Everything you need to set up, launch, and manage your company store

Holiday gifting budgets

Written by Justin Hoehn •Updated May 25, 2026

Holiday merchandise programs are one of the most popular ways companies use Launch by Lead Apparel.

Many companies use holiday launches to:

  • Thank employees
  • Improve employee engagement
  • Celebrate company milestones
  • Strengthen company culture
  • Provide premium branded gifts at the end of the year

Because holiday programs are often company-wide initiatives, they typically require more planning and coordination than standard employee merchandise programs.

Plan holiday launches early

Planning ahead is especially important for holiday merchandise programs.

During the holiday season:

  • Production schedules become busier
  • Shipping carriers experience delays
  • Product inventory can fluctuate more quickly

Companies that wait until the last minute often create unnecessary stress around production timing and delivery expectations.

Launch recommends planning holiday stores early and building additional timing cushion into the schedule whenever possible.

This helps reduce fulfillment pressure while improving the overall employee experience.

Most holiday stores perform well with shorter ordering windows.

Launch typically recommends keeping stores open somewhere between approximately 5–7 working days depending on the company’s goals and communication strategy.

Although companies can choose whichever launch window they are most comfortable with, employee ordering behavior is usually concentrated during:

  • The first 48 hours after launch
  • The final 48 hours before the store closes

Because of this, extending the ordering window significantly longer does not always improve participation.

Shorter launch windows also help move orders into production faster once the store closes.

Launch codes work especially well for holiday gifting

Most companies use Launch codes to fund holiday employee orders.

Fixed Amount Launch codes are especially popular during the holidays because they:

  • Give employees flexibility
  • Allow employees to choose products they actually want
  • Make budgeting easier to forecast
  • Improve employee participation

Some companies also choose to fully cover shipping costs during holiday launches to create a more seamless employee experience.

Using year-end budget before it expires

Some companies also use holiday merchandise programs as an opportunity to apply remaining annual employee engagement or department budgets before the end of the fiscal year.

In some cases, companies may choose to:

  • Purchase gift cards in advance
  • Pre-fund Launch code programs
  • Allocate employee merchandise budgets before year-end closes

This allows companies to apply the spend toward the current year’s budget while still giving employees flexibility to place orders later.

Because budgeting structures vary by company and accounting policies, companies should always confirm timing and treatment internally with their finance team.

Holiday budgets are often larger

Many companies choose to provide larger employee budgets during the holiday season compared to other times of the year.

Holiday launches are commonly viewed as:

  • Employee appreciation programs
  • End-of-year gifting
  • Company-wide merchandise events

Because of this, companies are often more generous with:

  • Launch code values
  • Product selection
  • Shipping coverage
  • Premium product availability

Holiday programs also tend to generate some of the highest employee participation rates when they are planned and communicated properly.

Premium products perform best during holiday launches

Holiday launches are typically centered around premium products that employees genuinely want to receive and use.

Many companies use holiday stores to offer:

  • Premium outerwear
  • Quarter zips
  • Jackets
  • Drinkware
  • Backpacks
  • Retail-style branded merchandise

Holiday gifting programs often perform best when employees feel like they are receiving high-quality products rather than traditional promotional items.

This is one of the reasons premium retail brands consistently perform well during holiday launches.

Communication matters during holiday launches

Holiday launches often involve large groups of employees ordering within a short period of time.

Clear communication is critical to maintaining strong participation rates.

Launch Messenger helps companies:

  • Send employee welcome emails
  • Deliver Launch code information
  • Send reminder emails before the store closes
  • Keep employees informed throughout the ordering process

This helps reduce confusion while improving overall employee engagement during the launch.

Why holiday merchandise programs work

Well-planned holiday merchandise programs help companies:

  • Recognize employees
  • Improve company culture
  • Increase employee engagement
  • Create excitement around branded merchandise
  • Deliver a more premium employee experience

When companies combine premium products, strong communication and realistic holiday planning timelines, holiday stores often become some of the highest-performing merchandise programs of the year.

Best practices

  • Plan holiday launches early
  • Build additional lead-time cushion during the holiday season
  • Use premium products employees genuinely want
  • Use Launch codes to simplify holiday budgeting
  • Keep holiday ordering windows focused and concise
  • Use Launch Messenger reminders throughout the launch
  • Budgeting for employee merchandise
  • Improving Employee Participation
  • Launch codes vs Gift cards
  • Launch codes for onboarding programs
  • Individual shipments