almost everyone will use every day, and nobody needs to charge it, plug it in or swap it for another size.
Big enough for a morning at the desk, small enough to carry
Insulation
Double-wall stainless steel; cold up to 24 hours, per the listing
Ice still there after a long meeting
Lid
Push-button lid; carry loop doubles as a lock
Keeps the spout clean and shut in a bag
Cleaning
Lid is dishwasher safe; hand wash the bottle
Worth a line on the gift card
Colors
Many color choices on the listing
One team color, or a different one for each person
1. Suits the whole team
Water, iced tea or iced coffee, everyone drinks something. There's no size to guess, no diet to check and no phone it has to match.
2. Nothing to charge or plug in
No cable, battery or outlet. It works the moment it's unwrapped, at the desk, in the car or at the gym.
3. Easy to hand out
A 24 oz bottle is a neat package to wrap by the dozen, and the carry loop and locking lid make it easy to take home after the party.
Who it's for
Managers buying the same gift for a whole team
Teams with a mix of tastes, diets and phones
The honest trade-off
For cold drinks only, and the bottle is hand wash (the lid can go in the dishwasher)
How it did on what we compared
Suits anyone: no size, diet or phone to match
Nothing to charge or plug in
Easy to hand out and carry home
Bottom line
If you want one gift that works for everyone on the team, the Owala FreeSip is the safest pick. Choose the INIU power bank for a team that's always on the move, or the Eddie Bauer throw for a gift that's about rest, not work.
When you buy for a team, you can't check each person's size, diet or phone. Choose something nearly everyone uses, like a water bottle, and skip food, clothing and phone-specific gadgets unless you know the whole team.
Make it about them, not the job
Employees tend to like gifts they can use at home more than desk supplies or branded swag. A good bottle or a cozy throw feels like a thank-you; a stapler feels like office stock.
Check what it needs to work
Rechargeable gifts need cables and chargers, and a charging stand needs a free outlet. A gift that needs nothing is the easiest to give in a batch.
Think about the handout
You may be wrapping a dozen gifts and handing them out at a party. Pick something compact that people can carry home on a train, and order early so every one arrives in time.
Questions about Christmas gifts for employees
What is a good Christmas gift from a boss to an employee?
Something useful that everyone can enjoy outside work, like an insulated water bottle, plus a short handwritten note thanking each person for something specific. The note is often what people remember.
Should every employee get the same gift?
Usually, yes. Giving the same gift, or the same level of gift, to everyone keeps it fair and avoids comparisons. You can still let people pick a color.
Is a gift card or cash better than a physical gift?
Many employees say they prefer cash, a gift card or time off. A physical gift works best alongside a note, or when a card would feel too small. In the US, cash and gift cards are usually treated as taxable pay, so ask your accountant.
How much should a boss spend on employee gifts?
There's no set rule. Keep it the same for everyone, keep it modest, and fit it to your budget. Prices change, so check the current price on Amazon before you buy several.
Bottom line: the best Christmas gifts for employees
For a boss buying Christmas gifts for a whole team, the Owala FreeSip water bottle is the safest pick: it suits almost anyone, needs nothing to work, and is easy to hand out and carry home. Choose the INIU power bank for a team that travels or commutes, the Eddie Bauer throw for a cozy gift for home, the Lindt truffles for a team you know loves chocolate, and the Belkin stand for an office where everyone uses an iPhone.
