Actually when I owned a company and an employee I didn't know well gave me a significant Christmas gift I was very uncomfortable. I tactfully refused it and explained that it was policy (although I had just created the policy). I also hated when people treated me carefully - I made sure to have some friends on staff who would call me a dickhead if I was a dickhead. But I was forever squeezed between our cheap customers, wanting to pay employees more, wanting to reinvest in R&D, and keeping enough cash available for emergencies.
I know a 9-5 labor job isn't great, I've done that. But running/owning a small business is way more work and stress.