Soooo fed up I'm working Christams :-(

[worriedsilly]

I know someone has too. But work right now is a nightmare, I am at a real low ebb. Some of you might remember a recent thread regarding a complaint and just how dissolutioned I am.
And now I'll miss the children getting excited and going to bed on Chrsitmas eve (working 7.30-8) and the day (working 7-3). Working the days running up to Christmas too.

It's the first year dd2 has had a clue and she is soooo excited, and I will miss all the pressis and everything. Big sis will not hear of moving the day to Boxing day, which I am off. So I'll miss it all. Oh except the meal, which is usually a bun fight trying to get a toddler to sit still and the eldest to behave. SO not even looking forward to that.

Someone cheer me up please?

The trick I have found after several years of working christmas (every other one) is to change the way you do things so you are there for the special stuff.

is big sis your sister?

i'd tell her to eff off and have your own xmas on Boxing Day just your little family

Good idea chrimblycompo but big sis is dd2's big sis - my dd.

Maybe I should be strict and say Christmas has moved to boxing day and that is that.

You are the parent, you are in charge. How old is she? If you don't say anything to her then she won't even know what day it is perhaps?

Sympathies though, how horrid :(

Yes!!

Move Christmas Day to Boxing Day. Why does your daughter get to decide? I assume your job enabled you to buy the sodding presents??

It would be worse for you little one to not have you there than to wait an extra day!

Absolutely move it to boxing day!

I'm working Christmas too though, it is shit :(

I appreciate your older DD will want early morning excitement - how about a few chaep trashy toys, she will play happily and not realise you are hiding bigger/ better/other pressies for later, so you can share in the joy of them.

two Christmasses in one day, what child wouldn't be thrilled to bits.

I had to work all the Christmases as a student nurse and loads when first qualified. Its crap, but goes with the territory I'm afraid. Have you got New Year off or do you have to work that too?

Make up your own rituals; you could do presents etc on the 23rd, or tell your sister that you are doing your day on the 26th when you get in from work.
Definately refuse to do any washing up or other chores because you have been working
All you can do at work is make the most of it.

People like you who work in the public sector and work all the crap on bank hols keep the country going and often get taken for granted. (Most of) the people you are there for will be thankful, those that aren't are clearly not ill enough!!

So what do you do?

I remember one ward where we all went in fancy dress on Christmas day; all went well untill a pt died and the relies had to be spoken to by a nurse dressed as Mrs Santa
Infection control would have a fit if that happened these days mind you!!

Oh I thought big sis was your sister not a DD!

Change it to Boxing day, give her a couple of presents to be going on with,and tell her not to be so selfish; you are needed to do something important for others.

How old is your eldest daughter? To be honest, I'm not keen on the idea of moving Christmas Day to Boxing Day.

Fair enough if your children are with the other parent or something, but if you are working, and the children are at home, it would be unfair to put Christmas off. Children over about 5 will know that it's not really Christmas Day, especially if you do the Father Christmas thing.

I'd let them open their presents in the morning if that's what they're used to (ours get up at 5am, so you might still be there if yours do the same ).

They can tell you all about it over the dinner that someone else will have prepared!

Can you split it? Stockings on the day, and something from under the tree to satisfy DD1. Hide other presents and bring out on Boxing Day?

Signing in here OP. I am working 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27 of December. I wouldn't mind, but I only do 3 five hour shifts per week and scheduling have compressed them all into the end of one week and the beginning of another.

I will keep my fucking pension as agreed several thank you Mr Cameron.

Sorry, will stop politicking now, I can hardly help myself these days.

She is 8. I feel for her, it's very exciting being 8 and the idea of waiting a whole extra night isn't appealing is it? Just because of my work adn me wanting to see them open things.

I don't know.

My sympathies to those others working. I think it's hit me as I am just really upset at work these days.

Thanks for rsponding

My son is 8. He wouldn't care less if we did Christmas on Boxing Day, I can't why your child would either.

Christmas is a family thing - it won't be as good if you're not there.

Sometimes we had Christmas Dinner on Christmas Eve evening.

And we often had Christmas Day on Boxing Day. It was actually great cos' Christmas went on forever when I was a kid. We were lucky though cos' we did go to visit relatives and get pressies from them, it was very busy and exciting.

I would rearrange Christmas for Boxing Day. Santa will obviously appear on Christmas Day but I am sure there are presents from you that can wait until the next day.

I missed lots of posts - sorry!

Oo Bobbly that is awful. Focus on the short nature of the days I guess? At least my Christmas day shift is only until 3. Christmas eve is the usual all day long shift.

I'm liking the few toys in the morning and most when I get home. I'm also thinking if dh keeps them up until I get home and we do the new pj thing and leaving out the santa food etc, they may well sleep fairly late Christmas day. It's just dd2, she goes to bed at 6 so she won't make until 8.30. And she's the one who keeps dancing about and singing about christmas and who will so love leaving out santa food.

Oh bugger. I don't want to miss it!!!

Have you got any relatives that your children and dh can visit on the day ? They can then have a christmas day that day and then another one on boxing day .

I have to work on the day too but thankfully only till lunchtime and mine will be up at stupid o clock so will get to see them before I go . And it means I get out of going to the in laws in the morning .

We open stockings in the morning and presents when everybody is up. How about they open a small present on christmas eve with you and then open the rest with you later on xmas day ? You could get them new pjs or something like that ? Or they are allowed to open one present on christmas day and the rest when you are there ?

My dad used to work the same shift each Christmas

We Would be up at 5ish to open presents anyway so opened a few before he went to work. When he went to work my mum made a big thing of us playing with all the toys, helping her with dinner etc. when he came in we had dinner and any remaining presents.

It's far from ideal but you just have to find the best way around it

You have my sympathies, but without amazing people like you who work on Christmas Day I wouldn?t have my Mum here this Christmas. She was taken seriously ill on Christmas day 8 years ago and if it hadn?t been for the selfless Paramedics, Nurses and Doctors working on Christmas day and Boxing day and New Years eve and New Years Day my Mum wouldn?t be here.

I know it doesn?t make up for having to work, but there are people like me out there who think you are amazing and will always be thankful for you.

My god that was a soppy speech, time for methinks?

Very good point Custard, I need to say Happy Christmas and thank you to those who will be caring for my grandad over Christmas time in hospital. I know you won't be getting your turkey on time but thank you so much.