The holidays put a spotlight on how a company truly values its people. Busy schedules, closing the books, year-end reporting, peak season work, family commitments, all collide at once. In the middle of that chaos, employees are quietly asking a simple question: “Does my work here matter?” From our seat at Semos Cloud, we see that answer play out in very practical ways. HR teams, business leaders, and managers use our platform to build holiday programs that feel thoughtful rather than last-minute or improvised. The ideas are rarely flashy. They are structured, fair, and easy to run at scale. Most importantly, they feel human. We also put our own product to work. We run the same kinds of recognition programs that we recommend to our customers, which means every configuration, workflow, and message has been tested in real life, not only on a demo slide. Here are some of the holiday use cases running on Semos Cloud right now, including our own. Our story: the Holiday MVP that everyone remembers Every year, we run a Holiday MVP program. It started as a simple idea, but it quickly became one of the most anticipated moments of the year. In the weeks leading up to the holidays, we open a nomination program inside Semos Cloud. Anyone can nominate a colleague for “MVP of the Year.” The only requirement is a clear story. People explain what happened, which behaviors stood out, and how the nominee helped customers or teammates. They attach project details, screenshots, customer emails, and anything else that brings the story to life. The experience feels less like filling out a form and more like writing a tribute. As nominations arrive, a cross functional committee reviews them directly in the platform. There are no hidden spreadsheets or email chains. Each story has the same structure, the same fields, and the same evaluation criteria. Once the committee selects the MVP, the real magic happens. We host a small party in the office. There is music, food, and a lot of guessing about who will win. The winner receives a plaque and a meaningful award in the Semos Cloud platform that they can redeem for something personal. The recognition story goes live in our feed so everyone can read the exact nomination that led to the award. The result is a shared moment: The MVP feels seen, with praise that is specific and public. Colleagues see a concrete example of “this is what success looks like here.” The story is permanently visible, so it can inspire people who join later. We advocate for our own product because we use it. This program is not theory for us. It is part of how we close the year. Thanksgiving cards from the CEO: bulk recognition with equal points One of our customers runs a Thanksgiving campaign that is the opposite of flashy, and that is exactly why it works. Every employee receives a message and reward from their CEO. Instead of a generic mass email, the HR team uses bulk recognition in the platform. They define a single point value that every person will receive, and attach a leadership message that feels like it was written for humans, not for a template. On a selected date, the platform sends the recognition out to everyone at once. Each person sees the CEO’s note in the platform, alongside a points award that they can redeem in a catalog tailored to their country. The amount is the same for everyone, which reinforces the message that each person’s contribution matters. For HR, the process is simple: one upload, one message, one scheduled send. For employees, it feels deeply personal. The CEO shows up in the same space where peers and managers share recognition, not in a distant corporate memo. This program demonstrates something important. Scale does not have to kill sincerity. With the right technology, a single message can reach thousands of people in a way that still feels individual. See how holiday recognition works in practice Explore how Semos Cloud enables nominations, bulk recognition, and global rewards without adding operational complexity. start exploring “Festive Gifts” and the power of small, fair differences Another customer runs a holiday program called Festive Gifts. The concept is straightforward. Every employee receives a recognition award, but the value varies slightly across three tiers: 10, 20, and 35 points. Employees work in different regions, roles, and cost structures, so the company needs flexibility. Behind the scenes, HR prepares employee lists by group. Leadership defines clear criteria for each tier, such as job category, market, or contribution to specific seasonal projects. Using bulk recognition, the team issues the right amount to each group in a single action. On the employee side, the experience is consistent. Each person receives a festive message and a notification that points have been added to their balance. They can then choose something meaningful in their catalog, from a small treat to a more substantial gift, depending on the tier. Share the Christmas Spirit with swag instead of points One client runs a Christmas program that skips points entirely and focuses on physical swag. During December, every employee can send up to two Christmas swag packs to colleagues through the platform, choosing from curated gift bundles instead of selecting a points amount. Each gift appears in the public social feed with a short message and a tagged company value such as Excellence, Selflessness, Inclusion, or Safety, so the gesture feels both festive and aligned with culture. Access is simple: people join the program from their HCM system, desktop, or mobile, and manager approval in the background keeps logistics and budgets under control. HR supports the program with short teaser emails, launch announcements, and internal promotions on screens and intranets, then uses reports to see how many swag packs were sent, which values showed up most often, and how engagement varied across locations. For employees, they got to surprise colleagues with real gifts, in a visible way, without worrying about forms or shipping details. What the best holiday programs have in common The specific workflows and awards differ from company to company, but strong holiday recognition programs usually share a few traits. They are inclusive. Everyone receives something, whether that is a message, a points award, or a nomination opportunity. Specialists and frontline workers are not forgotten. They are clear. Employees know what the program is, how it works, and what they can expect. HR knows the budget and can explain decisions. They are easy to execute. HR teams do not spend December chasing spreadsheets or manual approvals. Bulk recognition and automated workflows handle the heavy lifting, even in large, multi-country organizations. They are visible. Leaders do not only approve budgets behind the scenes. They appear in the recognition feed, send messages, approve awards, and react to stories. Finally, they are connected to the broader employee experience. Holiday recognition uses the same platform as everyday recognition, surveys, and communications. Employees do not need a separate tool or login to feel appreciated once a year. Building your own holiday story with Semos Cloud The holidays will always be busy. That will not change. What you can change is how intentionally you use that moment to recognize people. At Semos Cloud, we have seen MVP awards bring teams closer together, CEO messages land more personally through bulk recognition, and simple point tiers like Festive Gifts give HR a practical way to balance budget limits with meaningful festive gifts for everyone. If you want to design a holiday program that fits your culture, your budget, and your HR stack, our team can help you configure nominations, bulk recognition, and rewards in a way that feels both structured and warm. The goal is simple, when your employees look back at the end of the year, they should have at least one moment where they can say, “They saw what I did, and it mattered.” Turn year-end recognition into a repeatable strategy Learn how leading organizations use Semos Cloud to connect holiday recognition with their broader employee experience strategy. talk to an expert Related posts 30 Budget-Friendly Gift Ideas to Show Appreciation for Your Employees read more Employee Recognition Holidays Calendar Get our free employee recognition holidays calendar to make work more fun! download calendar Employee Recognition Best Practices: 10 Program Fixes You Can Apply Today read more
