A Christmas goodie box puts a few small treats and gifts together in one printed box. It feels more thoughtful than a single gift because every item inside was chosen for the person who opens it.
This guide collects Christmas goodie box ideas for clients, employees, adults and kids. Each idea lists what goes inside and the box size that fits it, so you can build the box today.
You will start with what a goodie box is and a table of ten themed ideas. Later sections cover boxes for each group of people before packing, box sizes and the date to order printed boxes.
Key takeaways
- A good goodie box holds three to five items around one theme such as a cozy night or a baking day.
- Client boxes work best when the treat carries your brand and the box carries the season.
- A card divider or insert keeps jars, candles and treats from knocking together.
- A box of about 250 x 200 x 80 mm fits most goodie boxes with four items.
- Order printed goodie boxes 28 business days before you hand them out.
What Is a Christmas Goodie Box?
A Christmas goodie box is a printed box filled with three to five small treats and gifts around one theme. Businesses send them to clients and staff while families make them for friends, teachers and neighbors.
A box for goodies differs from a gift basket because it closes with a lid and ships without plastic wrap. The printed box is part of the gift and many people keep it for storage after the treats are gone.
The theme matters more than the price of the items inside. The next section lists ten themes that work for almost any group of people.
What Are the Best Christmas Goodie Box Ideas?
The best Christmas goodie box ideas pick one theme and fill the box with three to five items that fit it. The table below gives ten themes with the items that go inside each one.
| Theme | What goes inside | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Cozy night | Hot cocoa, socks, a candle and a card | Employees and friends |
| Coffee lover | Ground coffee, a mug and biscotti | Clients and colleagues |
| Baking day | Cookie cutters, sprinkles and a recipe card | Families and bakers |
| Movie night | Popcorn, candy and a small blanket | Families and teens |
| Spa night | Bath bomb, lotion and a face mask | Adults |
| Chocolate box | Three bars of chocolate and a truffle box | Clients |
| Game night | A card game, snacks and a drink mix | Couples and friends |
| Tea time | Loose tea, honey and shortbread | Teachers and neighbors |
| Kids fun | A small toy, crayons and a candy cane | Children |
| Local favorites | Snacks and a gift card from local shops | Remote staff |
Start with the theme and add the treat last because treats are the easiest part to swap. These Christmas box ideas work for any group but clients need a little more care.
What Goes in a Christmas Goodie Box for Clients?
A Christmas goodie box for clients holds a premium treat, one useful branded item and a handwritten card. Clients remember the card and the quality of the box more than the price of the items.
Chocolates, a branded mug and a small candle make a safe client box because they suit almost everyone. Avoid alcohol in client boxes because some clients do not drink and some companies do not accept it.
A rigid box with a magnetic lid and a gold foil logo makes the gift feel premium before it opens. Our custom Christmas boxes cover rigid and magnetic styles cut to your items. Boxes for your own staff follow a different rule from client boxes.
Want goodie boxes printed with your logo?
Send the items that go inside and the quantity. We return a dieline with the insert drawn in and a price per box.
What Goes in a Christmas Goodie Box for Employees?
A Christmas goodie box for employees holds comfort items for the holiday break such as cocoa, warm socks and a candle with a note from the team. Staff value a box that helps them relax more than one covered in logos.
Keep the logo on the box and the card rather than on every item inside. A gift card or a voucher for a local cafe adds value without adding weight to the box.
Ship boxes to remote staff in a printed mailer so the box arrives looking like a gift. Our holiday mailer boxes ship on their own with a message printed inside the lid. Adults outside work enjoy a slightly different box with more grown up treats.
What Goes in a Christmas Goodie Box for Adults?
A Christmas goodie box for adults holds grown up treats such as gourmet coffee, dark chocolate, a scented candle and a small game for the evening. One luxury item such as a good candle lifts the whole box.
Christmas goodie bags for adults work the same way but suit lighter items such as socks, snacks and bath bombs. A box protects jars and candles better than a bag.
Match the box to the person by picking a theme they enjoy such as coffee, baking or a spa night. Kids want something quite different from the adults in their family.
What Goes in a Christmas Goodie Box for Kids?
