Is it really so bad to work on Christmas?

[Wenjie]

I work in the states at a full shop pharmacy like Boots or Superdrug. They're open on Christmas, so I was scheduled to work 9am to 6pm. My husband and oldest balked at this. I ended up nearly quitting because I felt so anxious at work over the whole thing, but my manager gave me Christmas off instead. I've had two days off and time to think since then, and I really think they overreacted. Is it really so bad to work on Christmas?

Depends absolutely on your personal circumstances. My hairdresser does shift work in a pub. She is very happy at the thought of working there right through Christmas, otherwise she would be entirely alone.

I've worked a few Christmas days its always been fun and good pay!
If it's part of your contract then that's the way it is, someone's got to work it as we can't all have Christmas off!
I do think though 9-6 is a bit unfair and should be shared amongst colleagues if possible so shorter shifts.

If you have small/younger kids yeah, it’s shit.
Also depends on your job too.

I know me & my colleagues won’t get any breaks for example. We will work almost 13 hours with probably some celebrations grabbed while running for a wee.

To be honest, it really is just like any other day at work but with some decorations thrown into the mix.

as a nurse i work Christmas Days on rotation..whenever I do this we just celebrate on Boxing Day instead..it really doesn’t matter which day you celebrate. I don’t mind working Christmas it’s part of life.

I’m a nurse so work over Christmas but the day shifts of 24th, 25th and 26th are split up into shorter shifts. Can you not suggest for next year that one person goes 9-1:30 and another does 1:30-6 or something like that?

You work in the States? This is a huge cultural difference. In the USA you also have Thanksgiving as a big family celebration a few weeks ago. In the UK Christmas is a huge deal as it is THE big gathering of the year. Plus bank holidays reflect that. In the USA people go to the cinema in the afternoon on Christmas Day, utterly blows my mind as in the UK nearly everything is closed!

I work in the NHS, my youngest is 6 and I'm working Christmas Day. I'm only doing a short shift though. It's part of my contract if it falls on my shift then I work it, I knew this when I joined so I don't complain someone has to work it. I do have Boxing Day off though

ds has worked in the pub in the past,
i have done a caring shift in the past

last year and this year no one is working!
all good

I used to work Christmas sometimes and I always enjoyed it, people always gave us chocolates and it was one of the few days that we actually got a bit of downtime as we only had to do essential tasks.
We tried to make it cheery which helped. Also the roads were dead and parking so much easier.

DH is a doctor and has probably worked a third of our Christmas days.

Same again this year we just change our big day to Boxing Day / Christmas Eve, this has been since DDs we're babies.

were

plenty of people work on xmas day, it's no big thing and probably a lot less stressful than walking on egg shells at a family gathering whilst over-eating and watching crap on the telly.

My partner is working this year and it's crap for me, nice for him. We don't even know what hours he's working yet. I'm left looking after my kids, and his kid, while doing all the cooking and not knowing when the kids can open their presents. I'm pissed off. My partner gets to waltz in with dinner all finished and kids pleased to see him so they open their presents. Maybe your partner feels the same.

I work for a premiership football club, they're in on Christmas day training for a match on Boxing Day. Its a normal working day but we just celebrate on a different day instead.

If you haven't lived in the UK, you won't really understand our christmas celebration time. It's like thanksgiving and christmas all rolled in to one. Barely anything is open on 25th, and most things still closed on 26th (boxing day).

To answer your question, the vast majority enjoy some time off over christmas, some people don't have that luxury. My DH has worked almost every weekend and bank holiday since he was 16 (we sometimes have an Easter holiday). He had his first christmas off last year (not the best timing!) but he works to feed you (farmer) and you eat every day so he farms everyday.

I’m working nights on the 25th which means I get most of Xmas day at home but without the wine! Then 9pm through to 07:30am in Boxing Day. I’ll be up at 1pm on Boxing Day to make the most of what’s left of the weekend. I’d rather not be working, but the people I look after still need looking after regardless of the day. I’ll try and make it fun

DM works evening. A lot of ppl do it for double pay.

@crazycadetmum

as a nurse i work Christmas Days on rotation..whenever I do this we just celebrate on Boxing Day instead..it really doesn’t matter which day you celebrate. I don’t mind working Christmas it’s part of life.

Me too. I work in ICU and have covered the last two as we are so short of trained staff.

I had lots of fun working Christmas Day and New Year's Day years ago in the NHS. I can appreciate it must be a pain if you have a family.

Depends on what you're used to. In my job we always finish on the 23rd and don't go back until the new year so I'd hate to work Christmas now because I'm used to having it off. I did used to work in pubs many years ago though so I worked Christmas and didn't mind it then.

I've worked them and not worked them. I wanted to be home when the kids were little. Now they are adults it's not a big deal and if offered enough money I would work.

I work in care and working Xmas Eve night and Xmas day night too. My 2 are now adults, my youngest is working Boxing day and Monday. So this year i'm doing xmas dinner tomorrow for when my eldest finishes work.

I worked on Xmas day a few times before DC as a nurse. HAted it. No amount of mince pies, festive music, silly hats or extra pay made up for the fact I wasn't at home with my family. I didn't want to celebrate Xmas on Boxing Day.
Totally spoilt I know, but it ruined many a Xmas for me when younger.

I work in the nhs. I'm working 6-2 on Christmas Day. Its not a special shift for Christmas, just the usual. It's the best shift to work over Christmas in my opinion as I get the rest of the day. I also get double pay which is fantastic. It does mean my husband and kids won't open their gifts till I'm back & they have our fancy Christmas day breakfast without me. My mum is coming round later after church. Which is sad but it's ok, it comes round every year anyway. But still better than working 9-5 or 2-10. My mum would be alone if I was working any other shift.

My DP's shifts always fall over Xmas and new year so we've never had one together. This year he's managed to get Xmas day off which will be nice but I'm not happy he's dropped for both NYE and New Year's Day as usual. Last year he got nights so I was left alone with a small baby listening to my neighbour screaming and banging on my walls, pounding dance music until 5am.
This year he's on days so if we're kept up all night by noise he'll have a lousy 12hr shift on New Year's Day plus the inevitable enforced overtime. At least we'll have a first NYE together though.
Interesting to read that nurses get the option of short shifts when other emergency services don't.