‘Tis the season for giving — and receiving! Entrepreneurs are making their list and checking it twice when it comes to gifting employees, partners, and clients this holiday season. They’re also adding one more person to the list: their own self! What holiday gifts are entrepreneurs planning to give themselves? From vacations to meal deliveries, here’s a look at the perfect presents 42 hard working ‘treps.
1. Taking (Several) Breaks
This year I’m going to give myself something that I haven’t had since I started my business. I’m scheduling a few week-long breaks from my responsibilities. I promise myself that I’m not going to interrupt, work through, or push these breaks off. This year I’m going to remember that, just like my clients’ needs, my needs are important too. — Adam Juda, Pricing Strategist, TapRun Consulting
2. Caribbean Vacation
This year, I’m giving myself the gift of a happy wife! After suffering through multiple entrepreneurial attempts, it seems we’ve found one that has stuck. It’s off to the beach in the Caribbean. Our last vacation together was our babymoon for our first child, back in 2010. Now, four kids later, it’s well past time to treat her to some cocktails on a beach. Happy wife. Happy life! — Eric Sztanyo, Realtor and Founder, We Buy NKY Houses
3. Turks And Caicos Vacation
For the holidays this year, my wife and I are flying out on Christmas morning for a kid-free vacation to Turks and Caicos. We felt it would be the perfect gift at this point in time for us. This is an early 10-year anniversary present to us. Traveling for the holidays is something we’ve wanted to do for a long time! — Matt Schmidt, CEO and Insurance Advisor, Burial Insurance Pro
4. Brazilian Portuguese Lessons
The biggest thing on my gift list for myself is lessons in Brazilian Portuguese. I’ve been attempting to add the language to my personal toolbox via independent study, but have decided to invest in my education. I draw inspiration from the people, music, and art of Brazil. Learning the language will allow me to be able to move more freely while I’m there. — Aisha Blake, Owner, Zuri
5. A New Backpack
I just gifted myself a new Dagne Dover backpack. I have their Landon Carryall. It is so sturdy and fits everything. For longer days, a backpack is the way to go. It fits laptop, shoes, books, keys, even my lunch. A must for long days! — Beth Lawrence, President and CEO, Beth Lawrence LLC
6. Meal Delivery
I’m gifting myself a weekly meal delivery from Sun Basket. It’s something that I’ve wanted to do because it’s partly as a relaxing hobby (cooking) and partly to learn new skills and information about food. They do organic, vegan, and Paleo meals. I’m excited to give myself new meal options while still learning something around the holidays. — Dustin Christensen, Founder, Territory Supply
7. A Happy Mindset
Just like every year, this year started out with so many goals, both for my personal life and my business. This year, I want to focus on what I have accomplished instead of what I didn’t. The gift I’m giving myself is the mindset to just be content and relax (with a full day of Netflix!). — Roman Debotch, Co-Founder, Black Excellence
8. Time Off
This season, I am giving myself the gift of time. I have time off that I need to use before the year is over. I am going to take days off to read, learn a new skill, and connect with friends. I’ve been working nonstop and would love more time to sleep in as well! — Alex Tran, Marketing Specialist, Hollingsworth LLC
9. Less Work
I’m gifting myself less work this holiday season. With my free time, I’m going to sit around and do absolutely nothing. Maybe I’ll watch some Netflix. It can be so easy to get consumed in the hustle and bustle of work, so I just want to hang out and relax. — Kyle Elliott, Founder and Career Coach, Caffeinatedkyle.com
10. A Standing Desk
My gift to myself will finally be a decent, adjustable standing desk. As a graphic designer, I spend a whole lotta time on my butt. It’s doing neither my health nor my posture any good. I’ve put off buying one for a while because they’re so expensive, but when it comes to health at work, it’ll be worth every penny. — Adam McIntyre, Graphic Designer and Co-Founder, BrandPacks
11. Vacation
This year, I’m gifting myself a vacation trip to visit Taiwan and Shanghai for one week. Experiential gifts and excursions are great because it allows me to step away from work. I can potentially find inspiration by experiencing other cultures. This trip will also allow me to rest and reset for the new year. It will also provide enough time to reflect on how I’d like to improve. — Theo Lee, CEO and Co-Founder, KPOP Foods
12. Stand Up Paddleboards
I will buy two Stand Up Paddleboards (SUP) for my daughter and myself this year. This is a gift for me, in the assurance that I will adventure more often with the one I love. It allows me to live out my values. This gift is also to the one who rolls along with my entrepreneurial lifestyle all year long. — Vanessa Osage, Founder/Leader, Love & Truth Rising
