FEATURE:Gifts that mean business

BY JANE BUREK

For me???

The holidays are right around the corner. They offer a great opportunity to thank those who’ve referred a lot of business your way or supported you in your business endeavors. The most effective gifts are memorable, attractively presented, customizable, and easily ordered. We tracked down a variety of gift ideas at different prices. One is sure to strengthen your valuable business relationships.

UNDER $15

“Out on The Porch” Calendar ($11.95)
Speak to the home and hearth aspect of your business—and keep your name top of mind with important contacts—with a calendar inspired by the book “Out on the Porch: An Evocation in Words and Pictures” (Algonquin Books; $18.95). The coffee-table book, a wistful mix of photographs and excerpts from writers such as Pat Conroy, William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, and Thomas Wolfe, salutes the social and architectural traditions associated with the American front porch. Algonquin Books, a division of Workman Publishing, New York City; www.workman.com. Order through www.barnesandnoble.com.

“The Petit” box of Chocolate Truffles ($14.95)
Biting into rich, dark chocolate truffle infused with flavors such as strawberries & crème, key lime, and passion fruit is an experience that lingers. All gift boxes of grand-sized truffles from this boutique chocolatier include handwritten, personalized note cards. Private labeling is also available, as well as ChocolatConcierge, a year-round, account-based ordering service. Chocolat Céleste, St. Paul, Minn.; 866/644-3823; www.chocolatceleste.com.

“Full House” Four-Piece Snack Set ($12)
These ceramic snack dishes—a heart, spade, diamond, and club—could be your ace in the hole with card-playing associates. The dishes can double as small desk trays. For $3.95 extra, the set comes packaged in a navy blue gift box with green ribbon, a gift card, and a personal message of your choice. Uncommon Goods, New York City; 888/365-0056; www.uncommongoods.com.

UNDER $25

Agate BookEnds ($21.40)
Office libraries are kept attractively in order with one-of-a-kind gemstone bookends from Gem Kingdom. Thousands of years in the making, these intriguing clusters are conversation starters and have a lasting shelf life that will call to mind your business relationship for years. Gem Kingdom, Orlando, Fla.; 800/498-0018; www.gemkingdom.com.

Hand-Crank Cell Phone Charger ($24.95)
This handy gadget should be part of every executive’s emergency kit. When power is running low on an important call, simply plug the matchbox-sized charger into the phone, crank—and talk indefinitely. The charger can power six minutes of talk time with two minutes of cranking. Hammacher Schlemmer, Chicago; 800/321-1484; www.hammacher.com.

UNDER $50

ExactSet Travel Alarm Clock ($29.95)
Great for business colleagues who work in multiple time zones, this travel-friendly alarm clock is synched via radio signal with the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s atomic clock in Colorado for split-second accuracy. No matter where associates travel throughout the continental United States, the ExactSet automatically corrects for daylight saving time and leap year. It also easily switches between U.S. time zones with the push of a button. Oregon Scientific, Tualatin, Ore.; 888/274-7980; www.oregonscientific.com.

Recycled Wine Bottle Cheese Board ($30-$40)
Imagine the surprise associates will experience when they receive a custom cheese board made from a wine bottle labeled with their name as the vintner. Nancy Haggerty—a former real estate practitioner—says that Mondavi and Yellow Tail are the most requested labels for customization in this clever twist on personalization. Each board is wrapped in cellophane and includes a cheese spreader. Matching set of wine glasses: an additional $100. Wine Bottle Cheese Board, Sparta, N.J.; 973/729-6877; www.winebottlecheeseboard.com.

Cookies By Design ($35 and up)
You name it—they bake it. Whimsical cookie bouquets spread smiles throughout an office. More than 300 cookie designs can be ordered in shapes such as houses, mailboxes, practitioner’s business cards, or a brokerage’s logo. A shop close to the recipient’s address bakes and delivers orders for freshness. Gift cards included. Cookies By Design, Plano, Texas; 800/347-3110; www.cookiesbydesign.com.

illy coffee 2-pack mug set ($40)
Caffeine-loving business contacts will make you part of their morning routine with this coffee and mug set from Italy’s famed illy caffè. The two-pack mug set comes with two cans of medium-roast coffee for drip coffeemakers, two porcelain mugs, and a stainless-steel measuring spoon. A translucent box, bright red ribbon, and gift card make this contemporary styled collection the “little black dress” of corporate gifting. illy Caffè North America, Elmsford, N.Y.; 877/455-9347; www.illyusa.com.

Sweets and Snacks Tower ($29)
These seven boxes from GiftTree come stuffed with generous portions of different treats, such as fruit and foil-wrapped candies, Cajun pretzels, raspberry confections, sweet sesame sticks, and buttery popcorn. Sharing allowed! Brokers: GiftTree can incorporate your promotions with gourmet food and wine baskets to create a custom product. GiftTree/Gift Services Inc., Vancouver, Wash.; 800/931-3620; www.gifttree.com.

UNDER $100

New England Lobster Dinner for Two ($89.99)
Nurture business relationships in an unforgettable manner with this fresh seafood lover’s fantasy. Plucked from the Atlantic and shipped express, each gift order contains a 1.5-pound Canadian hard-shell lobster, Maine steamers, shrimp cocktail, and homemade clam chowder. A creative alternative to restaurant gift certificates. Lobster Tail, North Andover, Mass.; 888/531-8245; www.lobstertail.net.

Save on gifts from NAR partners

Arbor Day Foundation membership and gift certificates
One-year gift memberships are just $8 and include a membership card; choice of ten flowering or ten evergreen tree seedlings; The Tree Book, providing discount pricing on more than 100 varieties of trees; and a bimonthly newsletter. With NAR membership, buy $25 gift certificates for $20. Recipients can redeem them for at least one shade, flowering, or other tree variety or shrub. Gift certificates also come with perks of membership. National Arbor Day Foundation, Nebraska City, Neb.; 877/445-9917; www.arborday.org/nar.

Smithsonian Institution membership
A one-year gift membership costs just $12 and includes a one-year subscription to Smithsonian Magazine; Smithsonian discounts; study tour and travel opportunities; invitations to regional events; and an 8-inch-by-10-inch lithograph of a watercolor print of the “Within These Walls” house, an exhibition sponsored by NAR. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.; 877/485-6410 (mention your NAR membership); www.smithsonianmag.com/nar.

KaBloom flowers and plants
Get holiday promotional discounts on fresh cut flowers, bouquets, plants, and other gift items—in addition to the everyday 10 percent discount NAR members receive through KaBloom.com. KaBloom’s “fresh flowers at the grower’s prices” are an outstanding way to maintain contact with business associates or show appreciation to your staff. KaBloom, Woburn, Mass.; 800/522-5666 (mention your NAR membership); www.KaBloom.com/NAR (use code GB39P6H3).