47 Percent Of Surveyed Jewelers Hold An End-of-Year Party For Staff. Here's Why

Question: Do you normally hold an end-of-year party for staff?

Yes: 47%

• Dinner at a local restaurant a little fence mending and team building after the Christmas rush. — Alan Lindsay, Henry’s, Cape May, NJ
• Year-end bonuses. It is usually a quick thing because we are busy until the end (Dec. 24). — John Przeclawski, Monarch Jewelry, Winter Park, FL
• We like to do a nice dinner or trip to a nearby casino together in early February when the dust settles. — Christina Baribault-Ortiz, Baribault Jewelers, Glastonbury, CT
• I usually rent a room out at a high-end restaurant and let the staff order whatever they want and have a great time. We also do an award presentation for goofy awards that we all get a kick out of. Last year, I won the award for “most time spent trying to figure out the best placement for a paper clip.” — Christopher Sarich, Noah Gabriel & Co. Jewelers, Wexford, PA
• We typically do a staff dinner once a year. Not in December, of course, because we all have our roller skates on! — Mary Jo Chanski, Hannoush Jewelers, Rutland, VT
• Our end-of-the-year party is in April. By the end of December, we are tired, exhausted and feeling we have been staring at each other’s faces a little too long. We give it a couple of months so that seeing each other becomes a treat once again. — Alexander Rysman, Romm Diamonds, Brockton, MA
• We typically have it the first Saturday in December, to thank and encourage staff, and have a little fun before the holiday rush. We have gifts, food, and games; it brings everyone together for some bonding and shows appreciation. — Kim Hatchell, Galloway & Moseley, Sumter, SC
• Great food … been bowling, dancing, on a cruise boat … hired a band many times. — Alan Perry, Perry’s Emporium, Wilmington, NC
• Our holiday party is for staff and customers to hang out together, play games, eat, drink and be merry using local carriers of our favorite foods and libations. It is not a sales event, but it does serve as a cross-promotion. — Katherine Lesse, Abracadabra Jewelry, Ann Arbor, MI
• Either a nice dinner with spouses/partners included, or wait until summer and take everyone out on the lake in the boat and then out to a nice restaurant dinner. This year neither has happened; bad on me. — Tom R. Nelson, Nelson Jewelry, Spencer, IA
• We celebrate Christmas the first week in January. We are all so exhausted before then. I like treating my staff for a job well done when we are having a great year. — Karen Hollis, K. Hollis Jewelers, Batavia, IL
• We’ve done a couple of different things, but last year we had a store meeting for the whole group where we introduced our new lines that we were going to be carrying, and then afterwards, we all went out to dinner. It’s always nice to be able to show our appreciation for our staff, even if it’s in a small way, and it’s always nice to socialize outside of the store. When we like each other as people, it’s easy to work together as a team. — Becky Bettencourt, Blue River Diamonds, Peabody, MA
• It’s run the gamut from taking staff and significant others to dinner and a Tom Jones concert at the House of Blues to having huge blowout catered house parties (that usually go until 3 or 4 in the morning!). Funny enough, I think our staff prefers the house parties. Our bar at home is stocked with top shelf booze and bubbles. — Melissa Quick, Steve Quick Jeweler, Chicago, IL
• We usually have a smoke out at the owners home. We smoke a brisket, a beef tenderloin, ribs, the whole thing and make a sunday afternoon/evening out of it. — Ralph Vandenberg, Vandenbergs Jewellers, Edmonton, AB

No: 53%

• I did when I first opened 35 years ago, but now we all have families, and time spent with them is more important to everyone. — Donnie Blanton, Brittany’s Fine Jewelry, Gainesville, FL
• We have spent plenty of time together by that point. We also cook finger food and desserts the week of Christmas. — Valerie Goodwin, Vaughan’s Jewelry, Edenton, NC
• Years ago, they said they would rather have the money in their bonus. — Steven Wardle, Forest Beach Design, Chatham, MA
• They didn’t improve morale and were not appreciated, so we discontinued two years ago. Since then, we replaced some of the problematic staff and will consider restarting. — Robert Borneman, Diamond Jewelers, Centereach, NY
• Everyone just wants a nap by that point! — Elena Davis, Towne Square Jewelers, Charleston, IL
• There are only two of us. — Loann Stokes, Stokes Jewelry, Stillwater, MN