Corporate gift at Christmas: the Christmas package for your business relations

A corporate gift is a business Christmas hamper that a company gives to clients and business relations, rather than to its own staff. In terms of tax treatment and content, such a hamper works slightly differently from an employee hamper. The Nederlandse Kerstpakkettenbeurs at Expo Houten is the B2B trade fair where compilers and buyers find the suppliers and concepts they need to put together a representative corporate gift.

What is a corporate gift?

A corporate gift is a business present, often in the form of a Christmas hamper, given to clients, suppliers and business relations. It is a way of saying thank you for the partnership and keeps your company front of mind in a pleasant way at the end of the year.

How does a corporate gift differ from an employee hamper?

Mainly in the recipient and the tax treatment. An employee hamper falls under the work-related costs scheme (WKR) and can be given tax-free within the discretionary margin. Different rules apply to corporate gifts for clients and business relations: VAT is only deductible as long as you stay below a fixed annual threshold per relation (Belastingdienst – VAT on gifts, corporate gifts and staff provisions), and for profit tax purposes the costs are only partially deductible (Belastingdienst – threshold for partially deductible costs). You are therefore working to a different set of rules, and since the amounts and percentages change each year, always check the current figures with the Belastingdienst.

What should you look out for when putting together a corporate gift?

Representativeness and quality. A corporate gift is a reflection of your company, so presentation and brand recognition matter more than sheer volume. Think along the lines of sleek packaging, a selection of quality brands or regional products, and a personal card. Adding your own logo or corporate colours to the packaging brings the whole thing together.

How does the Nederlandse Kerstpakkettenbeurs help with this?

By bringing suppliers, products and gift concepts together in one place. As a compiler or buyer, you can compare everything side by side at the Nederlandse Kerstpakkettenbeurs in Expo Houten and put together a corporate gift that suits your client. And you can do all of this at the start of the buying season, well before things get busy.

The Nederlandse Kerstpakkettenbeurs takes place at Expo Houten. Visit nederlandsekerstpakkettenbeurs.nl for the current date and registration details.