Director What Are Some Affordable and Meaningful Christmas Gifts for My Cluster Team?

[ChefBeckyD]

I need some help! I want to give a gift to my cluster for Christmas - but I'm having a hard time coming up with something that will fit into my budget, and still be meaningful/thoughtful.

I have 16 on my team - some are MUCH more active and productive than others (who do only what they need to do to keep their consultant status) and I'm also wondering if everyone should get the same gift....


What are the rest of you doing?

 

[BethCooks4U]

I do different things each year. At first I gave everyone something but then I started just giving something to those who came to the December meeting (and those who live too far away). I would buy something inspiring or for their business, things like that. Last year I put one more product under the tree than people who came to the meeting and they got to pick what they wanted. The person with the most sales/recruits for the year picked first, etc. They said they loved that better than prior years, although they did say they appreciated those too.

This year I have been giving "hearts" to them each month for various things and the original idea was to do an auction but, first, I have no clue how to do an auction, and, second, one person has way more hearts than anyone else and she'll just give hers away even though I said she can't. So instead of that I am going to give her a PC blanket that I have and pretty much do the same thing I did last year.

I might also do a "silent auction" where I have products on a table and they put their hearts in a bag marked with each item and then pull a name from each to determine the winner - only thing is, she'll just give things away if she wins more than one. It really doesn't matter but the point is to inspire others to want to do as well as she does ...or better. ...hmmm maybe I should do one big thing or a combo package and have them all put all their hearts in it. That would give everyone a chance to win it! Yeah, that's what I'll do.

Thanks for the chance to think this through.

So, I will do the gifts like I did last year and with the hearts I'll do the drawing for a big prize. Now... should I still give her the blanket too or put that with the big prize? Her having more hearts gives her a better chance to win but she might feel better about it this way??

 

[cincychef]

I have been thinking about this too, here are a few ideas I have had, I would LOVE to give them Doris's book. one of my new consultants read it this year and wrote me a really long letter about how meaningful it was. Another idea was the green eggs and ham book. I just had my team read it at a meeting and then we talked about go for no. My national executive director game me Oh the Places You'll Go (Dr Suess) when I promoted to director. Or one other idea is a $5 starbucks gift card or at all the malls around here there are little kiosks selling the shaped glass necklaces, I bought some for my sisters, they are about $5 each.

 

[finley1991]

I used to try to get a $5-6 logo item from merrill. But how many keychains do they need? haha.I'd like to say this is the time of year when I start to get really frustrated with the team but who am I kidding? They frustrate me all year long (their gift to me!!)Two years ago, I was at the grocery store and at checkout we could buy gift cards to be donated to a local food pantry. I decided to do that and I bought 1 $10 gift card on behalf of each active consultant. Last year I decided to do the same thing.What was ironic (and SO pathetic) is that some of them complained that they didn't get a gift. Then they realized how awful they looked with that attitude. Last year no one complained. Well, no one complained to me anyway.I'm thinking what I might do is the pantry card again and then ask them to bring a business book for a book exchange. Although one year we did this with my old director and one woman bought a religious book (her personal crusade) and tried to pass it off as *but it will HELP your business*. So I might rethink that....I'm glad we're throwing around ideas here! I guess I really need them!

 

[PCJenni]

I have a large team, so I only give gifts to those that attend the December meeting. I live in wine country and there is a local olive oil farm as well. They make soap as well as other products with the olive oil. The soaps are wrapped really pretty and there is a card attached that says "May olive your dreams come true". They are $5 a pieces. So I will put them in a big basket and let them choose one. I do a yearly team challenge where if we collectively recruit 100 people I have a big party in January where I recognize the top sales and recruiting for the past year.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Bumping...any other ideas???

I'm collecting them because my Director and I are doing our Christmas Party together, and are hoping to have the same gift for everyone.

I don't want to post this on CS, because we both have team members on there...

 

[Sheila]

I did that "2010 Incentives" where they could earn gift cards from me depending on their sales for the year. I'm probably going to leave it with that. I have 32 in my downline now. Not sure I want to start a tradition that I'll have to keep repeating as the team grows.

 

[cookingwithlove]

We do a gift exchange. Everyone brings a generic gift to the meeting and we do a fun game to exchange them. I don't really give out individual gifts, but I was considering it this year. I was thinking it would only be my SCs and top performer(s) for the year would get something. I probably will mail it to them, because I don't want to deal with hurt feelings. My director only gives gifts to her directors and not her whole team. I plan to keep growing my team and I don't want to start something that I cannot afford later.

 

[chefkathy]

In the past, I've done ornaments for my team. I found some kitchen-themed sets at the grocery store one year and they were perfect! I was at Kohl's last night and they have lots of ornaments out. Of course they are on sale and there is a 15% off coupon for Kohl's charge members (at my store they just give you the discount when you use your charge).My director does a small gift for every team member with larger gifts for her directors. Last year the team gift was a copper cookie cutter and small scraper from Williams Sonoma.

 

[baychef]

At a party yesterday, out of 10 guests, 5 were from other DS companies. One showed me this that she is giving to her downline for Christmas to wish them a profitable 2011. It is a chocolate bar and is made by Russell Stovers. We have a locally operated drugstore chain so immediately went out and scarfed up all I could. I want to send them to all of my downline (99 cents a piece) and then add to the ones I give my personal cluster and to my downline directors.

On the attachment I see that the faint writing behind the green and white star emblem to the left of Santa does not show up too much. It says "One Billion"!!

In case of food allergies, it has been produced on shared equipment with peanuts, tree nuts, eggs and wheat.

 

[Sheila]

Those are cute Ann!

 

[PampMomof3]

Great idea Ann! I think i might go and snatch those up too! We are definitely doing a ornament exchange. Everybody brings a wrapped ornament and i would like to do top sales gets first pick and so on BUT i'm doing it with other clusters so we may just put numbers in a basket and then have everyone draw a number and do it that way.

 

[cincychef]

We are planning our December meeting as a holiday/recognition party and treating anyone who attends to cheesecake at the cheesecake factory. I think this will be a hit!

 

[dannyzmom]

Ok so last year I had each of my girls bring a $15 gift, wrapped, and we did a dirty santa exchange (I also got a little candle thing for each from me)
This year we're dining with my AD and her team and she doesn't want to do a gift exchange. My team is expecting a gift exchange like last year and is excited about it. Well poop. What do I do?

 

[ChefLoriG]

Carolyn, just stay after and do the dirty santa after with your team

 

[BethCooks4U]

Tell your AD what your team is expecting/excited about and give her the option of taking part in it or not. If she chooses not then let her know you and your team will end your evening with it OR you all can start with that a bit before the meeting begins.