Thanksgiving gifts for clients, matched to the relationship

1. Check the gift rules before you buy anything

A US business can deduct no more than $25 per recipient per tax year for business gifts, according to IRS Publication 463 (checked October 20, 2026). That cap has nothing to do with what you are allowed to give; it only limits the deduction. The same chapter says incidental costs such as packaging, insuring and mailing are generally not counted toward the $25, that an item of $4 or less with your name imprinted and handed out widely is not treated as a gift, and that you and your spouse count as one taxpayer. A gift to a client’s family member is generally treated as an indirect gift to the client.

Three more limits are worth checking before you buy:

• If you work at a FINRA member firm. FINRA Rule 3220 bars member firms and their associated persons from giving more than $300 per individual per yearto an employee of another firm when the gift relates to that employer’s business (current version effective March 30, 2026; checked October 20, 2026). FINRA states the rule does not apply to gifts to individual retail customers. If your client works at a bank or brokerage, their employer’s own gift policy is the limit to ask about.
• Federal employees. Under 5 CFR 2635.204(a), a federal employee may accept unsolicited gifts of $20 or less per source per occasion, up to $50 a calendar year from any one person (checked October 20, 2026). A personal gift of real value is usually out.
• Company policy.Many businesses set their own gift limit or ban gifts from vendors entirely. A short note asking “is there a gift policy I should know about?” saves an awkward return.

This is general information, not tax or legal advice. If you give a lot of client gifts, ask your accountant how to record them.

2. Split your client list by relationship value

Most client lists fall into three groups, and each wants a different kind of gift. Splitting the list lets you spend modestly on most accounts and give a few key clients something chosen for them.

3. Everyday accounts: shareable, modest, on time

For most clients, the right Thanksgiving gift costs little and is easy to share. A box of baked goods for the office, a pie for a household client, a bag of local coffee or a donation to a food bank in the client’s name all say thank you without making anyone feel indebted. A gift from a local maker in your town carries a story of its own.

Two things matter more than the gift itself. First, the card: two or three sentences in your own handwriting about something you did together this year. Second, timing: a gift that arrives the Monday or Tuesday before Thanksgiving lands while people are still at their desks.

4. Key accounts: one personal gift

For your top few clients, one personal gift chosen for how they spend their time is usually remembered longer than a larger basket. Start from what you know about them: the client who talks about their handicap, the one who is always in an airport, the one who has just moved house. Then pick something they would use in that part of their life.

Good personal client gifts share three traits. They are useful rather than decorative, they are not branded with your logo, and they fit the client’s gift policy. A golf lesson, a good travel accessory, a book you have actually read, or a piece of tech they would not buy themselves all qualify. For the golfer or the frequent traveller, a pair of audio and camera glasses is one option, and it is the one we make.

A disclosure: OXIVUE publishes this guide and sells the glasses below. They are one idea among the categories above, not the only good answer, and they are a poor fit for some clients, which the next section spells out.

5. The M08C ($119 at checkout): what a key client gets

The OXIVUE M08C costs $119 at checkout for one pair ($169 listed). It is an Italian TR90 frame with gold or silver metal trim, weighs about 42 g, and comes with a sunglasses, photochromic or clear lens. Inside are an 8 MP Sony IMX219 camera, open-ear directional speakers rated for 7 hours of listening and 4 hours of calls, microphones and Bluetooth 5.4.

• For the golfer.Calls and music through open-ear speakers on the course, and a touch on the temple to take a photo of a playing partner’s shot. Our guide to gifts for golfers who have everything covers the wider choice.
• For the traveller. The free HeyCyan phone app translates 40+ languages. The translated audio is heard only by the wearer; the other person reads the reply on the phone, and translation pauses after each sentence. It needs the phone and a connection.
• For the office. The M08C is our business frame, with meeting transcription through the app. See the best smart glasses for work for how it compares with our other frames at a desk.

Where it is the wrong gift. Do not choose it if:

• the client wears prescription glasses — none of our frames take prescription lenses;
• the client works where cameras are banned, such as some offices, clinics or secure sites;
• you need your logo on it, or a branded box — we do not offer either;
• the gift would break the client’s gift limit, or you want a gift the client can return for a refund — change of mind is not refundable.

The M08C has no display and no published water rating, so keep it out of heavy rain and spray. Photos and clips start only with a visible touch on the temple, and it is worth saying in the card that the wearer should ask before recording other people; our recording laws by state guide explains why. If you are unsure of the client’s taste, the clear lens is the everyday option.

6. Realtor Thanksgiving gifts

A small seasonal gift, such as a pie, a pop-by with a card or a treat for the new house, suits most past clients. A buyer you have just closed with, especially one who golfs or travels, can be the exception for a personal gift, and the M08C at $119 at checkout is one option there.

Gifts to clients and gifts to referral sources are different things. If you give to a lender, title officer or another agent who sends you business, ask your brokerage what is allowed before you send anything. For how agents use the glasses on showings, with the disclosure rules that come with recording inside a home, see smart glasses for real estate agents.

7. Timing, cards and shipping

US delivery takes 5–9 business days; to have them by Thanksgiving, order by about November 13. Shipping is free from $99, so a single M08C qualifies, and two or more pairs in one order are 50% off all eyewear if you are buying for more than one key client.

• Ship to yourself or to the client. Shipping to yourself lets you add a handwritten card and hand it over in person, which is how most key-account gifts are best given.
• International clients.We ship to 39 countries, including Canada, the UK, the EU, Australia and Japan, in 9–14 business days after shipment. Prices exclude import VAT and duties outside the US, and the recipient pays those on delivery, which is awkward for a gift. For an overseas client, a local gift is often kinder.
• The card. Name one thing from this year. Leave out the next proposal.

Shipping, refunds and warranty. Free shipping from $99. US orders typically arrive in 5–9 business days; international orders take 9–14 business days. No refunds except transit damage (replaced or refunded); faults are repaired or replaced under the 2-year warranty; change of mind and unmet expectations are not refundable. None of our frames take prescription lenses. Compare every model on the comparison page.

Frequently asked questions