Of the ten largest authorities in Sweden, only the Employment Office and the Swedish Tax Agency give all their employees a Christmas present. Both make it in the form of a digital gift card into a site where you can choose your Christmas present yourself. The cost is around SEK 300–400.

“Through a Christmas gift, the Swedish Tax Agency wants to show appreciation to the authority's employees. It is part of our staff maintenance work, ” writes the Swedish Tax Agency.

Employees at Arbetsförmedlingen are also invited to a Christmas table, which can cost a maximum of SEK 600 per person including VAT. The Swedish Tax Agency also offers a Christmas party, but each department can decide for themselves whether it will be a Christmas party, Christmas table or Christmas lunch - and decide what it will cost.

“There is no pronounced amount for this, but what governs internal representation is that it must be motivated, moderate and adapted to the occasion, ” the Swedish Tax Agency writes.

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Do you get a Christmas present from your employer and is it important? SVT News asked people in town. Photo: SVT

Prison Care: Hope for understanding

Employees at the Prison Service receive no Christmas present this year for saving reasons, but it is invited to a Christmas dinner which it should also be "moderate".

- It feels sad to not be able to give a Christmas present when we have an incredibly strained situation. I hope there is an understanding that we are prioritizing the economy and creating space in institutions and detention, ”says Kajsa Nilsson, unit manager at the department for management support.

In previous years, among other things, the employees have received a biocheck, a book or gifts that the inmates have done.

- We chose to keep the Christmas table this year, as it gives room for socializing and relaxing. The Christmas present is a little more impersonal.

Christmas lunch should keep the cost down

The Swedish Defense Forces also try to keep the cost down. This year, the employees are invited to a Christmas lunch in the dining room. The Swedish Transport Administration also offers a Christmas lunch at the larger resorts. If you cannot participate in it because, for example, you are scheduled to work, each department has the opportunity to book your own Christmas lunch at a maximum cost of SEK 575 per person.

The police department neither gives Christmas presents nor organizes a joint Christmas party for all employees.

"On the other hand, there is the possibility for the employer to organize well-being activities for the police employees on no more than two occasions per year," writes Police.

Sweden's three largest universities, in Uppsala, Lund and Gothenburg, let each head of department decide whether or not the staff receive Christmas presents and Christmas tables.

Charity and bonus for big companies

SVT Nyheter's survey also shows that some of Sweden's largest companies reason about Christmas presents and Christmas parties. Volvo Cars offers a Christmas table, but does not hand out any Christmas presents. Scania gives its employees a bonus based on the year's results instead of a Christmas present.

Skanska encourages the managers not to buy Christmas presents for the staff, but gives SEK 200,000 to Save the Children. At Ikea, the employees themselves can choose a Christmas present from a number of different options - where donating the money to charity is one.

“At Ikea we are like a big family and the Christmas present is an important, old tradition for us,” writes the big company.