You send year-end gifts to employees’ homes by calling on a fulfilment partner who takes care of packing, addressing and shipping for you. You collect the home addresses via a secure form or HR system, order in plenty of time (at least four to six weeks before the festive season), and choose gifts that are compact and easy to pack. Below you’ll find answers to the most frequently asked questions about this process.

What are the best year-end gifts to send to people’s homes?

The best year-end gifts for employees at home are compact, personal and practical. Think of quality water bottles, gift boxes with local products, notebooks with a personal touch, or sustainable tote bags. Gifts that are easy to pack and don’t need refrigeration are the most suitable for home delivery.

When choosing year-end gifts for staff, a few factors play an important role. First: is the gift useful in a home setting? An item employees use every day, such as a reusable cup or a handy backpack, has far more impact than something that disappears into a drawer. Second: does the gift fit your company’s values? An eco-friendly giveaway or a sustainable gift box also communicates something positive about your organisation.

Popular choices for personalised year-end gifts include:

Themed gift boxes with chocolate, tea or local regional products
Sustainable water bottles or thermal mugs
Notebooks combined with a quality pen
Reusable bags or backpacks
Eco-friendly gadgets such as wireless chargers or USB sticks

Avoid gifts that are fragile or need special storage conditions, unless you are sure of fast and careful delivery.

How do you collect employees’ home addresses correctly?

You collect employees’ home addresses correctly by using a secure digital form or your existing HR system, with employees explicitly consenting to the use of their address details. This is required under the GDPR, which also applies in Belgium.

In practice, there are two common methods. The first is via HR or payroll: if the addresses are already in your personnel system, you may use them for an employment-related purpose such as a year-end gift for staff, provided this is clearly communicated. The second method is an opt-in form: you send employees a short survey or form in which they fill in their preferred delivery address. This is also a chance to ask whether they prefer a home address or a work address.

A few points to bear in mind when collecting addresses:

Communicate transparently what the data will be used for
Store the addresses in a secure system and delete them after use
Give employees the option to provide an alternative address
Take into account employees who are temporarily staying abroad

How far in advance should you order year-end gifts?

For year-end gifts with personalisation, it’s best to plan at least four to six weeks before the desired delivery date. In practice, this means ordering in October or early November for delivery before the Christmas holidays. The longer you wait, the greater the risk of delays or limited stock.

Personalised year-end gifts require more lead time than standard products. Printing or embroidering a company logo, putting together a gift box and individually packing everything for home delivery takes time. Especially in Q4, production and logistics at many suppliers are running at full capacity.

In your planning, allow for the following steps:

Concept and choice of gift (1 to 2 weeks)
Requesting and confirming a quote (2 to 5 working days)
Production and personalisation (1 to 3 weeks depending on the item)
Packing and fulfilment per address (a few extra working days)
Shipping and delivery (2 to 5 working days)

If you start in November, you quickly run the risk of gifts arriving after the festive season. In this segment, planning early is not a luxury but a necessity.

Can you have year-end gifts personalised with a company logo?

Yes, most year-end gifts can be personalised with a company logo through printing, embroidery or engraving, depending on the material. Personalisation strengthens the brand experience and keeps the gift visible to the recipient for longer.

The most commonly used techniques for personalised year-end gifts are:

Printing: suitable for textiles, bags, water bottles and paper products
Embroidery: gives a premium look on textiles such as sweaters, caps or bags
Engraving: ideal for metal or wooden items such as pens or accessories
Full-colour print: for gift boxes, packaging or promotional material

As well as a logo, you can also add a personal message, the employee’s name or a specific theme. That makes the gift not only recognisable for your brand, but also meaningful for the recipient. Employees keep personalised gifts for longer than generic alternatives.

What does it cost to have year-end gifts delivered to employees’ homes?

The delivery cost per employee’s home is usually between two and six euros per address for domestic deliveries, depending on the weight of the parcel and the courier chosen. For larger volumes, the cost per unit falls. International deliveries cost considerably more and require extra lead time.

As well as the pure shipping cost, there are other cost items to take into account:

Individual packaging: wrapping and addressing each gift separately takes time and materials
Fulfilment: if you outsource this, you pay a fee per parcel for processing
Returns handling: incorrect or undeliverable addresses can lead to extra costs

For a total budget, it’s best to count on the gift budget per employee plus three to eight euros extra for packaging and logistics. For larger numbers, it makes sense to negotiate this as one package with a fulfilment partner who bundles everything.

