Think about the last thing an employer handed you as a thank-you. If you can't picture it, it's in a drawer. A $50 budget is easy to spend. The hard part is buying something that's still on their desk in month two.
Here's every common $50 employee gift ranked by that test, what $50 a head actually buys when you order for a team, and the CRA rule that keeps it tax-free.
The short answer. The best employee gift under $50 is one thing they use every day, with their own name on it. An engraved insulated tumbler or bottle costs $20 to $45 for one, and $11 to $25 each when you order 10 or more. Spend the rest on a handwritten card or a team lunch, not a basket of extras.
By Chen Deng, founder, LAMOSE, Calgary, Alberta
Every kind of $50 employee gift, ranked by month two
The top Google results for "employee gifts under $50" give you 35 to 57 ideas each. Here are the seven kinds they all come down to, ranked by one question: is it still in use two months later?
| Gift type | Day one | Month two | Tax (CRA) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. One daily-use item with their name (tumbler, bottle, mug) | Good | On the desk, in the car, at the gym | Non-cash, counts toward $500 |
| 2. Team lunch or an experience | Great | A good memory, nothing to keep | Falls under CRA's social-event rules, not the gift rule |
| 3. Food or a treat box | Great | Gone in a week | Non-cash |
| 4. Desk plant | Good | Alive, if someone waters it | Non-cash |
| 5. Logo apparel | Mixed (sizes) | Worn on casual Friday, or not at all | Non-cash |
| 6. Gift card | Good | Spent, and nobody remembers who gave it | Taxable unless it meets CRA's conditions |
| 7. A box of small branded items | Fine | In the drawer | Non-cash |
Food and a team lunch win day one, and they're good gifts. They just don't last. If you can do both, do both: a lunch to say thanks together, and one thing each person keeps.
What $50 a head buys when you order for a team
A $50 budget goes much further at team size. Our prices drop as the order grows, and you can mix models: 20% off at 2 pieces, 30% at 3, 40% at 5 and 45% at 10 or more. No code needed. The name engraving is free.
| Pick | One | Each at 10+ | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robson 14 oz bottle | $20 | $11.00 | Long lists. Rated 12 h hot, 24 h cold. Fits a lunch bag. |
| Peyto 12 oz tumbler | $27 | $14.85 | The one-coffee person. Rated 6 h hot. |
| Grouse 16 oz tumbler | $35 | $19.25 | Our default desk pick. Rated 6 h hot, 12 h cold. |
| Robson 21 oz bottle | $40 | $22.00 | Commuters and gym people. Rated 12 h hot, 24 h cold. |
| Peyto 16 oz tumbler | $40 | $22.00 | The drive-in coffee. Rated 6 h hot. |
| Grouse 34 oz tumbler | $45 | $24.75 | Field and warehouse staff. Carry handle. Rated 12 h hot, 24 h cold. |
Prices in CAD before tax, from our product pages on October 2, 2026. Hours are our own ratings.
So at 10 or more, $50 a head covers a Grouse 16 with their name ($19.25) and leaves about $30 for a lunch or a good card. Or give everyone a pair: a desk tumbler and a bottle for the gym bag.
Start with the Grouse 16 oz and add a name →
Why one $20 item beats a $50 basket
A basket splits your budget across five things nobody chose. The chocolate goes in the first week. The branded notebook joins the other branded notebooks. One item with their name on it does the opposite job. It says someone thought about this person, which is the message appreciation is supposed to send.
Put the name on the front, not just your logo. A logo makes it company property. A name makes it theirs, so it goes home and comes back. If you want the logo too, keep it small.
Are employee gifts under $50 taxable in Canada?
Usually not, if you set them up right. The CRA's gifts and awards page treats non-cash gifts for a special occasion, "such as a religious holiday, a birthday, a wedding, or the birth of a child", as non-taxable when they total "$500 or less (including taxes)" per employee for the year. Three catches:
- It has to be a gift, not a reward. A gift "for performance-related reasons" is a reward, and the CRA says a reward is a taxable benefit. Word the card for the occasion, not for hitting a target.
- Cash and most gift cards are taxable. A gift card only counts as non-cash if it meets the conditions on that CRA page, including keeping records.
- Engraving counts at fair market value. The CRA says to include items "whose FMV may have been altered by a logo or engraving." A $20 to $45 piece is far inside $500.
The details, with sources, are in our CRA gift rules guide.
Christmas gifts for employees under $50: order-by dates
If this is a Christmas gift, the date matters more than the price. Our holiday page sets two cutoffs for 2026:
- 25 or more pieces: Friday, November 20. Artwork proof, then 5 to 10 business days on the laser, plus shipping.
- Personalized gifts: Friday, December 11. Proof within 24 hours, then 1 to 3 business days of engraving in our Calgary studio, plus shipping.
The slow step is usually the name list. Check spellings with each manager before you send it. For what to buy and when across a whole company, see Christmas gifts for employees in Canada.
Ordering for 25 or more? Send us the name list for a free proof →
FAQ
What are some good staff gifts under $50?
One thing they use daily with their name on it: an engraved tumbler, bottle or mug. A team lunch is a good add-on. Food boxes and gift cards are fine on day one but gone within weeks, and most gift cards are taxable.
What is a good cheap gift for employees?
An engraved steel bottle or tumbler ordered for the whole team. Ordering 10 or more brings ours to $11 to $25 each with the name engraved free, which leaves room in a small budget for a handwritten card.
What are some unique gifts under $50?
Unique usually means personal, not unusual. A tumbler with the person's name, their hire date or an inside joke from the team is one of a kind for the price of a standard one.
Are employee gifts under $50 taxable in Canada?
Not if they're non-cash, given for an occasion like a holiday or birthday, and the employee's gifts total $500 or less for the year including taxes. Cash, most gift cards and performance rewards are taxable.
Should the gift have the company logo or the employee's name?
The employee's name. A logo says the gift is about the company. A name says it's about the person. If you want both, put the logo small and the name on the front.
How far in advance should you order personalized employee gifts?
A few pieces take 1 to 3 business days to engrave, plus shipping. For Christmas 2026, order 25 or more by Friday, November 20 and smaller personalized orders by Friday, December 11.
Chen Deng founded LAMOSE in 2017. Our steel tumblers and bottles are made by a supplier overseas and engraved in Calgary. Tax rules are from the CRA's gifts and awards page (modified July 27, 2026). Prices, ratings and dates are from our product and holiday pages, checked October 2, 2026. If we got something wrong, email chen@lamose.com and we'll fix it.
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