Attractive pen and letter opener set. - Photo by Yahneake Sterling

EVERY YEAR Jamaica's small and large corporations shell out millions in merchandise, donations to charities and cash and kind to various sectors. Come Christmas, they give gifts and tokens to clients and those with whom they interacted throughout the year.

The gifts range from diaries to gift certificates, liquor, condiments, beverages, Christmas cakes and sometimes even plants. Many corporations such as banks even top up the coffers of some of their clients with orders of their manufactured items that can be branded and used as gifts.

Sometimes it seems as if there is a theme; like the year when quite a number of companies gave hot-cold flasks. Another year it was travel bags from one credit union. That same company has given huge umbrellas this year which will be handy during the hurricane season. One Mandeville bank gave customers energy-saving lamps and the business card holders from one international firm are among the best designed ones seen so far.

One security conglomerate given orchids in bloom and the potted plants from the company that also offers landscaping services will last for years. Gifts for the home this year include porcelain candlesticks, juice extractors and chargers for place settings.

Then there are the diaries, organisers and portfolios. What would today's busy worker do without these? They all proudly bear their company's logos and names and are usually leather-bound.

From the diplomats come an attractive array of diaries chock full of useful information and pictures and even Christmas tree ornaments that can be used every year.

Here are a few pictures of gifts from corporate Jamaica; we here at The Gleaner say a big thank you and look forward to serving you with excellence next year.

Key chain and business card holder from Fujitsu.

Another branded item that is very handy when travelling.