Who handles the shipping: do it yourself or call on a fulfilment partner?

For small teams of fewer than twenty employees, shipping it yourself is feasible, but as soon as you have more addresses, it pays to call on a fulfilment partner. A fulfilment partner takes over packing, addressing, shipping and tracking completely, which saves time and reduces errors.

Shipping it yourself has the advantage that you keep full control over presentation and timing. The downside is that it is labour-intensive: collecting addresses, packing parcels, printing labels and taking them to a drop-off point or booking a courier. With twenty employees that’s still doable, but with a hundred or more it quickly becomes a full-time job.

A fulfilment partner offers, among other things:

Central storage and processing of all gifts
Individual packaging per recipient, including personalised cards
Automatic address processing and label generation
Track and trace per parcel
Handling of undelivered or returned parcels

For companies that combine corporate gifts for employees and clients, a fulfilment partner is definitely the most efficient choice. You outsource the logistics and focus on the strategy and choice of gift yourself.

How Maximum Image helps with year-end gifts for employees

At Maximum Image we handle the entire process of sending year-end gifts to employees’ homes, from concept to delivery. Whether you want to surprise twenty or two hundred employees, we ensure smooth execution without you having to worry about logistics or personalisation.

What we do for you:

Tailored advice on the best gifts for your budget and target group
Personalised year-end gifts with your logo, printed or embroidered
Assembly of gift boxes and themed packages
Fulfilment and individual home delivery per employee
A quote within 24 hours of your request
Sustainable options with eco-friendly materials and packaging

Want to really surprise your employees this year with a thoughtful year-end gift? Take a look at our full range of services or get in touch for a no-obligation quote. We’ll gladly help you get started via maximumimage.eu.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if an employee doesn't want to give a home address for delivery?

That is completely understandable and it is important to respect it. Always give employees the option to provide an alternative delivery address, such as the office address or a pick-up point. You can also provide an opt-out for employees who indicate they don’t wish to receive a gift. Transparent communication and freedom of choice are essential here.

How do you deal with employees who live abroad or are temporarily staying abroad?

International deliveries are possible, but require a longer lead time and higher shipping costs. Allow at least two extra weeks for this and ask your fulfilment partner in advance which countries they serve and at what rates. For employees outside the EU, customs formalities may also be involved, so find out in good time to avoid surprises.

What common mistakes should you avoid when sending year-end gifts to employees' homes?

The most common mistakes are ordering too late, not budgeting enough for packaging and logistics, and forgetting to collect address details correctly and in good time. Another pitfall is choosing gifts that are fragile or need to be refrigerated, which complicates home delivery. Plan early, communicate clearly with employees and ideally work with an experienced fulfilment partner to avoid these mistakes.

Is it tax-efficient to give year-end gifts to employees?

In Belgium, gifts to employees on the occasion of the festive season are tax-efficient up to a certain amount. Specifically, there is a social security exemption for gifts in kind or gift vouchers of up to 40 euros per employee per year for year-end gifts, provided they are not paid out in cash. We recommend consulting your accountant or social secretariat for the most up-to-date thresholds and conditions, so you can make optimal use of the tax benefits.

How do you make sure the gift arrives before the Christmas holidays and not after?

The key is to order early and draw up a realistic delivery schedule together with your fulfilment partner. Take into account the peak period in December, when couriers are heavily loaded and delays are more common. Choose shipping with track and trace so you can follow the status of every parcel, and plan the shipping so that parcels are sent at least five to seven working days before the Christmas holidays.

Can you also add a personalised message or card to each individual gift?

Yes, that is certainly possible and it makes a big difference in how the gift is received. A personal card with the employee’s name and a handwritten or personalised message from their manager gives the gift a warm, human touch. Most fulfilment partners, including Maximum Image, process personalised cards per recipient as part of their service.

What is a realistic budget per employee for a year-end gift including delivery?

A common budget is between 20 and 60 euros per employee for the gift itself, plus three to eight euros extra for individual packaging and home delivery. For a high-quality gift with personalisation and a smart gift box, it’s best to count on at least 30 euros all-in per person. The larger the volume, the more favourable the price per unit, so it pays to include all employees in one order.