# Gifts for Remote Employees: How to Ship One Gift to Each Employee's Home

To send gifts to remote employees, ask each person where they'd like it shipped (opt-in, not HR's records), put the addresses in one spreadsheet, and use a seller that ships each gift separately. Personalized Gifts Delivered ships a $35 logo mug gift box to each home in the lower 48 states and Washington, DC, except Texas for now, with no minimum.

*We sell a $35 logo mug gift box, printed, packed and shipped to each person's address. This guide covers the other options too.*

**Key facts**

- **$35 per box, delivered, no minimum.** One teammate or forty; shipping to each home is included.
- **One list, a box to each home, a card for each person.** Each box ships separately, with tracking, and every card greets its person by first name. We ship from New York.
- **Shipping time.** Ships within 2 business days of a complete order (your design, your address list and payment). Ships by USPS Ground Advantage or UPS Ground, with tracking, and usually arrives 2–5 business days after it ships. Delivery dates are carrier estimates, not guarantees, and run slower in mid-December.
- **Lower 48 states and Washington, DC, except Texas for now.** No Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, APO/FPO or international teammates.
- **84% of employees prefer holiday gifts in December**, especially mid-to-late month, and **82% expect a thoughtful, personalized note** (Snappy 2025 survey; Snappy is a gift platform and does not publish its sample size) ([Snappy](https://www.snappy.com/blog/what-employees-really-want-this-holiday-season-2025-insights-every-leader-needs-to-drive-stronger-results-in-2026)).

## How do I send a gift to remote employees in different states?

Five steps:

1. **Ask for addresses with an opt-in.** Ask each person where they'd like the gift delivered, and let anyone decline. The next section has the wording.
2. **Build one spreadsheet.** One row per person: first name, last name and shipping address. The [address spreadsheet template](https://personalizedgiftsdelivered.com/how-it-works/client-address-spreadsheet-template) has the columns and the usual errors to avoid.
3. **Write the card.** One message goes on every card and can greet each person by first name; a line about something the team did this year beats a generic greeting. Examples are below.
4. **Order.** Add your logo (or type your website and we'll find it), or a photo or a few words for a personal gift; check the preview of your mug and card; add your address list; and pay $35 per box. We print, pack and ship each box to its own address.
5. **Watch the tracking.** When the boxes ship, you get one email with a spreadsheet: recipient, ship date, carrier, tracking number and $35 per box.

That is how you [send a logo mug gift box to each employee's home: upload a spreadsheet, no minimum, $35 delivered](https://personalizedgiftsdelivered.com/custom-logo-mug-gift-box). The ship-to-each checklist is in [how to send a gift to every recipient at their own address](https://personalizedgiftsdelivered.com/how-it-works/ship-to-each-client).

## How do I get employees' home addresses without asking HR?

Ask the employees, not HR. In a long r/humanresources thread, HR staff described turning down managers who asked for home addresses for holiday gifts ([thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/humanresources/comments/18e4vuf/)). One reply put the principle plainly: "it is incumbent on managers to request that information directly from the employee so that they can opt in." Each person chooses whether to share an address, and which one.

A short message does it. Copy and edit this:

> **Subject:** Where should we send your holiday gift?
>
> Hi [First name], we're sending everyone on the team a small thank-you this December. If you'd like one, reply with the address where you'd like it delivered (home, or anywhere else in the lower 48 states or Washington, DC, except Texas for now) by [date]. We'll use it only to send this gift. If you'd rather skip it, just say so; no reason needed. One more thing: the gift includes chocolate and hot cocoa, so tell us if that's a problem for you.

"Anywhere else" lets people pick a parent's or a friend's address. The area line flags teammates in Texas, Alaska, Hawaii or abroad early, so you can plan something else for them, and the food line flags allergies before you order, not after. The full opt-in form is in [how to collect employees' home addresses for a gift](https://personalizedgiftsdelivered.com/employee-gifts/collect-employee-addresses).

