Holiday corporate gifts that stay on the desk

The corporate gift that stays on the desk is one people use every day and aren't embarrassed to leave out. That means something useful, made from good materials, with a discreet logo. A pen that doesn't write or a mug with a palm-sized logo ends up in a drawer by January.

The simple test: would you use it?

Before choosing, picture the item on your own desk for a week. Do you use it daily? Do you take it with you? Would you buy it with your own money if it didn't have our logo on it? If the answer to that last one is no, your client won't keep it either.

Items that usually pass the test:

• a notebook or planner with a good cover and paper that ink doesn't bleed through;
• a mug for the morning coffee at the office;
• a water bottle or thermos that travels from the office to the car to the gym;
• a desk calendar for the coming year, if it arrives in time;
• one good pen, not a pack of ten.

Items that get lost fast: keychains, pointless stickers, cheap gadgets that stop working after a month.

The logo: small and in one place

The bigger the logo, the more the item looks like an ad and the less like a gift. On a good notebook, a small engraved or embossed logo on the cover, or just on the band, is enough. On a mug, a discreet logo on one side, not all over it.

One trick: put the logo where only the user sees it. Inside the cover, on the bottom of the bottle, on the notebook's ribbon bookmark. They know who it's from, and the item can sit on a meeting table without looking like promotional material.

Technique matters too. With engraving and embossing, the logo is in the material; with printing, it's a layer on top. For mugs and bottles, ask the supplier how well the print holds up to washing and whether it's dishwasher safe.

What to check on mugs, bottles and thermoses

Anything that touches food or drink is covered in the EU by Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004. In short, the material must not transfer substances into the drink that could endanger health, and an item sold empty has to carry the words "for food contact," a clear indication of its use, or the symbol from the regulation. When you order branded mugs or bottles, ask the supplier to confirm it and check for the marking on the product or the packaging.

Paper: notebooks and calendars

With notebooks and calendars, the paper is the difference between something used and something forgotten. A few things to ask for:

1. Enough weight that writing doesn't show through on the back.
2. A practical size: A5 for a notebook that fits in a bag; a desk calendar that doesn't take up half the desk.
3. FSC-certified paper, if you want to say something concrete about the material. The FSC 100% label means material from certified forests, FSC Recycled means fully recycled paper, and FSC Mix a combination. It's verifiable information, better than a vague "eco" on the band.

Packaging and the note

One good item in a plain box, with a handwritten note, counts for more than a set of five items in a logo bag. The note doesn't have to be long: the person's name and one line about working together this year. That's what separates a gift from promotional material.

What you can still do if it's already December

Custom products have production times, and in December everyone orders at once. If you're reading this mid-month:

• choose items that personalize quickly (engraving on a stock product, a printed band on a ready-made notebook), not products made from scratch;
• get the delivery date in writing before you approve the design;
• if it won't arrive before the holidays, send it as a New Year gift. A notebook or calendar that arrives in the first week of January is arguably an even better fit.

For next year, ordering starts in October. See what we can personalize on our merch page and our page for businesses.