The “Chrismas Bonus” thread has now lead to the question, what would be a good gift to the Boss that just gave a weeks pay as a holiday bonus?
Does anybody give their Boss a Christmas gift?
Or is this something only Rudolph the Brown Nose Raindeer does?
A 1.75 of some type of Rot-Gut & a carton of Luckys keeps me in Good standing with the Cheif during the Holidays!
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Replies
Does anybody give their Boss a Christmas gift?
Hell no!
Well at least not since I had one worth getting a gift for.
Actually this year I left a place where I worked for a real scrooge, sneaks out the day before Christmas without even a simple "Merry Christmas"
I started doing some work for a guy that I used to work for and I'm going to get him and his Mrs. a weekend retreat of some sort. He sold his house and is living in a RV while building a new place. Figure he needs a break from the three kids. That RV ain't that big!
As an employee, I never did.....sent a card to the house......but never a gift. Well, I would bring a bottle of Italian to the Christmas party......but I do that for any party I`m attending.
As an employer, I certainly don`t expect anything. (Just be on the job all the earlier the next day!)
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
Been the boss for about 10 yrs, I don't expect anything for Christmas.. I give a bonus and throw a party ... also give gifts to employee's GF's and Wives.
I have received the gift of good scotch from a few guys in the past, that was nice as they know I have a weakness for it but again I expect nothing. ( It was VERY THOUGHTFUL of them though). Some folks don't feel right not exchanging gifts... so I say if you feel the need go for it, My company is pretty small ( usually not over 4 guys) .
regards
james
I've done several things.
The first is to tell the boss privately that I appreciate the bonus. I don't think many people do that. And the boss doesn't HAVE to give you a bonus. Many don't.
One year the boss' Mom had a mastectomy due to a malignant lump. The owners were rich and didn't need the money. So the employees chipped in money and gave it to the American Cancer Society in the owner's name.
Another year they built a new office building. We went together and bought a real nice clock in kit form. I assembled it and stained it. We gave it to them to be hung in the new office.
Other years we've given stuff like gift certificates, season tickets to the opera (gag) and other tangible stuff.
I like the creative stuff much more than the tangible. Especially if the boss is rich and doesn't need the money.
for the most part it has been about 18 years since I had a boss
there were only 3-4 of us
I usually gave the owner a poinsetta and a bottle of his favorite vodka,
I gave the foreman a poinsetta and a bottle of wine
at that time I was making between $4/hour and $6.50/ hour---never worked less than 47 1/2 hours a week in the 5 years or so I worked there.
Stephen
I've been an office boss where people exchanged gifts. I didn't feel it was necessary for anyone to buy me anything, but they really seemed to want to do it, so whatever...
Now, I wind up using a few guys in the field in VA on the rentals, but try to keep it to a steady couple or three. What irks me is the guys that work for you who don't seem to appreciate anything. Last week, I was down there and talking to one of the workers. When he was up in NY in August he said he wanted to go fishing. Then he said he had no $$. So, I forked over the $45 for the trip. I gave him some nice clothes that I notice he wears pretty regular (with company name) and have really gone out of my way to give him work, even when it was taking money I needed for other projects. I've basically kept him going for over a year.
He had mentioned a while ago that he had a hook to some local homemade peach brandy and we had talked about it a couple times. So when he brought it up again, I said I wanted some - he said, "Sure, $20.00 a quart".
Did I mention now he wants to rent one of my houses - at a special rate, special deal - since he hasn't paid rent and is getting thrown out of his house?
It's not the money. I can afford the brandy, but it would be really nice to have somebody show some appreciation once in a while. (Doesn't have to be at Christmas either.) A sincere "thank you" would be a good start.
Don K.
EJG Homes Renovations - New Construction - Rentals
Hear you on that one. Guy that worked with me last year was given $ 1500 at Christmas & he was pizzed because it was"nt enough. Had only been with the company 8 months.
I got two guys working under me now & I always give my Laborers $100 each the day we break for Christmas.
Good boss equals nice bottle of scotch or something along those lines.Lousy boss gets a bottle of Thunderbird or Night Train (or similar bottle of wine with screw off cap rather than a cork)++++++++++++++++
-Do the thing you fear and the death of fear is certain-
Mr F - I suspect you aren't a wine drinker. Studies have shown that the screw off cap is actually better for the wine than the corks. More and more of the vineyards are heading in that direction. I think I recall someone saying the Aussies are doing screw caps big time.
I don't drink Thunderbird, and like some good wines. But I have no problem with some of the jug wines too - even without corks!
Don K.
EJG Homes Renovations - New Construction - Rentals
Lousy boss gets a bottle of Thunderbird or Night Train (or similar bottle of wine with screw off cap rather than a cork)"
You forgot Ripple and Boones Farm. LOL
WSJ
Mad Dog/Wild Irish Rose.
I worked with a company for over 7 years... good guys to work for.. over all. started out at $10 hr..took year and half to get $2 raise. finally I realized that I was more skilled and loyal then I was getting paid for. So when I made it clear they were going to lose me, the money finally came - got a jump in pay from $20 to $30 hr.
at Christmas They would throw a dinner party at a nice restaurant. and we'd get a gift certificate for HD and box of chocolates. after about five years I got an actual bonus...I sure appreciated it. Then I hear from my brother in Alberta he got $1500. from company he'd been with for 1 year. oh well....
But the wierd thing is they didn't give bonuses out again, only the one year. I couldn't figure it out. I know there doing well. It kinda bothered me, I know they are not obligated to give a bonus, but it still bothered me.
As for myself...I always gave them a years subscription to FHB. Until last year when I figured why should I.
We usually buy the boss one of these Throttle Times for Xmas.
http://www.mrym.org/events/ttime.html
jt8
"The cynic is one who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing." --Oscar Wilde
We all chip in and get something for the partners and their wives. Figure if they're nice enough to give us something, we can do the same for them.
my boss can afford any thing he wants. so we been giving him an angel off the angel tree and he was grinning for days.
what would be a good gift to the Boss that just gave a weeks pay as a holiday bonus?"
G80,
F the good stuff. Nothing like a good "gag gift" Once gave the boss a fold out (surplus military style) cot, so he wouldn't have to drive home.............after kicking back with the guy's for Xmas party the year before.
Jon.
Edited 12/7/2005 8:22 pm ET by WorkshopJon
We're all chipping in and getting the bosses and their wives a weekend at a bed and breakfast. Grand total for each of us - $42. They give us something, we give them something. Methinks it's fair.
You and some other employees go to the local "dress up for a pic" store. Have your pic made in some wacky outfits and nicely framed.
I am a boss and would hang it in a prime place in my office.
That is enough, shows your thinking about him, and he can enjoy it for years.
My new boss has a 4 yo Boy.
So I'm gonna see if we got any cool toys left over from our son...
I figure making his son smile is a pretty awsome gift!
Mr. T.
Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store...
Maybe Christmas means a little bit more...
make sure they are noisey toys with lights and sirens, think about getting even with the boss.. 2+3=7
I almost bought my best friends daughter a drum set they had adveritised at Toy'sR'Us unfortunetly they were out when I went to the store.... He got lucky this year...