The Best, Worst, and Weirdest Corporate Gifts Employees Have Received
Corporate gifts are meant to show appreciation, but the results can vary wildly. Sometimes a gift feels thoughtful and well-timed. Other times, it leaves employees wondering how the decision was made at all. Over the years, workers have received everything from genuinely useful surprises to items so strange they sparked office-wide confusion. These 10 corporate gifts span the full spectrum, from genuinely appreciated to memorably awkward.
A Life-Changing Surprise Bonus
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When Fibrebond sold its business for $1.7 billion, CEO Graham Walker made sure the people who kept the company running shared in the outcome. He gave $240 million in bonuses to 540 employees. The average bonus was $443,000. However, it came with a catch: stay with the company for five years.
A Gold LEGO Brick Worth a Small Fortune
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Between 1979 and 1981, LEGO employees in Germany who stayed with the company for 25 years received a solid 14-karat gold LEGO brick. The piece looked like a standard 2×4 LEGO, but weighed about 25 grams and could connect with regular bricks. Fewer than 100 were ever made, and collectors now pay over $15,000 for one.
A Single Flip-Flop in a Survival Kit
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One company tried humor with a holiday “survival kit.” The box included a stress ball, canned drinks, and a motivational poster. Alongside them sat one single flip-flop. There was no note and no explanation. Employees never figured out whether it was meant to be funny or whether someone simply missed it during packing.
A Potatoes-Only Christmas Stocking
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There was once a boss who handed out stockings full of individually bagged potatoes. That was the entire gift. While technically edible and biodegradable, the gesture didn’t exactly scream appreciation. The employee brought the spuds home, unsure whether to be insulted or just make mashed potatoes.
A Paid Vacation with Everything Covered
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A surprise paid trip—flights, hotel, and time off included—arrived as a holiday gift for one lucky team. Employees received fully arranged vacations without needing to plan a thing. No extra hours were required, no hoops to jump through. Just time off and a rare break from their inboxes during the busiest season.
A Framed Photo of the Boss’s Family
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One employee received a gift they weren’t expecting: a framed portrait of their boss’s family. The employee felt too awkward to remove it, so the picture stayed on the desk like a borrowed identity.
A Donation Made in Their Name
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A supervisor knew an employee was dealing with a parent’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis and made a donation in their name to a related nonprofit. It was not flashy or public. It mattered because it showed real awareness and care at the right moment.
A Hamper Packed with Mismatched Snacks
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Gift hampers can look fancy until you open them. One employee recalled receiving a ribbon-wrapped box filled with crackers, jam, tea bags, and an unidentifiable dried meat. Most of it didn’t match their diet or taste. Items were regifted or forgotten. The presentation promised more than the contents delivered.
Discounted Brie Cheese and a Wooden Cutting Board
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An executive team received holiday bags containing a wooden cheese board paired with half-price brie. Literally, each block still had a 50% off sticker. Someone had clearly snagged a last-minute deal, and it showed. The message felt clear: “Here’s a snack… we spent four bucks.” Several recipients weren’t laughing.
Matching Company Socks—With the Wrong Logo
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Corporate swag sometimes tries too hard. One company handed out monogrammed pens and socks, but every employee’s name was either misspelled or mixed up. Names were jumbled across departments. Some were so off, staff joked about trading them like baseball cards just to get their own identity back.