to be annoyed that dh's new job has only just told him no holidays to be taken at christmas?

[Hhhmmmmm]

Am I being silly to think this was a big enough detail to mention at interview? Dh had two job offers to choose between and struggled to make a decision as they were very equal; this would have been a deal breaker had we known. Is it common practice? Or was it up to us/him to think of anything to ask at interview that would be a deal breaker?

I'm also NHS - we only do 6 hr shifts on Xmas week to ensure most people get some time with family.

It won't be as bad as you think.

YANBU to be a bit pissed off but it is pretty standard. My husband used to work in retail and like other posters it was set up sale on Christmas Eve then in for 7am on Boxing Day. He now works in emergency services - Christmas - what's that? But you make it work, you switch things about and he usually sees the kids for a few hours on Christmas Day.

If you do a job that needs to be done then I think this is pretty normal. A ban on taking leave at Christmas (everyone just works the shifts they have on the rota) is the fairest way, in this situation.

YANBU to be annoyed, but YWBU to expect anything else.

If there is extra pay for Christmas Day then it may be that some colleagues are willing to do swaps.

If his skills are such that he could have chosen to work in a job that can shut down over Christmas, or where it doesn't matter if multiple people from the same team take leave at the same time, I can see why that might be a small factor in choosing one job over another, but only a small one.

Thanks everyone, you've really helped me adjust to the idea and that it is more common place than I thought.

Starting to get my head round planning Christmas day round work. Children are 6 and 4 so pliable yet

When I was in retail there was no holiday for anyone from last week in November until second week can January. It was fairly crap but such is retail, not a lot you can do about it,

yabu. Banning holidays at that time of year is the only fair way to do it. Holiday requests are usually granted on a first come first served basis, should holidays over xmas have been allowed then they would have most likely already received the maximum allowed off at a time, meaning that your dh would most likely have had to work more unsociable hours than he actually will now.
this way it means everyone will get their fair share of the xmas & new year period off without the business suffering