Behind On Holiday Gifts? Last-Minute Ideas for Employees That Still Feel Meaningful

Did you look at the calendar and realize that the holidays are suddenly days away, and your employee gifts aren’t ready to go? Don’t worry, you’re not alone, and you’re not actually behind. 

End-of-year deadlines pile up quickly, and even well-planned gift programs can feel rushed as we rush through December. Between year-end reporting, holiday schedules, and competing priorities, gifting often becomes the last thing teams finalize, even when appreciation is top of mind. 

Here’s the good news: “Last-minute” does not have to mean less meaningful, less personal gifts. With the right approach, you can still deliver a thoughtful and memorable holiday experience for employees that feels intentional and meaningful. 

‍With Snappy, last-minute gifting doesn’t really exist at all. When you send a Snappy gift, your employee can receive it immediately, digitally, along with a personalized note and a delightful unwrapping experience. From there, they can choose the gift they want from a Gift Collection that you’ve pre-selected to match your budget. They enter their shipping details, and Snappy takes care of everything else – fulfillment, shipping, and tracking, included.  

Your employees will never see or experience a rushed gifting process. They will receive a thoughtful message, a moment of surprise, and the freedom to choose a gift that is meaningful to them. 

Snappy’s annual Holiday Gifting Report shows that thoughtfulness matters. 62% said that thoughtfulness is important, and 82% expect a personalized note with their gift. 

This guide explains why last-minute employee gifting still matters, how Snappy eliminates traditional holiday gifting stress, and the fastest, most meaningful ways to send employee gifts with confidence this season. 

‍Why Last-Minute Gifting Still Matters To Employees

Even when the calendar is working against you, delivering a holiday gift is still one of the most effective ways to reinforce appreciation. 

According to Snappy’s holiday research: 

• Employees feel more valued and connected when they receive a thoughtful holiday gift
• Holiday gifts increase morale and reinforce end-of-year motivation
• Gifting contributes to stronger long-term engagement, collaboration, and retention

The holidays represent a natural pause in the year. A moment when many employees reflect on their contributions, accomplishments, and sense of belonging. A meaningful gesture at this time of year lands with more emotional weight than almost any other moment of the year. 

Even if your timeline is tight, the opportunity to show impactful gratitude is extremely possible. 

‍With Snappy, There’s No Such Thing as “Too Late”

Traditional holiday gifting is stressful because it relies on long lead times: 

• Collecting everyone’s shipping addresses
• Guessing sizes and preferences
• Worrying about inventory 
• Managing logistics across teams and locations

Snappy removes every single one of those friction points. 

When you send a Snappy gift: 

• Delivery is instant and digital via email and SMS. You can even use Slack and Microsoft Teams.
• No shipping addresses are required upfront
• We send gifts globally
• Recipients choose their own gift 

Instant (and Thoughtful) Digital Delivery 

With Snappy, you can send your gifts digitally. They are delivered instantly, can be customized, and are paired with a delightful unwrapping experience. This is the perfect way to send holiday gifts for teams that are remote, global, or need to receive gifts quickly. 

Each digital gift includes: 

• Customizable, branded unwrapping experience 
• Personalized message
• Immediate access to a curated Gift Collection 

This makes digital delivery ideal for:

• Dispersed or hybrid teams
• Employee populations that are a mix of corporate and frontline workers
• International employees
• Last-minute gifting moments

Gifts Employees Can Choose From 

Snappy gives employees access to thousands of curated gift options, including: 

• Physical gifts from brands like Apple, YETI, The North Face, Quince, and many, many more.
• ‍Swag
• Experience gifts (meals, wellness, entertainment, activities)
• Charitable donations

Choice is what makes fast gifting feel personal. 

‍Curated Gift Collections Built for Speed and Flexibility 

With Snappy’s curated Gift Collections, you choose a budget and a Gift Collection (or create your own Gift Collection) to send digitally to your recipients. Your recipients choose their favorite gift from the collection and enter their address. Snappy takes care of the delivery details and logistics from there! 

‍Popular Holiday Gift Collections Include: 

AI-Powered Collection: innovative technology gifts that stand out. From smart accessories to cutting-edge gadgets, these gifts impress employees 

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Nostalgia Inspired Collection: Bring back the joy of simpler times with gifts that spark fond memories. 

