xmas time in a U.S company...
 

For those that have employment here in the U.S and to those that are trying to find a job or waiting for a EAD, Christmas time seems to be so different here.

1. Time off seems a big no-no, no more whole weeks off here.
2. The last 4 xmas I've been working here under several different companies I have never had a xmas party.
3. We have accounts with several manufacturers and we have spent over $250,000 with many of them this year, one sent us a christmas card and a piece of ghastly tasting fruit cake and that was it? what happened to xmas hampers that companys would send out to loyal customers I ask you?

I can't put my finger on it, it just seems we Brits celebrate alot more leading upto christmas more than the Yanks! weird I calls it.

Re: xmas time in a U.S company...
 

I don't even work for a company and I have been to two work christmas parties already (one as a guest of my neighbor whos husband couldn't go). My wife and all but two of my neighbors have the whole of Christmas week off (compulsory and it costs them 3 days vacation).

Nokia on the other hand always had there Christmas party in January, when it costs less.

Either Texas or NC is weird (and seeing as you live in Texas I am edging my bets on it being Texas)

Patrick

I thought the Yanks had one big holiday from Thanksgiving through New Year...unofficially that is.

During this period the average joe slackens off a bit, shows his face at the office around 10.30 leaves at 4.00, commute is easier, attends parties and lunch dates galore, "works from home" 2 days a week...etc, etc.

Last xmas, i was working for a telecomunication company and the boss felt really generous he let us leave at 3.30 pm on christmas eve providing all the work had been done:(

no xmas bonus, no xmas party.....bugger all.

Re: xmas time in a U.S company...
 

Yes, working in the US during Christmas is kind of odd. Gone are the days when you and your coworkers would go out for drinks/to the pub at Christmas. Firstly, nobody ever drinks alcohol during the working day.

Another thing that's odd is that, at my workplace at least, the Christmas "do" was hastily arranged about two weeks before the date AND it's held at the weekend! It's as if there's no way it would be held on a workday (during the day).

I think lots of people in my dept. (I can't speak for the other 15,000 or so, many of whom work in the hospital) are taking the week off between Christmas and New Year.

People have expressed some surprise that I'm heading to the UK for Christmas. I guess they expected me to spend Christmas in the US (I did last year) but since my family are in the UK, it shouldn't be that surprising as pretty much all my colleagues are getting together their families in the US.

Christmas is pretty low key compared to the UK which is pretty odd to me since I'm living in the South and virtually everyone I work with goes to church or has some kind of church affiliation.

We had a cubicle/door decorating competition and I got the impression that including any reference to religion wouldn't win "Brownie points" so my effort was decorated with a penguin theme (of course).




NC Penguin

I'm off to my wifes works christmas party tomorrow at a fancy steak restaurant where we have a private room for dinner. I was going to order the $79 dollar porterhouse that they have on the menu, but my wife thought that would be a no no.

It all depends who you work for.

Hubby's company has always been generous...not so much this year though. Still, we are having a Christmas dinner at a fancy restaurant. Last year we did the same, and two weeks before that we all went to Tahoe for a night at company expense. Year before that it was a weekend in Las Vegas, all expenses paid with a huge hamper to great us in our rooms...Always a Christmas bonus too!

Not too shabby , hey? ;)

Bloody 'ell, I must be working for some right tight-arses then, all i've ever had was $20 one year for a thanksgiving turkey!

Yosser.

Who do you work for? Is it a corporation or a family business? Makes a difference.

right now its family owned, although I have worked under the coporate company's, just a case of bad luck I guess.

Yosser,

I'll send you a care package if you like..I mean it.

You know, your name seems to ring a bell..Are you a remnant fom the old WBS days by any chance?

Oddly enough the most generous Christmas bonus package I got was when I was in the UK working for that old goat Muhammad Al Fayed, for an Egyptian he really got into the Chrsitmas spirit and handed out a 1/2 liter bottle of Harrods plonk and a Harrods Christmas pud for all his staff.

At the time I was disgusted, but looking back, considering I was on a a paltry retail salary, I did alright I suppose.

no Christmas bonus's stateswise though just a sodding severance package.

Sorry Poshpaws, I haven't a clue what yer talking about, care package? is that a free xmas hamper?

WBS? no but I was in the WWF once! "can ya smell what the Yosser is cooking"...;)

I'm currently working on a temp to perm basis and was horrified that as a temp you have no rights at all..... that means even though the company I work for is closed christmas and new years day, I won't be getting paid for the time off......:(

Also noticed that there has been no chritmas do and everything definitely seems to be alot more low key. Back in the UK we'd have had about 4 or 5 piss ups at work just for the sake of it during the run up to the big day!

Yosser....a care package is not so great as a hamper..so don't get carried away..You have not been here that long have you..I can tell. :)