AIBU to think my colleague is being ridiculous?

[matchpoint]

I work in your bog-standard office job-Monday to Friday, 9-5pm. I will be working Christmas Eve, as it is a normal working day, as will my colleagues.

One colleague is moaning to anyone who will listen about how unfaiirrrrr it is that she has to work on Christmas Eve and therefore can't spend the day with her children. Because Christmas is "all about the children!" and it's "soooo sad not spending Christmas Eve with your children".

My DH is working a 12.5 hour shift Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. (he is a nurse) and we have two young DDs. I was also a nurse (left the profession though), and am sick and tired of people thinking they have an automatic right to Christmas off because they have young children.

WIBU to tell her to go do one?

My husband is working Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and is nights Boxing Day and the 27th. He is also working New Years Day. He cant book any of it off...not to bad now but wasn`t nice when the children were little and it was his days to work.

Yabu, nothing wrong with wanting to spend Christmas eve with her children. She should of course have taken it as holiday, if that's allowed. Personally I think Christmas eve should be a public holiday, I know lots of people who have their main celebrations on Christmas eve. I don't get all this 'she should think herself lucky', presumably those who work in emergency services etc chose to do so, as I once did.

God it fucks me right off when those with children think their families are somehow more important than those of us without.

I'm sure nobody relishes working over Xmas. If you feel that strongly about it, either take annual leave or work somewhere that doesn't require Xmas working.

"If you feel that strongly about it, either take annual leave or work somewhere that doesn't require Xmas working."

OP's colleague may work somewhere like I do where every Christmas for the last 6 years everybody has had 5 days in a row at Christmas thus assumed that they did work somewhere that doesn't require Xmas working. This year people only have a 2 day break. Having to come in on Christmas Eve for one day is what has irritated people at our place.

YANBU

When I had a 9-5 office job I had to take Xmas Eve off to ensure I could be back with my parents by Xmas Day - long journey. Everyone that didn't take the day as annual leave, got told the day before to not bother coming in

We get Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day and 2nd January. I've used annual leave to get the 27th, 28th and hogmanay. So I'm off for ten days!

I know that my employers will let staff away early on Christmas Eve and Hogmanay, they always do, but it's worth saving annual leave to make one hundred percent sure that I'm off - and to avoid the commute.

YANBU she could have used some annual leave if it's that important to her.

Mr is working until 9.30 on Christmas Eve. He is not allowed to book annual leave, people are asked to choose three shifts over the xmas and new year period and the manager tries to rota it so everyone gets those shifts but it isn't always possible. He worked Christmas eve and Christmas day last year and since he is off this Christmas day he will most likely be working it next year. Its disappointing, but just one of those things we have to deal with. He works to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table, doing something he enjoys and is good at.

My friend is a nurse with very young children. She works 200 miles from home so stays in hospital accom between shifts. She's been rostered to work Christmas and there's no-one she can switch with so she won't see her kids over Christmas and will spend her off hours in dingy hospital quarters.

Now that's sad.

Working 9-5 on Christmas eve..... Not so much.

I can totally see where she is coming from although she should have booked it off if it is so important to her.

I love Christmas eve just as much as Christmas day. Absolutely devastated DH has to work it this year because it is the day we do soo many Christmassy things in the build up and its just such an exciting and wonderful day.. So having to make it special without him, well until he gets home anyway. He isn't happy about it either..

So yabu because Christmas eve IS for the children and she has every right to be upset.

I work in retail. In the same company for 20 years. This will be my 21st christmas. Missed one 3 years ago when I had ds in the November. We are not allowed any time off during December.

Staffing is as tight as it has ever been and this year none of the shop floor staff are getting any of the bank hols off other than xmas day and the 1st. Tuesday is my rota day off so it will just be like any other week to me. I have to work the weekend in between. I am waiting to be called to a meeting with my store manager (3 levels above me. My mgrs, mgrs manager) to discuss why I can't work Sun 23rd which is not my rota day in.