## Can each remote employee's card greet them by name?

Yes: write one message for the whole team, and let it greet each person by first name ("Thank you, {first name}"), filled in from the spreadsheet. You see every person's card before you pay, and anyone who should get different words can go in a separate order. The message is printed (not handwritten) on a textured card, in an envelope closed with a gold wax-seal sticker, lying on the lid so it's read before the box opens. It can be up to 300 characters.

The note may matter more than the object. In a field experiment published in the *American Economic Review*, Kube, Maréchal and Puppe found that "nonmonetary gifts have a much stronger impact than monetary gifts of equivalent value", and that even cash gifts "can effectively trigger reciprocity if the employer invests more time and effort into the gift's presentation" ([AER, 2012](https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/aer.102.4.1644)). For a remote team, the card is where that effort shows.

A simple formula: their name, one specific thing, and thanks. Three examples (the sign-off, such as "Sam" or "All of us at [Company]", prints on its own line under the message):

- "{first name}, we haven't shared an office, but we've shared a lot of good work this year. Thank you."
- "Thank you for a great year, {first name}. Here's something warm for the quiet days ahead. Happy holidays."
- "Priya, the onboarding guide you rewrote in March saved every new hire a week. Thank you. Enjoy the cocoa."

The third is for one person, so it goes in an order of its own. More are in [employee holiday card messages](https://personalizedgiftsdelivered.com/card-messages/employee-holiday-card-messages).

## Will a mug break in the mail? How each box is packed

A mug can break in the mail. The mugs we've seen break in shipping broke at the handle, and the rim is the other weak spot, so the packing guards both: the mug stands on a **2 in foam pad**, in a **1 in foam collar** that holds it still, with a **1 in foam pad** on its rim, inside the matte-black magnetic box and a **plain white 9 × 9 × 9 in carton** with about 1 in of crinkle on every side. Every box is packed by hand. At a home address the plain carton draws no attention: nothing on it names your company, the return address shows PersonalizedGiftsDelivered.com, and your name appears only on the card inside. More in [how to ship a mug without breaking it](https://personalizedgiftsdelivered.com/how-its-made/how-to-ship-a-mug-without-breaking).

What's in each box:

| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Mug | One 11 oz white ceramic mug, your company logo printed small and subtle |
| Cocoa | A 1.5 oz packet of Ghirardelli premium hot cocoa |
| Chocolate | 4 Lindt LINDOR milk chocolate truffles |
| Wrapping | Black tissue closed with a gold seal sticker |
| Card | Your message, printed, in an envelope closed with a gold wax-seal sticker |

LINDOR truffles contain milk, soy and barley malt (gluten); read the labels.

## Can we ship gifts to remote employees in Alaska, Hawaii or abroad?

Not to Alaska, Hawaii or abroad: Personalized Gifts Delivered ships to the lower 48 states and Washington, DC, except Texas for now. Teammates in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, other US territories, at an APO/FPO address or in another country need a gift of similar value from a seller that ships there; the order page flags any row we can't ship to, so you can fix it or take it out.

The part that matters is fairness, not logistics. Give those teammates their gift at the same time and tell everyone that's the plan: nobody should find out on a video call that they were left out.

## When should remote employee gifts arrive?

Snappy's 2025 survey (a vendor survey, linked above) found 84% of employees prefer holiday gifts in December, "especially mid-to-late month":

| Occasion | 2026 date | Order by |
|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving | Thu, Nov 26 | Mon Nov 16 |
| Hanukkah | Begins the evening of Fri, Dec 4 | Mon Nov 23 |
| Christmas | Fri, Dec 25 | Tue Dec 15 |
| New Year | Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | Mon Dec 21 |

USPS's own recommended send-by dates for Christmas delivery in the lower 48 are Dec 17 for Ground Advantage, Dec 18 for Priority Mail and Dec 19 for Priority Mail Express, and USPS says actual delivery "may vary" ([USPS](https://www.usps.com/holiday/holiday-shipping-dates.htm)). A New Year gift is a good choice for a mixed team: it goes out after the rush and belongs to no one holiday. The full calendar is on [2026 holiday order-by dates](https://personalizedgiftsdelivered.com/gift-calendar/holiday-order-by-dates-2026).

