It’s that time of year again… Twinkling lights hanging in store windows, the smell of pine fills the air, and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas” is played on a continuous loop. In the distance, Michael Buble emerges from his cave.
It’s the season of giving! We have the perfect excuse to express our appreciation to those around us. And that’s really the best part of the holiday season, isn’t it? The greatest gift you can give someone is listening and seeing them for who they really are.
Christmas is right around the corner, which means many of us are scrambling to finish up those last-minute gifts for our loved ones.
This month we wanted to do something a little different. If you are as excited for the holidays as we are, you probably love hearing stories of the perfect gift.
And yes, the perfect gift DOES exist!
There is a formula for the perfect gift and we want to share it with you. The most meaningful ones contain these three elements: They happen at the Right Time, in the Right Way, with the Right Reward. Timing is crucial! Don’t miss out on those special moments that deserve to be celebrated. Making sure to deliver in the right way is where your connection with the person will come in handy. Uncovering who they are and where they are in life will be so important in delivering your employees’ recognition in the most meaningful way. Lastly, give the right reward that will result in the biggest impact. Everyone has different preferences but using this simple formula will create magic!
Read through some of our favorite Sparck Stories and get some ideas for your last-minute employee gifts!
The Heartstring-Puller
The holidays are all about being around the ones you love. If you’re a parent, it’s about seeing the magic through your child’s eyes! Richard Moulder’s daughter received a gift that turned out to be more of a gift for her father.
Hard not to tear up, right? Richard’s boss knew how much Richard loved his family and knew the way to his heart was through his loved ones.
A Christmas Birthday
This story is actually about one of our rockstar team members, Abigail Kidd. Her birthday happens to land on Christmas Eve and with the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, her special day often gets put on the backburner.
Abigail is a private recognition person and had taken the day off but there was no way the Sparck Team was going to let this special day slide. Knowing her preference was to be celebrated quietly, our CEO decided to deliver a special gift to her doorstep.
Our team had watched poor Abigail (who is perpetually cold) shiver her way through every Zoom meeting that winter so on her birthday that year she was gifted a “basket of warmth”. In it, she found a card with a beautiful message, a cuddly blanket, a mug and mug warmer, coffee, and hot cocoa for her kids.
This personalized gift made her feel so special and is not a birthday Abigail will soon forget.
The Gift of Chill
Now this story is one of the most unique gifting experiences we’ve heard so far. Often the unexpected ones are the best ones though, right?!
Kara Johnson was new in her career and found herself in an apartment without a refrigerator. She was forced to make daily trips to pick up ice for her Igloo cooler and it wasn’t long before her employer noticed.
Wanting to lift this burden off of her, Kara’s boss decided to surprise her with a full-sized refrigerator for her apartment.
Yep, you read that right. A whole refrigerator.
Incredible, right? Just what she needed, right when she needed it. Did that story give you the chills? (pun intended)
A Competitive Edge
The final story we’ll share with you is a perfect example of knowing your audience.
Joy O’Steen knew how achievement-oriented and driven her business partner LeAnne Lagasse with ROI Talent Development is and wanted to celebrate a big week with her. To congratulate LeAnne on finalizing contracts with several new clients, Joy surprised her with an old-school 1st Place ribbon that LeAnne still has hanging in her office!
Knowing what would make LeAnne feel seen and appreciated made all of the difference. She jokes that it didn’t even matter if she was the only salesperson in the office!
See Beyond the Employee
As you wrap up your last few gifts, think about what would mean the most to each person on your team. This season, let’s put an end to the generic gift cards and Larry & David cookie sets! (Unless of course, the receiver has a massive sweet tooth.)
Now, you don’t always have to buy a whole refrigerator to make someone feel appreciated. Sometimes all it takes is a small, simple ribbon or a sincere thank you.
Give your team the gift of being seen this holiday season. We promise you will create a magical experience that they will remember forever!
We love sharing stories like this because we know the impact they can have. If you have ever felt seen and appreciated at work be sure to share the story with us so we can celebrate with you!