"The gift that keeps on giving" in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation refers to Cousin Eddie's sarcastic description of Clark Griswold's Christmas bonus: a one-year subscription to the Jelly of the Month Club, which he receives instead of a cash bonus. Eddie's line highlights the disappointment of Clark's meager bonus, sarcastically calling the recurring jelly shipments "the gift that keeps on giving the whole year".
Clark: [Revealing his Christmas "bonus"] It's a one year membership to the Jelly of the Month Club. Eddie: Clark, that's the gift that keeps on giving the whole year. Clark: That it is, Eddie.
In National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Clark Griswold's gift to his boss, Mr. Shirley, is a <<< !nav>>desk organizer, though it's presented in a generic box, making it indistinguishable from the other identically wrapped gifts from his coworkers, all of whom hoped to receive a Christmas bonus instead. The true "gift" for Clark, however, was Cousin Eddie's sarcastic presentation of the Jelly of the Month Club membership, which Clark declares "the gift that keeps on giving".
RCA trademarked this motto and until the 1950s it was featured prominently in many of the company's ads, not just for phonographs but for radios and television sets. After that time, it began to pass into more general use.
In 1989, the installation of an inground pool ranged between $16,000 and $24,000, according to the LA Times. In the film, Clark commented that he needed the bonus to cover the down payment, and if any was left over, he'd fly the family back to their Chicago home to swim.
Clark begins to get desperate as he continues to wonder why his boss Frank Shirley has not given him his yearly bonus. Clark has been counting on a bonus to pay a new swimming pool, which he hopes to have ready for the following summer.
There's no single average Christmas bonus, but figures often range from one to two weeks' pay (around 2-5% of salary), while flat amounts like $100-$500 are also common, heavily depending on company size, industry, and performance, with many employers offering nothing at all. For instance, some data points show average cash bonuses around $2,145 (down from prior year), but this varies wildly, from flat amounts to performance-based tiers, or even a full "13th month's salary" in some regions.
"The gift that keeps on giving" means something that provides continuous, ongoing benefits, enjoyment, or positive effects long after the initial presentation, such as a subscription, a useful tool like a grill, or even sarcastically, something with endless complications like a white elephant or a sexually transmitted disease. The phrase implies lasting value, unlike a single-use item, and is popular in advertising for items with recurring utility or enjoyment.
Sexually transmitted Diseases come with so many different pseudonyms – The Clap (gonorrhea), The Clam (chlamydia), The Gift that Keeps on giving (herpes), Hi-Five or The Virus (HIV), Syph (syphilis), and Trich (trichomonas).
The Gift That Keeps Giving
He remains the eternal gift that meets every need of the human heart. He is Righteousness when we feel unworthy. Jesus is the Shepherd when we feel lost. He is the Healer when we are broken.
Clark Griswold has many famous lines, but perhaps the most iconic is his Christmas bonus rant, culminating in "Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, kiss my ass. Kiss his ass. Kiss your ass. Happy Hanukkah," and his meltdown about the Jelly of the Month Club, famously saying, "It's a one year membership to the Jelly of the Month Club," before his epic tirade about his boss and the non-nutritive cereal coating.
In National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Clark Griswold's gift to his boss, Mr. Shirley, is a <<< !nav>>desk organizer, though it's presented in a generic box, making it indistinguishable from the other identically wrapped gifts from his coworkers, all of whom hoped to receive a Christmas bonus instead. The true "gift" for Clark, however, was Cousin Eddie's sarcastic presentation of the Jelly of the Month Club membership, which Clark declares "the gift that keeps on giving".
The Griswold kids were replaced in the Vacation movies primarily because of growth spurts and actor availability, as the long gaps between films meant the original actors (Anthony Michael Hall and Dana Barron) aged out of playing teenagers, with Hall's choice to do Weird Science kicking off the recasting trend, which then continued due to natural aging and story needs.
The 5 Gift Rule for men (and everyone) provides a structured, thoughtful approach to gifting, focusing on Something You Want, Something You Need, Something to Wear, Something to Read, and Something Special (Experience/Sentimental), helping to avoid excessive consumerism and focus on personalized, memorable gifts that cater to their interests and practicalities.
In the early 1920s, Victor-Radio (later renamed RCA Victor-Radio) introduced the snappy phrase, “The gift that keeps on giving,” in an ad campaign, promoting its latest radio.
WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON STD IN THE US? HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS (HPV) The human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common of the sexually transmitted infections in America. Almost every sexually active person catches it at some point in his or her life.
The most popular "5 things for gift giving" refers to the 5 Gift Rule: Something they Want, something they Need, something to Wear, something to Read, and something to Experience/Do (or a special surprise). This framework focuses on meaningful, quality gifts rather than quantity, ensuring a balanced selection that covers different aspects of the recipient's life and creates lasting memories.
Something to Keep: Some agents like to give usable household gifts such as engraved Cutco knives and cutting boards. You can also think about other thoughtful and functional gifts such as a doormat with their name (and possibly your logo small in a corner) or a throw.
Many of us just seem to be heavily invested in beating ourselves up and feeling guilty about everything. That's why they call guilt the gift that keeps on giving. It's important to realize that some guilt is useful; after all, it helps form a conscience.
Walmart has introduced annual bonuses of up to $1,000 for its 700,000 hourly store associates, with the bonus amount increasing based on tenure. The longer an associate stays with the company, the higher their bonus potential. For example, a full-time associate with one year of service could earn a bonus of up to $350.
By giving employees a flat dollar amount, in most cases ranging from $50-$5,000 with the median being $300, this type of bonus is typically received with the least amount of drawback. Since the bonus amount doesn't vary from employee to employee, it's an opportunity to appreciate your people equally.
Expect to work every holiday ever except Christmas with no extra bonuses.