Gifts can be great. Especially ones that you weren’t expecting but suddenly realise you really needed. There is no better way to show how well you know a friend or loved one by surprising them with something that they’ll love. Well this year Google has continued the ‘traditional holiday bonus’ scheme but this time, instead of giving employees a cash bonus, they have presumed that everyone of their staff wants a ‘dream phone’… the G1.

Now, no offence to the G1 (nor Android for that matter), but for Google to assume that every one of their employees wants the same thing is somewhat wishful thinking. I mean, I do not buy the same gifts for all my family unless I’m really up the creek without a paddle. If I do, it’s always cash in hand.

If you work for Google and live in one of the following countries, India, China, Brazil, Korea, Israel, Russia, Argentina, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Mexico, Turkey, Kenya, United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Egypt, Chile, and the Ukraine, you will be unable to receive a G1, but instead will receive the cash equivalent of the phone in your December pay-checks, which is about $400 USD. I don’t think there has ever been a time when an employed American citizen has wanted to emigrate and work in Mexican more than now!

Despite the massive assumptions made on behalf of Google, there is sense to the madness. Given the current economic climate a goods incentive is more viable for Google as opposed to the cash lump-sum. With that said, $400 for 85% of all Google employees would provide a $6,841,820 hike in disposable income for the world economy and potentially increase spending/consumption. Ok so they’re not going to turn it around by themselves, but it might help!