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Experiences: Give a gift they’ll never forget. Experience gifts let you give adventure, relaxation, and joy all in one.

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Little Luxuries: These aren’t your everyday tokens; they are statement pieces that communicate prestige, care, and lasting value

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‍Why Choice Is the Most Thoughtful Gift of All 

One of the biggest risks of last-minute gifting is getting it wrong. Snappy eliminates that risk.

Instead of guessing preferences, sizes, or styles, you give employees autonomy, which consistently leads to higher satisfaction and engagement. 

You send a Gift Collection, and they choose the gift that they want. 

Choice transforms speed into thoughtfulness. 

What Employees Actually Want (According to the Data)

When teams worry about sending gifts at the last minute, the underlying concern is usually the same: Will this still feel thoughtful?

Snappy’s 2025 Holiday Gifting Report makes one thing clear: employees care far more about how a gift makes them feel than how far in advance it was planned.

According to the report:

• 62% of employees say thoughtfulness matters more than the price of the gift
• 82% of employees expect a personalized message to accompany a holiday gift
• Employees are significantly more likely to feel valued when they are given a choice, rather than receiving a one-size-fits-all item
• Gifts tied to experiences and personal preference outperform generic items year over year

This is exactly why last-minute gifting works so well with Snappy. The things employees value most, thoughtfulness, personalization, and choice, are built into the experience. 

When a gift is sent with Snappy: 

• The message feels personal
• The experience feels intentional
• The gift is something they want
  

Why Snappy Changes Holiday Gifting 

Traditional holiday gifting to employees can often require months of planning. Employee gifting with Snappy is built for real-world timelines. 

With Snappy: 

• Gifts are delivered digitally and instantly
• Employees choose the gift they want
• Snappy handles all logistics
• The experience always feels intentional. Even at the very last minute. 

How Snappy’s AI Gifting Assistant Makes Gifting Even Easier

Snappy’s AI Gifting Assistant adds another layer of speed, confidence, and thoughtfulness, especially when time is limited.

The AI Gifting Assistant is designed to:

• Help you select the right Gift Collection quickly
• Recommend gift options based on budget, audience, and occasion
• Generate personalized message drafts you can use as-is or customize
• Reduce decision fatigue when you need to move fast

Instead of staring at a blank screen or second-guessing your choices, the AI Gifting Assistant helps you when you’re stuck, wondering: 

• What’s appropriate for a global employee base?
• Which collections work best for frontline vs corporate teams?
• What should I say in the gift message?

With Snappy, AI removes friction without removing intention.

You still control:

• The budget
• The audience
• The tone

Snappy’s AI Gifting Assistant helps you move from decision to delivery faster, without sacrificing the thought behind the gift. 

Personalized Messaging at Scale (Even When You’re Short on Time)

Snappy’s Holiday Gifting Report also reinforces that the note matters just as much as the gift itself.

With 82% of employees expecting a personalized message, in many ways, sending a gift without context can feel transactional, especially at the holidays.

Snappy makes it easy to:

• Include a personal note with every gift
• Tailor messaging by team or audience
• Align the tone with your company culture
• Reinforce appreciation from leadership

When you’re juggling a million different high-priority projects at the end of the year, Snappy’s AI Gifting Assistant can suggest message drafts that strike the right balance between warm, professional, and genuine.

This ensures that even a last-minute send still feels:

• Thoughtful
• Human
• Intentional

Why Snappy Works for Every Employee Group, Instantly

One of the challenges of employee gifting in 2025 is that today’s workforce, even at the same company, is very different in role, location, and preference.

Snappy solves for that by design.

Whether you’re gifting:

• Remote employees
• Hybrid teams
• Frontline workers
• International employees

Everyone receives:

• The same immediate digital experience
• The same opportunity to choose
• A gift they’ll love 

This consistency is important, especially when time is tight and operational complexity is high.

It’s Not Too Late. It’s Exactly the Right Time. 

The calendar doesn’t decide whether a gift feels thoughtful. The gift experience does. 

With Snappy, even a gift sent days before the holiday feels intentional, personal, and well planned. Employees receive their gift immediately, choose something they really want, and genuinely feel appreciated. You don’t even have to scramble to manage logistics, shipping, or preferences. 

Whether you’re gifting a small group of employees or an entire global workforce, Snappy gives you the confidence to send something meaningful, right now. 

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