How Many Companies Still Give Christmas Bonuses?

In my favorite Christmas movie, “National Lampoons Christmas Vacation”, the whole plot line for Clark W. Griswald is that he is waiting for his Christmas bonus so he can put in a swimming pool for his family. 

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Spoiler Alert: When the envelope arrives with the bonus, Clark quickly learns his bonus this year is a one-year membership to the Jelly of the Month Club. 

That of course leads to Cousin Eddie kidnapping Clark's boss, Mr. Shirley, and bringing him back to Griswald's where Mr. Shirley see’s the error in his thinking of the jelly bonus and reinstates their cash bonuses.  

Christmas bonuses are something that a lot of people count on to complete or do their holiday shopping. But not everyone gets a Christmas bonus.  

The website Upflip says there’s a good chance that less companies issued bonuses this year due to the inflation costs of the year that cut into profits.  

The site says that 56% of small businesses say that inflation is a reason for their decision on bonuses. Apparently, this is not a stand-alone issue for 2024, because things have been costing more the last few years and that has affected extra Christmas giving from our employers. 

Upflip conducted a survey last year which asked employees if they got a bonus in 2022, and if they expected one in 2023. 69% of employees said they did not get a Christmas bonus in 2022 and did not expect one last year either. 

Only 41% of employers who responded to the survey said they had given a bonus in 2022 and planned to do so in 2023. Almost half of the nation's employers did not give a bonus last year.  

So, what’s the big issue? Why can’t companies give a little back?  

Well, the aforementioned inflation is the biggest issue. But the amount of the Christmas bonus was also problematic too.  

A lot of employees who had been getting bonuses say a reasonable bonus is one week’s pay. So, adding that extra much to a company's outgoing money for one month could be too big of a hill to climb. 

The website found the average bonus given to be $851.97, but for some, it’s considerably more. 22% give each employee more than $1,000 in their Christmas bonus stocking, while at the other end of the spectrum, 17% of employers gave a bonus between $100 and $250. 

Upflip employees report they get an annual Christmas bonus, and their CEO says that employees are the cornerstone of the company and Christmas bonuses should be given as a token of appreciation for what employees do during the year to keep the company going. 

84% of people feel that a Christmas bonus goes a long way to improve morale in the workplace. To be honest, I’m not sure what the other 16% are thinking.  

As you look back at the last couple of years on whether you got a bonus or not, as we approach a new year, maybe this information helps to determine whether or not you start to look for a new job in 2025.