It's hard to believe, but the holiday season is upon us! Many businesses, large and small, choose to include clients and colleagues in holiday gift giving, which means now is the time for the (sometimes dreaded) task of gift selection.

Independent communications consultants are known for being incredibly creative and offering clients the personal touch – and gift giving is no exception. A quick question about holiday gifts in the Solo PR PRO Premium members-only Facebook group yielded more than 23 unique ideas that go beyond the status quo.

If you're looking to send tokens of your appreciation that are more meaningful and memorable, take inspiration from these imaginative ideas:

Create and Show Your Skills

Janet Falk's annual haiku message and the winter folklore ebook from Karen Pierce Gonzalez (below) gave me the idea for this entire post – impressive ways to give something more personal while showing your personality and creative skills. Karen even creates customized versions of the ebook for her clients to give to their own customers:

Support Local Businesses

Especially if you work with nearby companies, your clients will appreciate that you support the local business community. But this can also be a fun way to share some of your local flavor with clients in far-flung locations, and give a gift they're unlikely to receive from anyone else:

Do Some Good

The holidays are a wonderful time to remember those less fortunate – these solos have found a meaningful way to combine charitable giving with client giving:

Clever Tie-Ins

The holidays are a lighthearted time when puns and amusing word play can be extra fun. Your company name and/or the services you provide can offer fodder for your cleverness:

Edibles

Edible gifts are a popular choice for the holidays, keeping with the tradition to eat, drink and be merry this time of year! Has anyone among us not given and/or received a tower of treats? If you're looking to branch out, here are a few unexpected ideas that keep with the edible tradition:

Home Made Treats
No one has ever accused me of being a domestic goddess, but if you are, consider joining these indies by upping the edible ante with home made goodies as gifts:

Create Your Own Creations
Combine the tradition of edible gifts with the fun of a clever tie-in for a memorable creation:

Unique Ideas

Go off the beaten path and inject your personality into your gift ideas:

Be True to Yourself and Your Clients

How we approach the holidays is a very individual decision that depends on one's beliefs and the clients you serve:

Clients in some industries would frown on any type of spiritual message, while some consultants feel it's important to express their religious beliefs – and others choose to avoid the holidays altogether. For those who like to express their appreciation outside of the traditional holiday period, Thanksgiving and New Year's wishes can offer a nice alternative.

What are your favorite gifts to give (and receive!)? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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