A Christmas goodie box for kids holds a small toy, a coloring book with crayons, a candy cane and a cookie. Kids love opening a box that has several small surprises inside.
Choose items without small parts for children under three and keep the candy to one or two pieces. A printed name on the lid makes the box feel like it was made just for them.
A goodie box for kids pairs well with a Christmas Eve box on the night before Christmas. Every goodie box needs careful packing so nothing breaks on the way.
How Do You Pack a Goodie Box So Nothing Breaks?
You pack a goodie box so nothing breaks by giving each item its own space with a card insert or divider. Heavy items such as jars and candles go at the bottom and light items sit on top.
Crinkle paper fills small gaps and makes the box look full when the lid opens. It cannot stop a jar from sliding though, so jars and candles need an insert cut to their size.
Treats need their own wrap so the smell of a candle does not reach the cookies. Our Christmas treat boxes use a card divider for mixed treats, and our guide to packaging cookies as a gift shows how to wrap each cookie. Once the packing plan is clear the next step is to make the box feel personal.
How Do You Make a Goodie Box Feel Personal?
You make a goodie box feel personal with a handwritten card, the name of the person on the lid and one item chosen just for them. Those three touches cost little and turn a standard box into a gift that feels made by hand.
A message printed inside the lid is the first thing people see when they open the box. Keep it short and warm with a thank you from the team or a wish for a restful break.
Ask staff or clients one simple question such as coffee or tea before you build the box. Their answer lets you swap one item in each box without changing the rest of the order. The budget you set decides how far that personal choice can go.
How Much Should You Spend on a Christmas Goodie Box?
You should spend what the relationship is worth, which works out to three common budget levels for goodie boxes. The table below shows what each level buys inside the box.
| Budget for the items | What it buys | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Under $15 | Cocoa, a candy cane and a card | Large staff teams and kids |
| $15 to $40 | Coffee, a mug, chocolate and a card | Employees and colleagues |
| $40 and up | A candle, premium chocolate and a branded gift | Key clients |
The printed box itself adds less to the cost than most people expect. Our printed folding and mailer boxes run from $0.50 to $3.50 per box depending on size and quantity. Rigid boxes are quoted separately because the board and wrap change the price. With the budget set the last step is to size the box around the items.
What Size Box Do You Need for a Goodie Box?
You need a goodie box sized to the largest item plus 6 mm on each side with room for the other items around it. Lay the items out on a table in the order they will sit and measure the full group.
| Goodie box with | Starting inside size | Box style |
|---|---|---|
| Three small items | 200 x 150 x 60 mm | Folding box with lid |
| Four items with a mug | 250 x 200 x 80 mm | Rigid box with lid |
| Five items with a candle | 300 x 220 x 100 mm | Magnetic box with insert |
| A blanket and treats | 350 x 280 x 120 mm | Two piece E flute box |
| Items shipped to staff | 254 x 178 x 76 mm | Mailer box |
Our guide on how to measure a box shows which three numbers to send for a quote. With the size known you can work out when to order.
When Should You Order Christmas Goodie Boxes?
You should order printed Christmas goodie boxes at least 28 business days before you hand them out and 30 business days for rigid boxes. Those counts cover artwork, a printed sample, production and shipping.
Send the box size and the quantity through our quote form and we return a dieline and a price for your custom boxes. Fill the boxes in the last week so the treats stay fresh.
- Minimum order is 100 boxes per size and design and the price per box falls as the run grows
- Price breaks arrive at 500 and 1,000 units on one artwork
- Production takes 8 to 10 business days after dieline approval and 10 to 12 for rigid boxes
- A plain sample takes 3 to 5 business days and a printed one takes 7 to 10
- No setup or tooling fees apply on the first order or any reorder
- Shipping is free across the United States on every order
Frequently asked questions
The short version
A Christmas goodie box holds three to five items around one theme in a printed box. Clients get a premium treat and a card, staff get comfort items and kids get several small surprises.
Give each item its own space with an insert and size the box to the largest item plus 6 mm. We print goodie boxes from 100 boxes per size and design with free shipping across the United States.
Ready to print Christmas goodie boxes?
At The Customized Boxes we print from 100 boxes per size and design with no setup fees, production in 8 to 10 business days after dieline approval and free shipping across the United States.
