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AIBU?

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Original poster

About non-essential shops being open on boxing day

292 replies

NayrusWisdom7 · 26/12/2014 13:12

Just that I am sick and tired of christmas being ruined every year by having to work Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. The sales may be all well and good but someone has to give up their day to make it happen! I think if stores are to be open at all on boxing day they should be subject to sunday trading hours of 1-6 only. I'm sure fellow retail workers will agree.. Or maybe I'm just bitter?

OP posts:
bananaramadramallama · 26/12/2014 20:16

And another thing…

Due to their goadsome shite, dastardly & mean are ensuring that some poor MNHQer has to work - what with reading this thread and contemplating whether or not to delete their posts etc Xmas Sad

usefully · 26/12/2014 20:17

I have RTFT thanks and some of it is frankly unbelievable.

Christmas is just another day. Boxing Day isn't even a thing anywhere except the UK.

If you're a precious Christmas fairy who has to spend the entire 24 hours with their nearest and dearest then don't work in hospitality. Simples.

Lweji · 26/12/2014 20:18
ilovesooty · 26/12/2014 20:18

Actually Dastardly by last year my mother was in a care home suffering from dementia so my feelings would have been if no concern to her.
Never mind your comments to me and the lack of imagination you demonstrate - those comments to expat are as vile as anything I've ever read on here.

myleftfoot · 26/12/2014 20:22

I would LOVE to know where Mean works so I can book a table next Christmas and avoid giving her a tip just to piss her off a little bit more.

Dastardly's comment is utterly disgraceful.

You two have successfully destroyed the sympathy I used to feel towards those in hospitality. Good job guys. Merry Christmas.

Lweji · 26/12/2014 20:30

It doesn't look like mean and dastardly have actually worked today, at least not the entire day. Nor did the OP, if they have been posting throughout the afternoon.

Also, where are those places with Sunday trading hours of 1-6 only?

joanne1947 · 26/12/2014 20:34

I think all shops and restaurants should close on bank holidays. Give the staff a real holiday. Lets let as many people as possible have time off.

fluffyraggies · 26/12/2014 20:34

God almighty. The insensitivity.

Flowers expat xxxxxxxxxx

youlookbeautifultonight · 26/12/2014 20:34

What so peasants working in hospitality don't have family problems or hard years, marriage breakdowns or family to go to on Christmas Day? Some people really cannot see beyond themselves and there own lives can they? Don't you think these people may like a Christmas dinner with family themselves? It is utterly selfish but ultimately yes I suppose it is the employers that are to blame for encouraging it, mumsnet is a parallel universe at times. It wouldn't hurt to have a bit of empathy with these employees instead of the entitled attitude.

ihatethecold · 26/12/2014 20:36

Well......

That went well!!!

MassaAttack · 26/12/2014 20:36

I enjoyed working Christmas Day when I was a waitress, as did my colleagues. The atmosphere was always great, and we made tonnes of extra money.

Next et al's Boxing Day sales however are an abomination.

Lweji · 26/12/2014 20:40

The OP was about Boxing Day.
Retail and hospitality workers can still have their Christmas dinner on Christmas day.

But again, for most people complaining, Christmas no longer even has a particular meaning other than being with family and exchanging gifts. Which can be done at any other time.
Same as my birthday. Sometimes I have to work that day and will get together with family on the weekend.
So does my son. I don't feel particularly sad for him to have to go to school on his birthday.

Nightboattocairo · 26/12/2014 20:42

Well, call me old fashioned youlook - but if one throws out such gems as 'idiot' & 'selfish' etc to the paying punters..my empathy quota does sort of diminish somewhat.

fluffyraggies · 26/12/2014 20:42

I worked in retail for years and years and had to work most xmas eve's and boxing days. I hated it.

However i never held it against any of the customers who walked in through the doors. If a place is open people are going to walk into it ... people who don't celebrate xmas and people that do.

It's wrong that workers are not given the choice (or at least the reward) for working on these days, but to say it's the fault of the customer that uses the service offered is not right IMO.

usefully · 26/12/2014 20:48

Lots of people have to have "Christmas" on a day other than the 25th, for various reasons.

