New York SBDC Research Network

From Toolkit : The approaching holiday season provides an opportunity to show your employees that you appreciate the contributions they make to the success of your business. While there is some truth to the currently popular quip, "haters gotta hate," and you often can't please everyone, most employees appreciate gestures that you make to show them that they are valued and respected. To be well-received, the gestures of appreciation must be about the employees, not about you and not about the business. This means you must evaluate what the recipient would appreciate by looking at your plans through your employees' eyes. To do this requires that you know your employees and have an appreciation for the stresses and joys of their everyday life. (This pays dividends year-round because taking a few moments to interact personally with your employees is in itself an excellent way to show they are valued.) Many employers opt for a holiday party. However, this is a tradi...

As you prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, check out USA.gov's Thanksgiving page . You'll find cooking and food safety tips, travel resources, volunteer opportunities, and historical information.

Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” on Nov. 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War I. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 for an annual observance, and Nov. 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation in 1954 to change the name to Veterans Day as a way to honor those who served in all American wars. The day honors living military veterans with parades and speeches across the nation. A national ceremony takes place at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

So, you want to know, for business or cultural reasons, what holidays are celebrated in various countries. Here are some suggestions: Time and Date lets you choose a date until 2015 and choose the country. CountryReports is also useful. Though you need to scroll through the months to see the holidays, you can choose a country or region. My favorite may be Earth Calendar , a "daybook of holidays and celebrations around the world. For the purpose of this web site a 'holiday' is any day that recognizes a cultural event, and not necessarily a day when businesses are closed. *** Madonna - Holiday The Bee Gees- Holiday

Less companies are throwing holiday parties. Companies are planning their parties later in the year than usual. Companies are planning potlucks instead of hiring caterers. These are just a few of the methods that companies are using to save money this holiday season. Instead of scratching the holiday festivities altogether, read the below articles on ways to save money this holiday season while still celebrating with your employees and customers. Party Poopers - Holiday Parties Take a Hit in Hard Times Small Business - Partying simply with smaller events, iPods instead of DJs Small Businesses - Still giving holiday gifts to customers