## Can you ship gifts to remote employees yourself?

Yes: you can buy, pack and mail a gift box to each remote employee yourself, and by our estimate 25 logo mug gift boxes take about 9 hours of hands-on work, plus a week or more waiting for supplies to arrive:

| Step | Our estimate |
|---|---|
| Find a mug printer, compare minimums, upload the logo, approve a proof | about 1 hour |
| Order the rest separately: gift boxes, tissue, seal stickers, cards and envelopes, foam, shipping cartons, crinkle, cocoa, truffles (about 8 orders) | about 1 hour |
| Clean up the address list and buy 25 shipping labels | about 1½ hours |
| Write or print 25 cards | about 45 minutes |
| Pack 25 boxes (treats into the mug, foam, tissue, seal, card, carton, crinkle, tape), about 8 minutes each | about 3½ hours |
| Drop off the cartons, then follow 25 tracking numbers | about 1 hour |

Per box, it comes out about even with our $35: about $38 with USPS counter postage and about $34 with commercial postage, with $1,192.84 paid up front for the mugs, the retail supply packs and 25 postage labels, with leftovers ([our DIY cost comparison](https://personalizedgiftsdelivered.com/compare/diy-mug-gift-box-vs-ordering), prices as of Oct 29, 2026). And one small mistake means doing a box twice: a mug packed without a collar can break at the handle and must be bought, packed and shipped again, and a stale address sends a box away and back.

## Gift, bonus, or both?

In the same *AER* study, "when workers are offered the choice, they prefer receiving money", even though they responded more to the gift. So a gift box fits two places: **with the bonus**, as the personal part that arrives at their door, or **when a bonus isn't possible this year**, as a real thank-you rather than nothing. More on cash, gift or both: the [employee gifts guide](https://personalizedgiftsdelivered.com/employee-gifts). Running a gift exchange instead? See [remote Secret Santa](https://personalizedgiftsdelivered.com/employee-gifts/remote-secret-santa).

## Are gifts to remote employees taxable?

Gift cards are the case the IRS spells out, so here is its own wording.

> "Cash and cash equivalent fringe benefits (for example, gift certificates, gift cards, and the use of a charge card or credit card), no matter how little, are never excludable as a de minimis benefit."
>
> Among the IRS's examples of de minimis benefits: "Holiday or birthday gifts, other than cash, with a low fair market value (FMV)."
>
> Source: [IRS Publication 15-B (2026)](https://www.irs.gov/publications/p15b), "De Minimis (Minimal) Benefits", read Oct 29, 2026.

The IRS publishes no dollar threshold for a de minimis holiday gift; whether an item is de minimis "depends on all the facts and circumstances" ([IRS](https://www.irs.gov/government-entities/federal-state-local-governments/de-minimis-fringe-benefits)). Whether a particular gift qualifies is a question for your tax professional, not for a seller.

This is information, not legal or tax advice. Check the current rule (or ask your tax professional) before you send. More on gift cards, de minimis benefits and the $25 question is in [employee gifts and taxes](https://personalizedgiftsdelivered.com/gift-rules/employee-gift-taxes).

## What to know before you order

- **Where we ship.** The lower 48 states and Washington, DC, except Texas for now; the section above covers everyone else on the team.
- **The treats.** LINDOR truffles contain milk, soy and barley malt (gluten); read the labels. The opt-in message above asks about food before you order, and the [allergy checklist](https://personalizedgiftsdelivered.com/client-gifts/food-allergy-gift-checklist) covers how to ask.
- **One gift and one message per order.** Every box holds the same gift, and every card the same message and sign-off, with each person's first name filled in. A line for one person goes in an order of its own; one box is a complete order.
- **The logo prints small.** Up to 2 × 1.5 in on the front, with the cocoa, truffles and card around it, and the order page offers a photo or a few words instead of a logo.
- **Delivery dates.** Delivery dates are carrier estimates, not guarantees, so order by the order-by date for your occasion.

