'We got a $5 Starbucks gift card': 20+ employees share the worst Holiday bonuses they've received

Author image for Ben Weiss
Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Dec 12, 2024 4:00 PM EST

It's the time of year to get disappointed by your employers when they fail to give you the Christmas bonus you most likely rightfully deserve.

There is nothing like the month of December to feel simultaneously grateful and jaded. On the one hand, you're planning to spend time with loved ones, which in and of itself requires figuring out logistics, purchasing gifts, and negotiating difficult personalities. On the other hand, you're looking forward to some much-needed time off work, which in and of itself often means going through performance reviews, attending underwhelming Holiday parties, and of course, receiving or not receiving Christmas bonuses.

These folks shared the worst "bonuses" they have ever received, if you can even call some of these gifts bonuses at all. Some of these range from cheap gift cards (note to employers: a $5 Starbucks gift card is enough for one cup of coffee) to a pen and planner with the company logo on it. Keep scrolling below for the full list. For more, check out this list of relatable work memes for the Holiday season.

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    Cheezburger Image 10440426752
    via Tony Cuenca
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    What's the worst Christmas bonus you've ever received?
    via fuzzyloulou
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    justpracticing I got a letter from corporate letting me know that they had made a donation in my name to a charity. Specifically, to themselves (I work for a non-profit)
    via fuzzyloulou
  • 04
    Illustrious-Gas-... I worked at a company and the owner walked around during the Christmas party and gave people their paychecks in a fancy envelope. That way clients would be thinking that the employees were getting bonuses.
    via fuzzyloulou
  • 05
    FrecciaRosa What's a Christmas bonus? Never gotten one.
    via fuzzyloulou
  • 06
    Sparky3200 Not a bad bonus itself, but management's reaction to how we used our bonuses was despicable. Years ago I worked as a paramedic in the ER. The first few years, we'd get a pretty good bonus, $200-$500 depending on position. Then
    via fuzzyloulou
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    the hospital was sold. New owners cut bonuses and gave each employee a gift certificate for a free turkey from a local grocery chain. At the time, the value was about $15. Most of the staff,
    via fuzzyloulou
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    myself included, felt a bit dismayed, but we were polite about it. Since not many of us cooked turkey for Christmas dinner, we donated our gift certificates to a couple of homeless shelters in town. Management caught wind of it and sent an email to all employees stating that since
    via fuzzyloulou
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    we "didn't appreciate the thoughtful gift provided by the hospital" there would be no Christmas bonuses going forward. We tried to pay it forward to someone less fortunate, and got slapped in the face for it.
    via fuzzyloulou
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    20 d... Last year our school gave teachers a plastic bag with: a mini candy candy, a mini hand sanitizer and a single tea bag
    via fuzzyloulou
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    _critterfritter_ The statement of "be happy you have a job". They had to find a new replacement after that. You could just say no bonus, but you had to be about it.
    via fuzzyloulou
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    Infernal_Contra... I worked in a supermarket, and one year part of Christmas celebrations was that the week before Christmas, the staff cafeteria would host Christmas dinner for the staff, and they would be
    via fuzzyloulou
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    waited on by the management team. It was a free meal, 3 courses, with wine. Cheap, but a decent gesture meant in good humour.
    via fuzzyloulou
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    It was a big supermarket, so there were a lot of staff. This meant that 'dinner' had to have 3 sittings so that a) everyone who wanted to attend could, and b) enough staff were left to run the shop floor.
    via fuzzyloulou
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    I was working a 10hr shift that day, closing my department, so I opted for the 3rd sitting. My friend Dan was on his day off, but planned to come in for lunch just to hang out with people and get free food, which we had been told was totally fine.
    via fuzzyloulou
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    By the end of the second sitting, the management team decided that they had had enough, didn't host the third sitting, and in fact just closed the cafeteria and ate Christmas dinner by themselves. Both me and Dan were effectively told at the door that we weren't invited, and no one else was allowed in except to get water or use the vending machine.
    via fuzzyloulou
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    Dan drove to work on his day off to basically be told to f off. I worked to 8pm without eating since 8am that morning. I never got so much as acknowledgement that the event even happened, let alone an apology, let alone so much as a handful of chocolates from one of the half-dozen boxes that had been opened and left around the tables.
    via fuzzyloulou
  • 18
    My 'Christmas bonus' was to look through the window and watch my boss and all his friends eat free Christmas dinner with wine on the company's dime, while I got to buy myself a day-old sandwich on the way out and get stink-eye from the cashiers because they had to stay an extra 2 minutes while I paid.
    via fuzzyloulou
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    06resurection A box full of candy and beef jerky. It also contained a book written by the CEO of the company about how to be better at your job.
    via fuzzyloulou
  • 20
    UncomfortableB... A large custom hershey chocolate bar of the company logo.
    via fuzzyloulou
  • 21
    novafx4 A ball point pen and cheap day planner with our corporate logo on it.
    via fuzzyloulou
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    W.... I'd say nothing. I worked for a smaller business that did profit sharing, had a banner year and gave out a minimum of $500 gift cards to even new employees. I
    via fuzzyloulou
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    was skipped. I was told it was an accident and that someone just miscounted. I had been there three years at that point and put in some stupid hours, esp after going
    via fuzzyloulou
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    salary. I wasn't depending on the bonus but it was a real kick in the teeth. It made me feel less than and I started looking at leaving after that because they never made it right and I was
    via fuzzyloulou
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    one of three people excluded. When I put in notice to leave, my boss. knew because he said.."This is about the Christmas bonus, isn't it? If it was that important to you, you should have spoken up." I did... I expressed my disappointment. He said.."I
    via fuzzyloulou
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    just thought you were venting. I didn't think you'd actually leave over this. I can't express to you how disappointed I am that you would leave us right now over some gift cards at Christmas." He never got the point.
    via fuzzyloulou
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    j1mmyjazz. Back in the 90's working for the UK civil service. Everyone was offered five whole English pounds. You could accept it & it would be contributed to the Xmas party fund or not accept it and don't go. We also had to bring our own booze to the Xmas party.
    via fuzzyloulou
  • 28
    ntgco After busting our achieve the goal for the year, the boss got a FAT check. Mid 5 figures to We got a $5 Starbucks card ..one....cup....of....coffee.
    via fuzzyloulou
  • 29
    Skyler_Chigurh Subscription to the Jelly of the Month.
    via fuzzyloulou
  • 30
    Murky_Impact5... As an intern at the zoo, working with lizards and stuff, the manager got us all sweatshirts that had the zoo logo and a "nickname" spelled out on the front. It said: The Herpey's. She meant it as short for herpetologist.
    via fuzzyloulou
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    Schwarzes __Loch $20 frying pan at my first job as a bag boy.
    via fuzzyloulou
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    Simmyphila Gift certificates at the restaurant I cooked in.
    via fuzzyloulou
  • 33
    javawong I've had small bonuses at prior companies, this year we are getting the entire week of Christmas off, paid. The entire company is shut down for the week. No PTO reduction as well.
    via fuzzyloulou
  • 34
    badchad65 . My boss gave me a $10 Starbucks gift card. I don't like Starbucks, and it was completely empty.
    via fuzzyloulou
  • 35
    Poorly-Drawn-B... I got a lot of money in the form of overtime pay because I got called in to do 12 hour shifts in scenic, desolate Washington, Iowa
    via fuzzyloulou

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