There are a lot of thankless jobs in the restaurant business.

As a line cook, I spent countless hours sautéing, searing, grilling and sweating — the aromatics and myself — without even the gratification of hearing customers’ oohs and aahs, and certainly without tips. Hostesses, bar-backs, bussers — they’re pretty much all in the same boat.

I remember the holiday season as a particularly frantic time in the kitchen, when stressed-out families and frazzled groups of shoppers meant more covers than usual, and more complaints. Yet we showed up night after night, because, well, who else was there if not us?

Thanking your employees for their hard work is good practice all year, but it’s especially important during the holidays. Money is always a fine and well-received way to show appreciation to employees, but it’s not the only way. And the dismal economy is no excuse not to show your employees you care.

One of the nicest “thank yous” I ever received was from a client who gave me a Law and Order Crime Scenes book. It was obvious the client had paid attention to me as a human being, because they noticed how obsessed I am with the show.

I couldn’t go on vacation by selling that gift, or pay off my credit card, but it meant a lot to me because it was given in all sincerity — arguably, the most important quality of a good thank-you gift.

So, this year, think back at the year your employees had. Maybe someone broke the tip off their favorite knife or someone is a marathoner and cook and would appreciate a performance chef coat. Maybe one cook really got into jam this year and would appreciate a case of jars.

Gifts don't have to be expensive, in fact, they are even better, even tiny gifts, if they mean you actually paid attention.

What were the best holiday gifts you've ever received?