Last Minute Holiday Cards and Gift Ideas for Your Clients

Updated for 2026

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2019 and updated in 2026 with refreshed recommendations and additional ideas for today’s businesses.

Running Out of Time? You’re Not Alone

Every year it happens. Business owners start the holiday season with good intentions. You plan to send cards, thank customers, reach out to referral partners and do something thoughtful before the year ends. Then reality happens. Projects pile up. Deadlines move. Clients need things. Suddenly you look at the calendar and realize the holidays are almost here. The good news is that even if you’re behind, there are still meaningful ways to stay in touch with customers and contacts.

Focus on Relationships, Not Mass Communication

Many companies rely heavily on generic holiday emails and mass messages. Personally, I think there is a big difference between visibility and relationship building. Holiday social media graphics and posts can be great for recognizing holidays and maintaining visibility. I use those regularly for clients. However, if your goal is genuinely thanking clients, referral partners and people who support your business, personal touches often make a much bigger impact.

Traditional “Snail Mail” Holiday Cards Stand Out in a World of Email Greetings

As more and more businesses send out email holiday messages, traditional “snail mail” holiday cards have become more rare. I see it as an opportunity to stand out and be more memorable. Having a custom card designed for your business is easy with online digital printers. I’ve frequently used VistaPrint. The caveat is that you generally still need to address and mail them yourself. More recently, I’ve used Simply to Impress to print, address and mail custom cards for clients. This saves time and avoids tedious hand addressing or applying labels, and looks more polished.

Add a Memorable Twist to a Card

Sometimes small additions create big impressions. I’ve seen businesses include:

• Handwritten notes
• Small gift cards
• Lottery tickets
• Branded promotional items
• Fun surprises related to their business

If just sending a card seems too small, adding a memorable twist might be a good option!

Tried and True Client Gift Ideas

For me personally, I like to come up with gifts to thank my clients while also doing something good to help a charitable cause. For example, I might send a gift basket to a client’s office along with a note about making a donation to a charity I know they support. As a general rule, I steer away from gifts that are of too much of a personal nature, unless I’m absolutely certain my client would LOVE that item.

Personally delivering a gift basket can be a great “excuse” to visit a client. However, it’s easy to have gifts shipped from all kinds of online retailers such as Amazon, Harry & David or an online florist. Recently, I used The Cravory which offers individually wrapped cookies that can include custom logo stickers and personalized inserts. Creative touches like these can help your business stand out, while also saving time!

Some “Old School” Ideas Like Calendar Magnets May Still Work

For some businesses, promotional calendar magnets can still be useful because they stay visible all year. Magnets USA offers calendar magnets and can even print, assemble and mail them. Not every marketing tactic needs to be trendy to be effective.

Consider Some “Less Traditional” Holidays

Some of my clients feel things simply get lost in the holiday shuffle during December. Between holiday cards, gifts, events and year-end obligations, people are often overwhelmed. Because of this, some businesses find they get more attention—and sometimes more bang for the buck—by targeting less traditional occasions throughout the year.

Think about holidays and events such as:

• New Year’s
• Valentine’s Day
• St. Patrick’s Day
• Fourth of July
• Halloween
• Thanksgiving
• Company anniversaries
• Customer appreciation events

If you can come up with an interesting promotion or thoughtful way to say thank you, these occasions can help your business stand out without competing against the noise of the traditional holiday season. Sometimes being memorable matters more than being perfectly timed.

Use Social Media for Visibility — Not Gratitude

Social media can still support your holiday efforts. Holiday graphics, seasonal messages and light content can help maintain visibility and keep your business active. Just don’t confuse visibility with appreciation. A Facebook post saying “Happy Holidays” serves a different purpose than sending a thoughtful card or gift to someone who helped support your business throughout the year.

Don’t Let Perfect Stop Progress

If you’re running behind, just remember even a simple gesture can strengthen relationships. The businesses that stay top-of-mind are often not the ones spending the most money. They are the ones making people feel remembered and appreciated.

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