It's really not the end of the world, ours was on the 23rd this year.

Can't you just have your family day another day?

Agreed it's not the fault of the consumer that the shops etc are open. If they are open for business, why shouldn't people take advantage of that?

DustInTheWind · 26/12/2014 20:51

Why choose to work in retail or hospitality or the like if you hate customers and blame them for making you work on holidays?
Bit like being a teacher and hating children, it doesn't make sense.
Unless it's the only job you could get, in which case you ought to be working out how to escape from it and putting your energy into that.
Expat, I have no idea how people could begin to justify any of the nasty, vicious comments that have been made to you, and I wish I had brain bleach at hand to delete them from my memory. You've got more courage that I can ever imagine myself having in the same situation.

ilovesooty · 26/12/2014 20:51

I agree about the type of Boxing day sales Next has. There is no reason for anyone to have to shop like that, public holiday or not.

However I still don't see the issue with Christmas Eve. It's a normal working day.

Starlightbright1 · 26/12/2014 21:05

The furthest I have been is the Dustbin. I spent enough money of presents for my DS not to have to enjoy them for one day then drag him off to the shops.

I do not work Christmas but have sympathy for anyone who does but would rather be at home. I used to work Christmas so have done my share but was quite happy to do so at the time.

The idea you chose your job/ career based on whether you work Christmas day is laughable

Nightboattocairo · 26/12/2014 21:08

I agree starlight - but really there have been two (?) posters who have been utter dicks on this thread, so it's open season, I'm afraid.

CockBollocks · 26/12/2014 21:24

Can I just add a couple off points!

Yes it does ruin christmas, we work christmas eve after the store closes to price all the sale items. We then have to be on the shop floor for 5.30am boxing day and have to work the following day too.

We get just above minimum wage with no extra for the bank holiday

ALL staff are forced to work there is no option, any sickness is disciplined. (I know off staff throwing up on the shop floor) This is extra hours, no other day is given off.

NO holiday is allowed for 5 weeks around christmas.

There is no flexibility with my company re childcare, any absence is unpaid and can lead to disciplinary - which it often does. Many of us are disciplined for genuine sickness or child sickness (I'm not talking huge amounts, depending on contracts a few days a year can trigger warnings) and have any extra benefits we do get removed for six months and threats of job loss.

Some things are essential services that need to be open, in my opinion more shopping after christmas is not essential or necessary.

I suspect the 400 or so lunatics queuing outside this morning would disagree.

Lweji · 26/12/2014 21:42

That is shit CockBollocks (didn't want to shorten it Grin), but I'd hope that you are angry at your employers rather than the customers.

It is difficult for business too, though, as it only takes one shop or one restaurant to open for all others to want to follow suit.
Perhaps it should be state regulated, but lots of jobs do come with extra hours done, sometimes working over weekends.
I have worked overnight on deadlines, as I have had to travel away from family for work, which retail don't have to.
No job is perfect.

usefully · 26/12/2014 21:45

You work in retail. Christmas is your busy time.

My DB works in the tourist industry. He takes holidays in autumn because summer is his busy time.

I'm a school secretary. I go on holiday in school hols because term time is my busy time.

I really don't see what is different. Suck it up.

Caveat - bosses treating employees like shit is always a problem, in any industry.

ilovesooty · 26/12/2014 21:46

And the appalling treatment of workers by some of the big retail companies is a disgrace, but not the fault of the customer.

usefully · 26/12/2014 21:47

Employees would be the first to complain if the company closed over lucrative holiday times and as a result went into administration, because of lack of revenue.

You should be pleased that customers are using the business you work for, not resentful.

RufusTheReindeer · 26/12/2014 21:52

Sympathies cockbollocks

I think it's a shitty state of affairs and responsibility lies with your employees

I would like a part time job in retail, but the idea of doing what you have to puts me off completely

I think that if employees are fair then it's not a problem, you work Christmas Eve and knock off early or Boxing Day and turn up late but not both

I will admit I don't really understand why so early on Boxing Day, from what my friends tell me it's quieter in the afternoon so I don't see why it has to be open from so early. But as other people have said when one shop does it the others follow suit

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