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Common sense dictates that certain business gifts should not be given.

• Do not give gifts that might embarrass or interrupt the work of the recipient or others. Many people consider strip-o-grams or gifts with sexual overtones to be offensive, not humorous.

• Do not give business gifts to persons that work for companies with no-gift policies. At a minimum, such gifts put recipients in the awkward position of returning them or result in breeches of ethics for those that keep them.

• Do not give considerable gifts to those with whom you are in the process of negotiating a business deal. Such gifts might be interpreted as an attempt at bribery. To ensure their employees are not swayed by front-row tickets to the opera, some companies prohibit employees from accepting any gifts. Others allow employees to receive only gifts of nominal value—say $10 or $20—or gifts the whole office can enjoy such as a food basket or magazine subscription for the staff lounge.

• Do not give logo-bearing shop for the holidays. As a rule, items from your company's product line (or gifts bearing your company's name or logo) are risky holiday presents. No matter how cleverly you package them, they smack of self-promotion at a time you should be conveying goodwill and appreciation. Reserve product and logo items for more appropriate times such as advertising campaigns. If you think your name or logo must appear on the gift to remind the recipient of who gave the gift, place it in the most inconspicuous place possible. However, if you've done your homework, your gift—and you—will be long remembered.  

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