Does your company give gifts to your clients during the holiday season as a way to say thank you for their business? This year, why not do something different? Some ideas could include:

• Make a donation to a nonprofit in your client’s name.  For example, see Mercy Corps Gift Kits which include a children’s food kit for $20, a women’s small business development kit for $40, and many more.  Their website says: “What’s the best present you can give a poor family in need?  Hope.  Change the way you see gift giving. Mercy Kits are a convenient way for you to give a gift while helping people in need. Perfect for birthdays, weddings and more. And it’s easy to send your personalized gift announcement: by mail, by e-mail or by printing your own card.” (http://www.mercycorps.org/mercykits/?source=1018)
• Instead of a traditional gift like a calendar, pen and pencil set, logo mug, sausage and cheese basket, buy a product produced and sold by a local nonprofit – like a soup kit made by Denver’s Women’s Bean Project - a nonprofit business dedicated to helping women break the cycle of unemployment and poverty through on-the-job training and life skills coaching,(http://www.womensbeanproject.com) or an American Red Cross disaster kit (http://www.redcross.org/store). 
• Send a greeting card that highlights your holiday give back to a local nonprofit…plus your message of thanks.  No gift necessary – just a card which you’d probably send anyway!

What have you done that could inspire other companies? Please share!