(Black Enterprise) — Just a few years ago, it was pretty standard practice for companies to dole out holiday bonuses and throw parties for their employees, but as we fell deeper into the grips of a recession, most of those end-of-the-year perks all but disappeared. Economically, 2009 was a particularly tough year with layoffs and cutbacks being the norm for most. Although we’re not out of the woods yet, there are signs of things getting better. According to the American Express 2010 Open Small Business Holiday Monitor survey, 44% of the 516 small-business owners and managers polled said they planned to give their clients or customers gifts this year, down slightly from 47% from 2009. They’re also planning to spend an average of $740 this year versus just $455 last year.
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