Order anything with your logo before Thanksgiving, since custom items need production time on top of shipping. An embroidered Marine Layer blanket, for example, takes about 12 business days before it even ships. Snack boxes and Goody gifts are faster, but send them by Fri, Dec. 4. People claim them by link, so leave a week for stragglers.

Up to a point. The IRS caps the business gift deduction at $25 per recipient per year. Costs like engraving, packaging and shipping usually don't count toward that $25, so check with your finance team before you splurge on a client list.

It depends on the item. Swag.com minimums in this guide run from 6 (a sourdough bread kit) to 125 (a holiday Oreo box), with most logo apparel and drinkware at 12 to 24. Goody and Snackmagic have no minimum, so you can send one gift or one hundred.

Things people use after January: a good blanket, a lunch bowl, a fleece or a snack box they build themselves. For a whole team, a Snackmagic Build Your Own box or a Goody Gift of Choice lets everyone pick what they actually want.

Goody and Snackmagic both send a link by email, and the recipient enters their own shipping details. You skip the "what's your home address?" message entirely.

Let people choose. A Snackmagic Build Your Own box or a Goody Gift of Choice puts the decision in the recipient's hands, and the Gluten Free box covers teams that need it.

Many companies cap what employees can accept from vendors. Ask your contact what their policy allows, or send a charity gift card like TisBest, which generally sits outside those rules.

You don't have to. A group gift from the team or a specific thank-you note usually lands better than a solo splurge. If you go solo, keep it small and useful.

Set a per-person cap before you shop. Most teams spend less per head on a big team gift and more on a handful of key clients, and Snackmagic and Goody let you set the budget up front.