To wonder how long it'll be before mcdonalds is open Xmas day.

[letsplaynice]

I in no way want this but their opening hours this year are crazy shut at 10 Xmas eve open again 8 on Boxing Day then only shut 8pm till 8am Hogmanay it makes me a bit sad

[ilovesooty]

Oh the OP probably thinks it's ok for emergency and technical services to open, but stuff the people on their own who might want to interact within a service that most people don't need because they have families.

[PureMorning]

Dp and my dad works everyday over Christmas. As do many others

The world doesn't stop,plus not everyone celebrates.

[WorraLiberty]

I don't see what's wrong if they do open on Xmas day?

All my local little cafes are open.

[MaryWestmacott]

oh and the reason people who work in retail don't get a break is because everyone else does! Lots of people have very limited holiday allowance, bank holidays need to be treated like other holidays, days for doing 'jobs', getting shopping done.

Not everyone has large families or even likes their families. We have 2 sets of parents to get round, then siblings etc, but I know others who'll see everyone on Christmas day and then have nothing to do on Boxing Day.

[JudgeyHotPants]

Comparing people who work in the essential and emergency services with retail staff and people who work in fast food restaurants is fucking stupid.

When you go into nursing, the medical profession, the police, fire service etc you know full well that you will almost certainly be required to work over the festive period, it comes with the territory. People who work in those professions are also a damn site better paid than retail and restaurant staff on minimum wage as well... (Awaits abuse for that comment, but it's true so meh)

[ilovesooty]

If you go into retail or catering you know what the score is regarding bank holiday working too.

[ilovesooty]

Turkey sandwiches with their family on Boxing day

For goodness sake. That sounds like sentimental twaddle. There is a call for retail services on Boxing day and there are people who work then by choice anyway.

[JudgeyHotPants]

Thats just it TheAwfulDaughter. When you work in retail you don't get a choice, in most place you can't take any holidays after the end of November until around mid January because it the shops busiest period and many staff are bullied into doing overtime. No doubt getting abused by customers in the process, and all for a pittance. Retail is a very poorly paid and thankless industry to work in.

That is why I feel sorry for the people who have to work, and I'm sorry, but yes I think shops should either have shorter opening hours on Boxing Day or close completely until the 27th to allow them something of a break over what is a very, very busy period for them.

[ilovesooty]

In any case the OP is about Macdonalds opening on Christmas day and I see no reason why they shouldn't.

[Ledkr]

Our local shop is open Xmas day 10-6. Far from feeling sad I felt relieved that I can get stuff if I've forgotten anything crucial, like more booze!

[ChristmasInsanity]

Ours is open and the whole family have voted against me to go their for our Christmas morning breakfast.

[oswellkettleblack]

Our local shop is open. The owners are Muslims.

[JudgeyHotPants]

ilovesooty you're obviously pretty ignorant about the retail profession in general. I've worked in retail, over the festive period and it's hell on earth. You don't get a "choice" of when to work either , it's true that most shops ask you to pick between working on either Boxing Day on New Years Day, but you can't say "neither" and it's not much of a choice is it really? You either have to take it easy and not drink too much on Christmas Day, or not go out and celebrate at New Year.

There is no difference between retail or fast food outlets or either, it's still shit money, being verbally abused with the added bonus of having deal with pissheads.

[MaryWestmacott]

Thing is, when I worked in a call centre (low paid and low skilled really, but a needs must out of work thing), I didn't have DCs I was happy to work Boxing day, double pay, and the employers werent shits, so noone was asked to do an 8 hour shift, the day was broken up into shorter ones - I did a relatively long shift of 7am - 12noon that year, most did 4 hours. I didn't really care about Boxing day, was home by 1 so didn't feel like i'd lost the day. Other employees with DCs didn't want to do that shift, but were happy to do the evening/night one or the New Years Day early start.

In retail, you get Christmas day and Easter Sunday off on the whole as few places are allowed to open on those days, every other day is up for grabs. They get the same holiday allowance, just not having the dictated to days of bank holidays.

In Hospitality, Christmas Day isn't a day off. Spare a thought for all those staff for people who've decided they can't be arsed cooking and are going out for christmas lunch. McDonalds is unlikely to join in on that because they are hardly a 'go to' place for Christmas Lunch, but most of the pubs and restaurants round here will be open. (How many families have a 'go for a pint while the turkey's being cooked' tradition on Christmas Day? That's all staffed)

[ilovesooty]

I've worked in retail including over the festive period. My niece works in retail - for Asda.

[effinandjeffin]

judgey spot on! I worked in retail ten years ago, and after the frankly fucking horrendous run up to xmas, xmas day was a very welcome day off. Last date for any holidays was the middle of Spetember too. Hate it that on these kind of threads where people go 'it may be their choice to work it.' Let me assure you, a lot of the time, it most definitely isn't. We also had our contracts changed at one point, with no choice but to sign them or leave the job, that did away with extra pay for bank holidays.

[MaryWestmacott]

although thinking about it, we've never been a family who got drunk on Christmas Day. Christmas day was always 'family' time and so not really a heavy session as they'd be small children around, my parents never got more than a little merry on Christmas Day growing up too, New Year's eve was drunken, Christmas day not, so the idea that I'd have to 'take it easy' before working Boxing day didn't really factor in, as I'd not be drinking heavily on Christmas Day anyway.

I suppose if you're family traditions include getting drunk on Christmas Day evneing, then it might seem unfair having to miss out.

[ilovesooty]

There are people who can't shop within those hours. There is a need for flexible services in this day and age and thankfully companies have responded to that. Provided people are all treated equally when rostering and they all get the required breaks I don't see a problem.

[ilovesooty]

Now effin I think that forced changes to the contracts people went into in good faith is really appalling.

[effinandjeffin]

ilovesooty shopping hours are already extended over Christmas, so can you please tell me what someone could possibly want or even need that can only be purchased from a place like, say Next on Boxing Day?