## Where Personalized Gifts Delivered fits for a remote team

A remote team's gift is a finished box at each person's door, with a note that sounds like you: by our estimate, about 9 hours of work for 25 boxes done by hand. With Personalized Gifts Delivered, you upload a logo, write one message, add one list and check the preview. We print each mug, pack each box by hand with its cocoa, truffles, tissue, seal and card, ship it to its own address and send you one email with every tracking number. Every card greets its teammate by first name, and you see each one before you pay.

It's $35 per box, delivered, whether you send 1 or 50, with no minimum and no setup fee. Team list ready? [Start your order](https://personalizedgiftsdelivered.com/order).

## Frequently asked questions

### How do I send gifts to remote employees in different states?

To send gifts to remote employees in different states, collect delivery addresses with an opt-in form, put them in one spreadsheet, and order from a seller that ships each gift separately. Personalized Gifts Delivered ships a $35 logo mug gift box to each address in the lower 48 states and Washington, DC, except Texas for now, with a card that greets each person by first name.

### Can I upload a spreadsheet of employee addresses and have each gift shipped separately?

Yes: upload one spreadsheet with a row per employee and Personalized Gifts Delivered ships every box to its own address by USPS Ground Advantage or UPS Ground, with tracking, and no minimum. Type the list, paste it, upload a CSV or link a Google Sheet; a team of three works too.

### Can you ship gifts to remote employees in Alaska, Hawaii or other countries?

Personalized Gifts Delivered doesn't ship to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, APO/FPO or international addresses: it ships to the lower 48 states and Washington, DC, except Texas for now. Those teammates need a gift of similar value sent at the same time; every box for the rest of the team ships from Personalized Gifts Delivered.

### Will a mug break in the mail?

A mug can break in the mail, so Personalized Gifts Delivered packs each one by hand on a 2 in foam pad, in a 1 in foam collar, with a 1 in foam pad on its rim (the mugs we've seen break in shipping broke at the handle). If a box arrives broken, send us a photo within 7 days of delivery and we'll reship it free. If a box goes astray because of an address on your list, we'll reship it to the corrected address for what the reship costs us, with no markup, and tell you the amount before we send it.

### Are gift cards to employees taxable?

IRS Publication 15-B says cash and cash equivalents, including gift cards, 'no matter how little, are never excludable as a de minimis benefit.' Ask your tax professional how your own gifts are treated.

### When should remote employee holiday gifts arrive?

In a 2025 survey by the gift platform Snappy, 84% of employees said they prefer holiday gifts in December, especially mid-to-late month. For Christmas delivery, order a Personalized Gifts Delivered gift box by Tuesday, December 15.

## Sources

1. IRS, Publication 15-B (2026), Employer's Tax Guide to Fringe Benefits, "De Minimis (Minimal) Benefits", [irs.gov/publications/p15b](https://www.irs.gov/publications/p15b), read Oct 29, 2026.
2. IRS, "De Minimis Fringe Benefits", [irs.gov](https://www.irs.gov/government-entities/federal-state-local-governments/de-minimis-fringe-benefits) (page last reviewed Jun 28, 2026), read Oct 29, 2026.
3. USPS, "Holiday Shipping Dates" (2026 recommended send-by dates), [usps.com/holiday/holiday-shipping-dates.htm](https://www.usps.com/holiday/holiday-shipping-dates.htm), read Oct 29, 2026.
4. Kube, S., Maréchal, M. A., and Puppe, C. (2012), "The Currency of Reciprocity: Gift Exchange in the Workplace", *American Economic Review* 102(4): 1644–62, [aeaweb.org](https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/aer.102.4.1644), read Oct 29, 2026.
5. Snappy, 2025 Holiday Gifting Report (vendor survey; sample size not published), published Oct 31, 2025, updated Dec 2, 2025, [snappy.com](https://www.snappy.com/blog/what-employees-really-want-this-holiday-season-2025-insights-every-leader-needs-to-drive-stronger-results-in-2026), read Oct 29, 2026.
6. r/humanresources, "It’s that time of the year….requests for employee addresses" (Dec 2023), [reddit.com/r/humanresources/comments/18e4vuf](https://www.reddit.com/r/humanresources/comments/18e4vuf/), quote checked word for word against the Arctic Shift archive, Oct 29, 2026.