"Thanks for being an amazing team member, showing up early for service each week, and creating an incredible first impression for our guests."

This sentiment isn't easy to sum up in a gift. A pen with a logo on it or a $5 gift card for coffee don't quite convey this message to its fullest extent.

There's nothing wrong with giving a gift, even if its small, but let's be honest, your team deserves more than that. While we love that many people rely on our Christmas Banners to create excellent first impressions, always keep in mind the hard work that your team members put in.

The good news is that 'gifts' don't always require budgetary approval, and they can actually buy you leadership credibility and appreciation from your team.

While any one of these gifts will be great for your team, try combining all 3 to make this Christmas extra special:

3 Free Christmas Gifts for your Guest Services Team

Schedule Them Off

Depending on your schedule, your guest services team may be serving the first service every week, or both services twice a month or every other week or a variety of other combinations that work for you, but take the time this month (or maybe looking forward into January) to schedule each team member an extra service off.

All at once: On Christmas Eve, for instance, have your immediate or extended family be the "guest services team" and hold the doors (bonus points to have your kids helping) or ask a few friends to stand in for a service and give your whole team a service with their families.

During the rotation: if your team usually has one service off per month, then on rotation, each team member gets 2 services off in January - different team members each service over the month.

This simple act will show each member that you value them as individuals, not just their contribution to the team, and help them recognize the need for time off.

Write a personalized thank you note to each team member

Don't just write their name on the inside of a nice card - take the time to think about how they contribute to the team, and write them a note sharing how you recognize and value their contribution. This is less about pen on paper and your ability to be articulate, and more about the time you've taken to focus on each team member (yes, even the ones that rub you the wrong way sometimes).

This simple gesture goes a long way for both you as the team leader, and them as the team member. These few minutes are time well-invested into the health of your team.

Ask for their input

Have all of your team members write down 3 ideas: Start, Stop, Keep. Ask your team to write down one idea for each category. As a team, what can we start doing? As a team, what could we stop doing? As a team, what is working that we need to keep doing?

Rather than open the floor for people to air their grievances, this simple framework allows you to guide the discussion or suggestions while allowing team members to remind themselves of the positives as well as the opportunities for improvement.

Helping to contribute ideas makes team members buy into what you're creating as a team, and feel ownership for their involvement in your guests' first impression at your church. This ownership will help build a strong team and is a gift to say "I don't have this all figured out. Let's learn together."

About Church Banners

Here at Church Banners, we are all about creating a welcoming environment for you, your service members, and the rest of your church. If you are looking to make your church look more festive during Christmas time, be sure to browse through our catalog of beautiful Christmas Banners.