How to Set Up and Decorate a Gift Area in the Office
Even the most thoughtfully chosen gift loses its impact if simply handed over from person to person. The Christmas atmosphere in the office begins with the place where gifts await their recipients.
In this article, we'll explore how to decorate a gift area in the office to make it stylish, convenient, and budget-friendly.
Why Create a Dedicated Gift Area
Many companies underestimate the importance of the space where employees receive gifts. In fact, the gift area sets the tone for the entire event.
- Enhances the joy of receiving a gift. When gifts are distributed in a rush at the end of a party or left scattered on a windowsill, some employees may not appreciate them as much.
- Sets the mood. Even a simple setup with a decorated table and neatly arranged gift bags is more effective than boxes left at the front desk.
- Prevents chaos. In larger teams, a dedicated area prevents the loss or mix-up of packages. Signed and attractively displayed gifts help maintain order and simplify distribution.
A gift area is not an extra hassle, but rather a tool that helps make the celebration memorable for both the employees and the company.
3 Steps to Set Up Gift Area
The idea of setting up a gift area seems simple: place a table or Christmas tree and lay out the boxes. However, this is often where mistakes occur.
To ensure the area works as planned, it’s important to think through the details in advance. There are three key factors to focus on: location, management system, and employee engagement.
Choosing the Right Location in the Office
The main rule is the gift area should be convenient and visible, but not disrupt work processes.
A conference room or reception area can be a great starting point. It's ideal for smaller companies where you can easily set up tables, decorate the space, and organize a handover moment.
Employees see the gifts as they enter, and the decorated area adds a festive touch.
Things to consider when choosing a location:
- Accessibility. Employees should be able to collect their gifts without creating a crowd.
- Safety. Avoid high-traffic areas where gifts might get in the way or be accidentally damaged.
- Availability. If the celebration takes place in the evening, the gift area should be accessible to those working late.
Remember:
Even simple decoration can make the gift-giving an integral part of the corporate history.
Gift Area Management
If nobody oversees the gift area, gifts may be confused or taken early. Just one such incident can spoil the mood, as someone might be left out.
It's wise to appoint one or several assistants to maintain order and help colleagues navigate the area.
Such organizational mishaps are often discussed after the event and shape the reputation of the HR department. It's better to invest a little attention to prevent negative feedback than to manage complaints afterward.
Employee Engagement
The gift area can serve as more than just a distribution point. It can be part of the celebration. The easiest way to add emotions is to involve the team in its decoration.
Allow employees to hang garlands together, select decorative elements, or come up with signs for the display—these small efforts create a sense of unity.
Appoint responsible team members to oversee the gift area. This might be a small committee representing various departments.
They maintain order, assist in gift distribution, and foster a sense of joint responsibility rather than a top-down initiative.
Add some interactivity. For instance, set up a board with guessing cards or a mini-vote for the most stylish packaging. This provides reasons to visit the area beyond just collecting a gift, encouraging conversation.
Decorating the Gift Area
Stylish decorations turn gift distribution into an event. Even modest presents feel valuable with the right visual presentation. It doesn’t require much expense—just a few elements that create a lasting impression.
A Tree as the Centerpiece
Whether real or artificial, a tree makes the gifts look instantly festive. Even a small tree in the company’s signature colors signals that this is a special festive area.
Consider the placement of the tree so it becomes a focal point without disrupting the flow of work. For instance, near a window or entrance ensures employees see the gift area as they pass by.
Another option is to place it near the reception area if the office is open and hosts meetings. Guests and employees see the festive symbol right away. If the gift area is divided by a table or shelf, the tree can stand on a pedestal nearby or be slightly elevated.
Decorated Table or Shelf
The main thing is order. Gifts should be neatly arranged, not piled up. You can enhance the area with a fabric tablecloth, garlands, or thematic figurines. Add lamps, string lights, or battery candles to make the area cozier.
Photo Backdrop
The gift area often becomes a photo spot, so a banner with the logo, an arch for photos, or a simple garland on the wall serves dual purposes: decoration and corporate content for social media. Ensure that gifts and the photo area complement each other to avoid chaos.
Integrate gifts into the decor by placing them in the photo zone. This makes for vibrant photos, but there’s a risk of disarray if employees start rearranging packages. A more practical solution is placing gifts alongside the wall or next to the tree, slightly away from the photo zone.
Consider the scale
For a small team, you might combine the gift and photo zones, while larger events should keep them separate, maintaining a clear photo space and supervised gifts.
Avoid Mistakes in Organizing a Gift Area
The key is to avoid chaos in a gift area. When gifts are just heaped under the tree, it gives an impression of chaos. Employees will waste time sifting through boxes, leaving them frustrated instead of joyful.
To prevent this, plan the layout in advance: by department, alphabetically, or at least in neat rows. Visual structure signals that the process is under control.
Consider where to place all the gifts. Unwrapped jars of honey, glass ornaments, or thin bags are at risk of breaking, getting lost, or looking messed up by the time they're handed out.
Avoid making the decoration look cheap It’s better to have fewer elements in a unified style than many mismatched details.
Gift Tags and Personalization
A gift area should not only look festive but also function like a well-oiled machine.
One of the most common mistakes is having gifts without tags. This immediately creates chaos: employees hunt for their package, leading to confusion and wasted time. Personalization not only adds convenience but also value.
Create name tags. Simple cardboard tags with a beautiful font look much better than marker scribbles on a bag. You can add a short wish or a company logo sticker.
Personal greeting
Even a small card saying "Thank you for your contributions this year" makes a gift personal. People tend to cherish such touches longer than the gifts themselves.
In large companies with hundreds of gifts, grouping them saves time: by floors, departments, or alphabetically. This streamlines distribution and ensures the process is manageable. Even the most economical gifts appear more valuable when neatly lined up rather than piled.
Personalization helps avoid dissatisfaction. Employees notice that the company thought about them individually, rather than just "checked a box."
How to Integrate Secret Santa
The office gift area can easily become the final destination in a Secret Santa game. Employees don't just see boxes under the tree; they anticipate their gift mysteriously delivered by a coworker. This heightens intrigue and adds emotion to the corporate evening that no universal set can replace.
To prevent the process from becoming chaotic, use the MySanta app. It relieves HR and organizers of all the grunt work. Every stage, from drawing names to the final gift exchange, is automated.
What the Company Gains:
- Unlimited participants. The service is equally effective for a team of 10 or a corporation of a thousand employees. There's no need to host multiple games.
- Centralized wish lists. Each employee fills out their gift list, visible in an organized format for the recipient. No lost documents or chats.
- Transparency and control. The organizer can track in real-time who has completed their wish list and who is still at risk. This prevents last-minute surprises.
- Anonymous chat. The Secret Santa can clarify details with the recipient (like size or preferences), while the giver's identity remains secret.
Ultimately, HR can focus on engaging the team and creating a festive environment without spending time on logistics.
Conclusion
The office gift area is more than just "the place where packages are left." It shapes impressions of how much the company values its employees. Clear organization, personalization, and a bit of creativity transform a standard procedure into a memorable occasion.