13. Snowboarding In Japan!
I’ll be treating myself and my partner to two weeks snowboarding in Japan. We used to live in the mountains in Canada together, and it’s been far too long since we hit the slopes! Japan has some of the best snow in the world, so I’m super excited for the trip! — Freyja Spaven, Co-Founder, Ampmycontent
14. Rest
For Christmas I’m going to recharge my battery at my family’s ranch in Monterey, California. Spending time on our horses in one of the most beautiful places on earth helps me think without the day-to-day demands. Monterey and horses are chicken soup for my soul. — Dana Dunford, CEO, Hemlane Property Management
15. Sensory Deprivation Tank Monthly Membership
My gift to myself this year is indulging in a sensory deprivation tank monthly membership. I am going to be carving out time each week for 60 minutes of floating. It is great for recovery and rest. This experience will do a lot to keep me focused on my goals and my why. — John Hill, Founder, Adapted Growth
16. New York City Trip
This holiday season I’ll be gifting myself (and my girlfriend) a trip to New York City. After a long, busy, and stressful year, we need a trip together. We can disconnect from work, enjoy each other’s company, and explore the always amazing New York City as a much needed escape. Thanks to travel rewards cards, we’ve accrued enough points to offset the transportation and accommodation. — Scott Wesley, Founder, Making Momentum
17. Time Off From Work
For the holidays, instead of splurging on anything fancy and expensive, I’m trying to take more time away from work. I often work 6-7 days a week and 12-15 hours a day. An extra walk on the beach with the dogs every day. More date nights with my wife. More time to sit back, relax and watch movies. Even an hour or two a day is a nice treat. — Adam Greenbaum, CEO, WhiskerCloud
18. A Massage And Personal Training Sessions
This year I’m gifting myself two much needed experiences: a hot stone massage and 10 sessions with a personal trainer. In addition to running my own content business, I also gave birth to our second daughter this year. I didn’t really take a proper maternity leave and could use some extra self-care this year! I am looking forward to indulging in some me-time this holiday season. — Hilary Young, Content and Brand Marketing Consultant, Hilary Young Creative
19. Hiring Help
This season, I’m giving myself the gift of time. Being super busy is exhausting. I hired an assistant to help me with my work so I can relax a bit next year. He’s been doing great so far and his work has allowed me to spend time with family and friends, especially this time of the year. — David Selden-Treiman, Director of Operations, Potent Pages
20. Summer Trip
As a rather new entrepreneur, I worried my finances wouldn’t be as conducive to supporting my travel addiction. I’m gifting myself permission to continue to fund my passion for experiencing culture, with a trip this summer to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Finland, and St. Petersburg. Having traveled to over 50 countries, I’ve found a way to incorporate this passion by turning my travel stories into intellectually inspiring programs for seniors. — Lia Jill Levitt, Speaker, Advocate, and Writer, Ain’t She Sweet
21. Yoga Classes
This year, I’m treating myself to a massage. Then, I’ve arranged for my husband to give me a new monitor and my family to give me a subscription to yoga classes I can do at home. I’m finding I can’t justify the 2-3 hours a proper class takes out of my day so I’ve been skipping it lately. Hopefully, this is a good solution. — Fiona Adler, Founder, Actioned
22. A New Coat
