# Forum About Russia Society  Gifts from the company for employees' children

## alexsms

The employees in the company I work with have recently received New Year gifts for their children (if they have). It seems to be a tradition in Russia (and previously in the Soviet Union) since many years ago that companies provide such gifts. Is this common in _your_ country?

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## Chris787n

Some here get Christmas Bonuses, but its mostly bigger jobs that will do it for their employees. Basically extra money or some other sort of gift.

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## Hanna

In Sweden it is common. I just read in the paper that 80% get a gift from their employer (company) for Christmas. 
I just got one, a blue glass bowl (don't really need/want it though, but that's a different story, I'd prefer they just added the money to the salary. 
In the UK people sometimes get an extra holiday, if Christmas and New Years is on the weekend. Many companies distribute their bonuses around Christmas. Other save it for the end of the financial year, in March.

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## kidkboom

Hey folks,
I live in the US... Well, concerning the topic: I was a _very_ *blue* blue-collar worker for many years, and in fact, it's only the last 3 years I've been working for a big and reputable company. At blue-collar companies, I never got anything, even a mention of a Christmas bonus.. most folks are just concerned with trying to get days off at places like that. Well, with the company I'm currently at, I remember on the first year's review, my boss tried to tell me how hard she'd fought to keep the christmas bonuses for employees. Inside I'm laughing, because I never even CONSIDERED getting a bonus like this before. But in my time here, my company always gives us SOMETHING - a $$ bonus (small, but token) on our checks, or paid-vacation hours added to our pool of vacation time, or a nice little gift. In addition they often give us little things- gift cards, event tickets, things like this... all very low-cost, these little "stocking stuffers," but in this case, it's really as they say - "it's the thought that counts." 
I've never gotten the type of Xmas bonus that effects your monetary life, though. I know it's common with "high-power" jobs - I'm sure Madoff got a few in his time. But not me!  ::

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