**Top 5 Holiday Gifting Trends for Enterprises in 2025: From Points to Portals**
Last year, over 70 percent of companies increased their holiday gifting budgets, but nearly half reported delays, wasted spend, or disengaged recipients when sending bulk-branded items. The culprit was often a mismatch between what employers sent and what employees valued. In 2025, enterprises are solving this by moving from one-size-fits-all gift programs to flexible, personalized, and digital-first experiences.
Here are the five trends shaping how leading companies will handle holiday gifting this year.
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**1. Digital Gift Portals Replace Bulk Ordering**
The era of ordering thousands of identical branded mugs is ending. Enterprises are now setting up controlled portals where employees select gifts that fit their needs and lifestyle. This removes the guesswork from procurement and reduces storage, shipping, and waste.
A holiday gift portal can be curated in advance with approved options in categories like tech accessories, home comfort, wellness kits, and e-gift cards. The process is simple for HR and procurement while giving employees agency.
Action step: Partner with a platform that offers branded portals, easy budget allocation, and real-time redemption tracking.
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**2. Points-Based Recognition Rolling Into Holiday Gifts**
Many companies already use points systems tied to performance or recognition programs. The new trend is letting employees redeem those accrued points during the holidays for seasonal gifts. This approach connects ongoing engagement with the end-of-year gesture.
It also rewards sustained performance rather than a single moment in December. Employees feel their efforts throughout the year matter.
“Redeeming my recognition points for a gift my family will enjoy made me feel like my team sees the whole picture, not just the holiday season,” said a new hire at a national logistics firm.
Action step: Evaluate your recognition platform to ensure it integrates with holiday gifting opportunities without adding admin work to HR teams.
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**3. Experience-Based Rewards Over Physical Goods**
Not every employee wants another item on their desk. Travel vouchers, event tickets, learning stipends, or dining experiences are trending as high-value alternatives. For distributed teams, these rewards create shared moments even across distance.
According to a 2024 Incentive Research Foundation study, 65 percent of employees selected experiences as more memorable than physical gifts. Companies are using e-delivery so recipients can book activities directly.
Action step: Offer a balanced catalog with both tangible and experiential options, and communicate clearly how employees can redeem them before holiday schedules fill up.
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**4. Hybrid Gifting Models for Remote and Onsite Staff**
In a mixed-workplace environment, sending traditional office-based gifts risks leaving remote teams feeling overlooked. Leading enterprises now combine digital gifting for remote staff with in-person events or deliveries for onsite workers.
These hybrid approaches respect different work styles while keeping everyone included in the same gesture. Overlapping the timing of both keeps the message unified.
Action step: Segment your audience early in Q4 so you can plan appropriate delivery methods and avoid rush orders that inflate costs.
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**5. Data-Driven Personalization Without Complexity**
Today’s gifting platforms allow HR and marketing teams to personalize at scale. Employee names, tenure, preferred gift categories, and regional preferences can drive tailored catalogs. This subtle customization increases perceived value without manual effort.
Biggest gains come when personalization data is linked to existing HR systems, reducing errors and administration. A well-segmented approach signals care and precision.
Action step: Audit your employee data sources now to ensure accuracy before launching your holiday campaign. Work with a system that automates personalization rules across orders.
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**Moving Beyond the Old Model**
Enterprises are finding that the days of sending generic swag are closing fast. Modern employees want choice, efficiency, and meaningful connection in corporate gifting. By shifting toward portals, point redemptions, experience-based options, hybrid delivery, and data-informed personalization, companies lower waste and raise satisfaction.
These trends give control to employees, reduce administrative load, and make gifts feel earned. Most importantly, they align the act of giving with the values of inclusion and respect for individual preferences.
For HR and marketing leaders, the question is no longer whether to modernize holiday gifting but how quickly you can adapt. The 2025 holiday season will belong to companies that start planning now.
To explore scalable, flexible, and personalized gifting solutions for your team, visit Givenly.com.
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