If you are working over the festive period, what do you do?

[No17CherryTreeLane]

This is my first year of not working over the holidays due to taking early retirement as a band 8 nurse.
I want to take this opportunity to thank anyone working tonight and tomorrow! 💐 🍫 🍷

Cabin crew - no extra pay - it's just the bad luck of the roster.

Thank you to the nurses who work during the Christmas season. My son had jaundice 30 years ago on Christmas eve and the nurses looked after him really well, extremely kind ♥️

Nurse - Community Virtual Ward team on 8am-8.30pm today. Was hoping it would be quiet but it is looking very busy.

Pharmacist. I'm self employed though so working 27th, 28th and then off for 10 days. When employed I always offered to do xmas eve and boxing day in exchange for new years eve and 2nd Jan.

DS is flying home today because he’s got to be back at work tomorrow. I guess he could have not come to see us at all and missed out on his Christmas altogether, so that the airline staff didn’t need to work, but on his three days off he wanted to visit us because he hadn’t for six months. So, yes, maybe selfish reasons but not everyone is jetting off on holiday when they’re flying.

I get a week off for Christmas every five years. Otherwise it's only Christmas Day off either as a BH or Rest Day. This year is my year! I am a station supervisor for a group of suburban Underground stations. We don't get guaranteed NYE/NYD off because people want to go and see some stupid fireworks or drink £10 pints in the West End or some equally daft endeavour.

Another one sending huge thanks and appreciation to everyone who works over this period 💐

@Rabinroo agree with everything you say - also fellow cabin crew for long haul. I'm off this year because I've just had a baby, but in the previous 15 years I've achieved Christmas off once. I have older children too. The leave system isn't fit for purpose at our airline.

My dh is working today, and every day over Christmas and New Year except tomorrow. He's an HSDU technician at a hospital. Hope you all have a chance for a rest day very soon.

Customer services for a food company. Only off on Christmas Day.

Obstetric theatre sister. On duty and hoping for a Christmas baby!

I get the bank holidays off but will be working the rest of the time. Work in customer services for an energy company. My colleagues who work on the emergency line will be working today.

Community Nurse, working today but have tomorrow off.

There something special about working christmas, we make special effort for the patients who have no one to wish them happy christmas.

It's also nice driving around and seeing families spend christmas together.

Merry Christmas

Worked up to yesterday, not back in work until 30th but am on the on call rota. I work for a company that provides mental health care for employers (like EAP type thing) and there's a 24/7 helpline. The on call duty clinician is there in case there's an emergency, a risky caller, etc, to support staff if they've had a distressing call and need a debrief.

I'm not normally patient facing, but all the senior managers who have a core clinical profession volunteer to chip in with the on call shifts at Christmas so the usual staff can have some time off. I'll be on call for a stint this evening and then again tomorrow morning, and overnight Sat-Sun.

DD is a hospital dr not just working all week but on call (so can be called into work at night if needed). Someone has to do it but it’s hard, especially as she and her DH have young children.

I worked last night, NICU nurse. Wasn't a particularly nice/easy shift 🥲 and I suspect tonight's shift won't be either given how sick some of the babies are x

DD is working today. She works in a zoo and loves working on Christmas day as there are no members of the public there, just her, a handful of other staff and the animals.

Not me but DC is Cabin crew. On standby and spent the day before Xmas eve at airport not called and came home. Got called in on Xmas eve with 3 hrs notice to fly out to India and work Xmas day flight home. We had several plans in place, ie. Postpone, be at home or cancel until standby finishes day after Boxing Day. We got lucky and with clear roads travelling back from airport they will be home in time for late Xmas dinner and Gavin and Stacey at 9 and presents waiting to be opened. They will be tired after a long journey and drive home, but we’ll be together.

its part of the job, I hope the flight is a cheery one, passengers and crew in good spirits.

Happy Christmas to everyone working.

My psychiatrist sister often works as she doesn't have a partner or kids so is happy to take a shift. I've worked in retail til midnight Christmas Eve (taking down all the Christmas stuff which was so depressing) and early on Boxing Day.
Think of all those working to keep our lights on and ovens working! Without utilities we'd be in chaos!

Merry christmas to you all, thank you for keeping the world turning. Best wishes for a peaceful shift and a lovely celebration when you can

Used to work in between Xmas and NY, National retailer head office accounts payable dept. There was little to do but the rule was if the stores are open then Head Office had to be open.

I’m a psychiatric nurse. This time of year is really hard for a lot of people. I don’t mind working, I love my job mostly

Lots of amazing people on here, I hope that you have a good day.

I grew up on a farm, then worked with horses for the first half of my career so it was very normal not having time off at Christmas. Dh is a police officer and has done his share of Christmas and bank holiday shifts too.
One thing that has always annoyed me is when the radio's on and the DJs bang on about it as if everyone everywhere gets weekends and bank holidays off. Also, if I'm honest, the fuss people make about working at Christmas, if they do. But, I think it's reasonable to expect a higher rate of pay on bank holidays and I'm appalled that people working for airlines don't get that.
I still have a horse and I still have to laugh when people ask if I have to look after it even on Christmas day. Luckily I keep him on a yard where there are several owners so we muck in doing shifts and help each other out.

@butmumineedit
Just wanted to point out that you brought your daughter up with excellent values!
I'm a teacher so always off at Xmas, but before I worked in a leisure centre worked everyday over Xmas except 25th and 26th and I have total respect for all working normal shift patterns.

Cabin crew for a major Airline. I have been away or flying at Christmas for the last 18 years (except lockdown) I am off this year as have broken a limb badly and obviously can't fly but I was due to land Christmas Day from the far east. The people travelling on Christmas Eve/Christmas Day are generally miserable in my experience. I also have noticed that our flights are rammed during this period when they used to be half full.