Christmas and shift workers

[Purplequalitystreet]

My DP is a paramedic and is working 8-8 on Christmas Day. Our DS will be 12 weeks old. For this year I am taking DS to my DM (150 miles away) and coming back on boxing day, when PIL host Christmas 2 for their side of the family. Luckily DP has boxing day off so won't miss that.

Obviously DS has no clue what is going on this year, but I've been wondering how to deal with Christmas in the future. I want DS to have Christmas in his own home and don't want DP to miss seeing him every year. How do shift workers with children do Christmas?

I was the child of an emergency worker, became one and married one. Birthdays, Christmas. Easter have always been moveable events. DC's best Christmas was DH being on lates and a power cut. Sandwich picnic and board games by candle light as we snuggled under duvets. Make your own traditions.
New generation of emergency workers and we are creating new traditions

When childless I always volunteered so I could go out NY. Then in later years Christmas was moved to Christmas Eve. Memorably one year I had gone from 0 young homeless people to feed the day before to all of them falling out with family (well there was a reason they were homeless) and having 15 to feed Christmas morning. My mum came and helped. That was a lovely Christmassy Christmas! My mum really got why I do what I do after that day.

🥂 to all the other Christmas workers.

Over 25 years we've done it as early as the 22nd and as late as the 27th.
It's Christmas when we are all together.
This year dd1 is working early Xmas eve, all day Xmas day and Boxing Day.
We will exchange gifts Xmas eve night.
Eat Christmas dinner on the 27th
Honestly it's all good.
It's never about a day , just when we are together

My husband works on an oil rig, this year he will be working 3 weeks over Xmas and new year. We always just carry on as normal, we don't move Christmas, we keep his presents and will have a nice family meal when he returns.

Likewise the kids birthdays, school holidays etc all carry on when he's at work. Maybe it would be different if he was just away for the house for a 12 hour shift?

I'm doing night shifts Xmas eve and Day. Don't start until 10pm and finish at 0700. So can get in dinner and presents early evening, then bed in the morning. DH is going to his mums on Boxing Day and seeing his kids (grown ups now). They usually come to us but not really possible this year as I need my sleep.

My ds will be home from college and going out on the lash with his mates, so not concerned about early morning presents.

DH's eldest son and wife are staying for a few days before Xmas with their littlies, so that will be nice, but I'm working those days so will miss most of their visit

I'm looking to redeploy to a new job that's daytime hours

to all the amazing paramedics, nurses, drs, hospital staff, firemen . . . who work over Christmas.

We've just moved the day when dh is working Christmas, something fun on the 25th but actual Christmas Dinner later or earlier depending on which days he is away.