Visions of Sugar Plums

Every holiday season, some of the world's IROs play Santa Claus, dishing out plums to shareholders in the form of discounts, small gifts and unusual offerings. With these perks, companies reward their shareholders and cement bonds with affinity groups. 'If you think about it, shareholders are the owners of the company,' says Charles Carlson, author of Free Lunch on Wall Street: Perks, Freebies and Giveaways for Investors. 'And if you're going to give anyone a break, it should be the owners.' Shareholder