Having a moan to my colleagues and family but have friends who are hcp's and know I am lucky to get xmas day off. Also, next year, I will get 3 days off at both.

Them's the breaks.

Forgot to add that our managers are bastards having at least a four day break at either xmas or NY.

This used to be the option for all staff. To have one off at least 3 days together. We are so tightly staffed it can no longer happen but, as mgrs cost more it's cheaper to give them the bank hols off. Retail is fabulous.

If she could ahve taken AL then SIBU
If other people got their requests in first then she is entitled to be a bit put out

Where I work I have offered both years to do my share of the days people tend to like to take off over Christmas but have been told no need - I don't think there's any requirement to cover. However if cover is needed then people with children should expect to do their share unless there are people who actually prefer to work this time.

It's kinda nice to be able to spend christmas eve with your children.

well, I've booked it as a day off, but as DS's nursery is open, I'll be putting him in anyway so I can clean the house and do jobs... (bad mother)

TBH I hate the "christmas is about children" thing - it's a religious festival that has culturally become a time to focus on families, not just children, the whole family. If she was very religious and wanted to go to church on Christmas eve, then maybe it would be reasonable, but then book the day off anyway.

Theres some hard hearted posters on MN.

Of course she wants to spend christmas eve with her children, it's a magical day for them. I'd bloody whinge too.

But she's just having a moan isn't she? It is nice to be able to spend C. Eve with your little kids. My work used to involve working Christmas day. At the time I didn't have children and on the whole I didn't mind working so that the little ones could have mummy around. Now I love the fact that I can spend that special time with my toddler. I think her feelings are understandable and as long aas she's not expecting you to give up your time with your children it might be reasonable (and, indeed, seasonal) to let it ride.

YANBU. I would choose to work Christmas Eve if the office were open - this year it isn't. I always work the days between Christmas and New Year as all the twits who come and ask me questions and stop me getting on with my work are on leave: it's nice and quiet and I get loads done.

When I worked in an office, the few of us who had DC used to take them in with us on Christmas Eve. Let's be honest, in your average office job, whilst you might need to be there to cover phones etc, not much actual work is done on Christmas Eve.

We'd set up Scalectix Sp? racing track in the conference room, have a WII on the big (powerpoint) TV, loads of rubbish food. It was the highlight of DCs holiday and at this time of year mine complain that I don't still work there. About 10 kids from 4-14 having a great time. Everyone loved it, even our colleagues without DC - it's the one time that even people who don't like children like to have them around IME.

Your colleague is entitled to feel sad about not being with her DC, but I agree she should stop going on about it. Why has it come as a surprise to her that she needs to work?

But she's only working until 5pm - there'll be hours of time to spend with the children getting hyper about santa coming! She'll also have just had the whole weekend to make decorations, do some baking etc It's really not that big a deal. Lovely of course if you can book the day off and have 5 in a row - but it's not always possible.

I work for the emergency services and somehow seem to have been given Xmas eve, Xmas day and new years eve off. Am in 7am new years day and am late shift boxing day.

I am absolutely thrilled!

People always say that they exoect young people will want hogmanay off and will want to work Xmas...er no everyone wants Christmas off unless they don't celebrate Xmas ( some Muslim colleagues are really generous with swapping shifts at this time so people can spend time with their families)

Well, in some countries Christmas Eve is bigger than Christmas Day, so if she comes from one of those YABU. Otherwise, it's not "all about the children" yadda yadda yadda so YANBU

YANBU. Sil works in retail for a major catalogue store. She isn't allowed to book Xmas eve off. The last time she did so was 11 years ago when her dd was unexpectedly born on Xmas eve.

My employees dont allow annual leave during the christmas week.
We have to write to our personnel manager at least one year in advance if we want any leave!
Maybe the OPs employer is the same?

People just need to get a grip.

We have to work it, we're not allowed to take it as annual leave. We have to accept its part of the job.