I wore a sweater last week which can only mean one thing:

The holidays are upon us! 🎁🎁🎁

It’s time to finalize the gifting plan for customers and employees.

Here’s a sample timeline (it’s crunch time⏳), lessons learned from real customer gifts, and 10 budget and remote-friendly gift ideas for employees.

Last year, we shared 50+ ideas for founders.

This year, we got recs directly from founders and top notch gift givers!

Here’s 20 more ideas from YOU (and me — I couldn’t resist adding some faves).

P.S. If you’re from Atlanta and want to shop local, follow the 🍑.

20+ Startup-Friendly Gift Ideas

Time. Get hours back with services like 🍑Accomplished App or 🍑My Panda (on Angela Fusaro’s wishlist!) for household management or Base for flexible executive assistant options.

Gourmet Italian gift baskets. There’s a reason 🍑Mercato Di Bellina wins awards. Tal Baum (Atlanta founder and restauranteur) sent me one and blew my mind. Great for families too!

Luxury candles. Great call from Courtney Wilbanks. Who doesn’t love a gloriously delicious candle? Le Labo is a go-to and 🍑Brick and Mortar is a great local option.

Custom gift boxes. Check out the gorgeous options from 🍑EspyBox. They also have subscription boxes for your favorite dudes. Or make it themed with local items via 🍑LocalHippo (founded by Sara Maffey). Check out LocalHippo’s experiences for unique community building ideas!

Snacks. CT Smith clued me into customizable snack boxes from SnackMagic! You could also DIY with someone’s favorite snacks or local specialties. 🍑Edible Arrangements are also delicious with fruit and desserts. Great for an office to enjoy!

Booze. Beer, wine, liquor, cocktails, fancy mixers. Meredith Kowal doesn’t just give money-saving tax advice, she also sends gift boxes from Buonguido Wines. Get on her “nice” list! If you know your client well enough, 🍑Edibles.com ships gift boxes.

Signature scent. Craft your own perfume at 🍑Chémin. Also awesome for a unique customer or team event.

Coffee. Multiple folks said MORE CAFFEINE, uh, I mean, coffee shop gift card. They didn’t specify but I’m sure they meant 🍑Spiller Park and 🍑Kula Coffee. Civilized Coffee offers fantastic gift box options — love this share from founder Mark Patterson!

Easy, delicious meals. Gift cards to fave restaurants, meal delivery, or meals prepped in your house by a chef via 🍑Livin — great ideas from founder (and foodie) Loren Mount-O’Brien.

Relaxation. Massages, mani/pedi, blow out, spa day. What are your fave places in Atlanta? Jacey Cadet and I want to know! I’ve had great experiences, including with groups, at 🍑Suzy Q Nail Bar, 🍑Les Main Nail Bar, and 🍑Jiao Reflexology (foot massages).

Music. Jameson Hughes shared the story of a branded portable record player (with the Charlie Brown Christmas album!) gifted from Shannon Waltchack that’s still in use at his in-law’s house today. Head to 🍑Crates to grab a vinyl of a favorite album, easy to mail if needed (another great idea from Courtney Wilbanks).

Giving back. The most timeless gift that’s always appreciated? Make a donation to a favorite non-profit. I consulted the experts Brianna Jackson, CEO of Heart of South Downtown, and Karen Houghton, CEO of Infinite Giving. They shared more than I can list here so please let me know if you want ideas! A few that stood out: 🍑The Boyce Ansley School, 🍑Our House, 🍑Lazarus, 🍑Inspiredu, 🍑Extra Special People, Katmai Conservancy (fat bear contest!), World Relief.

What are you looking forward to this holiday season? What’s the best gift you’ve given or received? Any other favorite brands??