Winters in Glasgow can be pretty rainy, not to mention freezing. That’s why I’m treating myself to a new coat! It might be a relatively small thing, but it’s something I’ve wanted for a while. I’m currently trying to narrow my choices down to a new Gloverall duffel coat or an Yves Saint Laurent parka. — Will Craig, Managing Director, LeaseFetcher
23. Quality Time
The best gift I can give myself is quality time with my wife Sonia and two daughters and the best gift I can give them is a holiday, so we’re off for two weeks in France. — Sergio Afonso, MD and Founder, Absolute
24. A Yacht
Treating yourself is something that’s very important to me as an entrepreneur. My favorite present from me to me is my yacht, the Virjini. This year, I’m adding a new heating system into the yacht. This will allow me and my family to explore the Bodrum peninsula’s bay and offshore islands even in the cooler months. It’s the self-gift that keeps on giving! — Cameron Deggin, MD and Founder, Property Turkey
25. Meditation App Subscription
I’ve just gifted myself an annual subscription to a meditation app. After seeing friends and family suffering with poor mental health, particularly after bereavement which happens more as we get older, I’ve come to realize that we can’t take our mental health for granted. I chose to start on a series on ‘Kindness’ and the first thing it endorses is being kind to yourself. It’s a good start! — Lena Gore, Sales and Marketing Director, Find Me A Gift
26. A Cruise
Being an entrepreneur means I get to make my own hours and work schedule. It also means I never get a vacation. I’m able to wait until it’s off-season to get the very best prices on an amazing cruise for me and my wife. We deserve this. I deserve this. — Nate Masterson, CEO, Maple Holistics
27. Going Home
This season I am going back home! I will see my family and my country which I have missed so much! I choose this gift to myself because it has been more than five years since I left to build my businesses. Now, it’s time to reward myself by feeling festive again in a family environment. — Johannes Larsson, Founder and Leader, Financer.com
28. Relaxing
As a small business owner, I run my business 40 hours a week and work full-time to make ends meet. I’m also finishing up some college classes. With so little time and much of the end of December and early January planning for my 2019 budget and schedule, I’m treating myself to something free and easy this year. It doesn’t come in a box. I’m turning my phone off and relaxing. I spend so much time checking emails, running my online business, and checking in on social media that my whole day is wrapped around my phone. I’m buying a store-bought gingerbread house, opening some wine, putting on a CD, and relaxing completely unplugged. — Rachel A Madej, Artist and Owner, Rachel Antonia Designs
29. A Cruise
I save 5% of my profits every month. After the holidays in January, I treat myself, as well as my family, to a week-long cruise. This year, we are doing Mexico. Cruises are an awesome way to disconnect yourself from everything. Even if I want to check emails, it’s hard unless I pay extra. My wife and I work very hard, and it’s a great way to just focus on each other without everyday life getting in the way. — Tom Nathaniel, Owner, Lushdollar
30. Weekend Getaway
I bought myself a weekend getaway to go hear my favorite band with my wife in another state. We have already seen them over a dozen times, but each show gets better and better. — Chris Lesner, Founder and CEO, Project World Impact
31. Time Off
As a small business owner and new mom, I never take a day off from work or from taking care of my child. This year, I decided that I’m giving myself one work day off a month. I mean it. No emails, nothing, and it’s also daddy daycare on those days. — Kelly Hsiao, Co-Founder, Block Island Organics
32. Netflix!
This Christmas, I’ll be gifting myself a Netflix subscription. At times I feel like the only person to have never subscribed to Netflix, but I simply don’t have enough time to make the most of it. This Christmas I plan to change that. I’ll set aside a few days during the holiday period when I can unwind and binge-watch a few good series. — Charles Cridland, Technical Director, Your Parking Space
33. Bali Vacation
I’m giving myself space to grow. I’m hiring people to take some things off of my plate so I can focus on what I’m passionate about — which is changing the way people think about beauty. A real, tangible gift that I’m giving myself is a vacation to Bali! It’s well deserved after the hard work in 2018. Rest, relaxation, and fun are so crucial to running a company. From decision making to being a good boss to creative thinking, you’ve got to recharge and connect back to whatever it is that makes you happy. — Melissa Butler, Founder and CEO, The Lip Bar
34. Brazil Trip
I’m gifting myself another passport stamp! I plan to go to Brazil to celebrate a friend’s 30th birthday. I’m buying my ticket in advance in high anticipation and looking forward to great new experiences in Rio. This has been a goal to get to for me. Now the time is here to finally do it. It will be epic! — Chad Rico, CEO, Gold & Gems
35. Audible Subscription
I’m gifting myself with a year’s subscription to Audible. I know this sounds funny, but I’m constantly on a mission to learn more about my industry, marketing, sales, and anything I find interesting. The Audible app lets me do this and listening to audio books is very relaxing. — Brandon Hindle, Real Estate Agent and Team Lead, The Hindle Team
36. Days Off To Relax
My gift to myself is taking my days off for relaxation and my personal relationships. I work long days servicing corporate and private homes landscaping and snow removal needs. This is a busy season for us. It requires a lot of physical labor and long days. I can’t let my days off slip away, so I’m figuring out a way to turn off my phone and computer. This will help me make the most for myself and my family during off time. — Jordan MacLean, Owner, Green Ninja Property Maintenance
37. Food Delivery Subscription
I am gifting myself a Japanese food delivery subscription. I get lazy about cooking dinner and reaching into the bowels of the fridge to find leftovers is starting to get old. With choices like misoyaki glazed salmon, ahi tuna bowl and pork belly ramen, made with ingredients that are all-natural and locally-sourced, I’m stepping up my diet plan to eat my favorite foods for a healthier 2019. — Nicholas Christensen, Founder, Lottery Critic
38. Pampering!
This Christmas season I am going to gift myself with a massage. I will enjoy a nice meal alone or with my girls (I don’t do that often enough!). If it isn’t too cold here in Houston, I will go sit out by the water and enjoy some peace and quiet. I spend so much time taking care of my kids, making sure my marriage is thriving, and on my business that I deserve to be pampered at least once a year! — Chari Twitty-Hawkins, CEO and Founder, ChariT’s Inspirational Creations
39. Being Offline
Working in the tech industry, I always make it a point to give myself the gift of being offline during the holidays. It’s such a gift to get a break from the constant digital noise coming from all sides of the Internet to us 24/7. Even short periods of unplugging refreshes my mind. It keeps me creative and innovative as an entrepreneur. I would highly recommend it to everyone. — Eric Hobbs, CEO, Technology Associates
40. Meal Prep Service
I’m gifting myself a monthly meal prep service and membership to a spa and wellness center. I’ve found that entrepreneurship makes it easy to slack on health and self-care to grow a business. But, I know if I can treat my body better it will be worth it. I’ll feel better, look better, and grow my business as well. — Michael Leonard, Digital Entrepreneur, Inspire Your Success
41. Rocky Mountains Vacation
Every December our family spends a magical day in the Rocky Mountains. We visit The Rimrock hotel for a leisurely lunch in front of a fireplace large enough to walk into. It’s amazing to see the staff tend to the fire. If you get there early enough, you can watch them stack the logs at least 4-5 feet high. Then, they light it. After lunch we go for a stroll in town (Banff) for some window shopping. Sometimes we also take a sleigh ride. We finish off the day trip with a hot chocolate and freshly made chocolate bear paws. This day has become a family tradition. — Brian Winch, Owner, Cleanlots
42. Florida Trip
I’m giving myself a relaxing trip to Naples, Florida. It will help me unwind and refresh going into the new year. It’ll allow me to step back and think more strategically about my business. — Joe Auer, Founder, Mattress Clarity