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AIBU?

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Original poster

To wish there was some way to ban shops from starting their sales on Boxing Day

231 replies

Daisysbear · 08/12/2015 13:39

Yet again, unfortunate shop staff will have to turn up for work at crack of dawn on boxing day to deal with the throngs crowding in for the sales.

Years ago, it was just understood that the shops stayed closed for a couple of days after Christmas. Customers survived forty eight hours away from retail therapy, staff got a proper Christmas break, and we were all forced off the shopping treadmill for a couple of days.

AIBU to wish it was mandatory for all shops (except small corner shops etc selling essentials) to stay closed for at least one day after Christmas to stop all the frenzied buying.

ps I know this wouldn't really work in an increasingly multi-cultural and secular society, but it would just be nice if it could.

OP posts:
Andrewofgg · 09/12/2015 19:29

HelenaDove I am struggling to see the relevance - even if Sports Direct are open on BD the schools aren't.

SD are doubtless shit employers but I cannot fault them for saying No mobiles while on duty - at my work-local Sainsburys you saw staff with the phone in one hand stacking shelves badly with the other until the last manager retired and was replaced by one made of sterner stuff.

Andrewofgg · 09/12/2015 19:31

Tax is for raising revenue and for nothing else.

SevenOfNineTrue · 09/12/2015 19:33

YANBU. No shops should open Christmas Day or Boxing Day.

HelenaDove · 09/12/2015 19:35

Ive never seen retail staff on the phone while shelf stacking.

DrCoconut · 09/12/2015 20:40

The college I work at used to have staff in on Christmas Eve until recently. There is no business to be done then, students are on holiday and no work that couldn't be done from home if the lecturer needed to. It has changed now thank goodness. DH has to work Christmas Eve in a completely non vital industry. He thinks it is normal and has no issue with it but I'd hate it. I really would love to see Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day closed for all but essential jobs.

ilovesooty · 09/12/2015 21:29

Christmas Eve is a normal working day. I'd really resent having to take the day as holiday and not having no any choice about it.

Mydearchild · 09/12/2015 21:34

I so agree with you op. It's the horrid grabbyness of it all, the pushing and shoving for a half price pack of knickers. I can't think of a single thing that would to make me behave in that way. That said I may be a complete hypocrite as I'm quite happy to shop online Blush

HopefulAnxiety · 09/12/2015 22:04

I work for Waitrose and our branch is closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day (don't know if it's policy or just our branch). I will be working Christmas Eve but will finish early (store will be closing early), and honestly I don't mind working then - but I certainly appreciate everyone getting Christmas Day and Boxing Day off.

baublesbells · 09/12/2015 22:10

YABU - if you choose to work in retail, then what do you expect. Closing on Boxing Day wouldn't stop the frenzied buying, why does it bother you so much?

People are free to buy frenzily much as they want

I love Boxing Day shopping, I look forward to the day when the shops are open on Christmas Day too

HopefulAnxiety · 09/12/2015 22:40

But why don't retail workers deserve a proper Christmas break? We're people too. We shouldn't be held hostage by people's greed - and it is greed.

As the OP says, all shops used to be closed on Sundays and for a few days around Christmas and Easter, and often a half day on Wednesday. Everyone coped. Pharmacies should be an exception though.

RufusTheReindeer · 09/12/2015 23:07

I think shops etc should close early on christmas eve, when i worked in offices we were off by about 2pm, 4pm would be good if not befire

Shut on christmas day, boxing day and new years eve

Im working til 1pm on christmas eve and then I'm off to the pub for lunch, i do agree with others that christmas eve is just a normal day...would still be nice to knock off early Grin

baublesbells · 09/12/2015 23:12

Why is it greed? Shop workers get Christmas Day off, that's enough

FretYeNot · 09/12/2015 23:14

baublesbells out of interest, how long do you get off for Christmas?

ilovesooty · 09/12/2015 23:35

New Year's Eve is a normal working day as well. If I'm forced to knock off early I hope I'm not going to have to make the time up.

I have a vague memory I think of a time when New Year's day wasn't even a public holiday.

Lozislovely · 09/12/2015 23:51

I'm not sure if it's my age getting to me but I remember one year rushing to the supermarket for my mum last minute (3pm) on Christmas Eve for something she'd forgotten, and they closed at 4pm.

We didn't go near the shops, not even sure they were open until New Year's Day when our towns 'department' store started its sale!

Christmas was a total wind down time, offices closed for at least a week, you were lucky to find a petrol station open between Christmas and New Year. We spent our time eating left over turkey in various forms, watching something on one of the 3 tv channels, playing games, getting bored at times, and generally doing nothing.

HelenaDove · 09/12/2015 23:59

YY Loz I remember my mum rushing me and DB into town on many Christmas Eves in the early 80s because she wanted fresh veg sprouts etc for the next day and the shops all shut in the early afternoon on Christmas Eve.

notquitehuman · 10/12/2015 00:17

I've been shopping once on boxing day. My DM invited us over for 10 am, which I thought was because she wanted help with the big lunch buffet, and so we could exchange gifts. No, she wanted to go to Debenhams 'just for a quick look around', and my DB was insistent that we go to PC World right that second so he could spend his xmas money. We piled into the car and drove to a grim out of town shopping centre in the pissing rain. There actually weren't that many people about, just lots of very tired looking staff that I felt sorry for. All the lovely gift sets and christmas clothes looked cheap and miserable on the sale shelves, and I couldn't muster any enthusiasm for buying a sequinned dress at half price.

After so many weeks of shopping and build up, it's weird that the xmas spirit just dies on boxing day. I've always seen it as xmas day part two, where you see relatives you couldn't be with the day before and enjoy the festive spirit for a little longer. Plus they have all the best films on TV. I don't want to miss screenings of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers or The Producers just because I'm in bloody Next.

PiperChapstick · 10/12/2015 00:30

YANBU. I think it's cruel and borders on inhumane

kali110 · 10/12/2015 00:53

Yanbu.
Im not a bloody christian either i just don't want to spend lots of money getting to work boxing day!
No buses near me run on that day, it costs me loads to get to work when i was there, more than i was making for 2 days!
People can survive for 2 days without shopping!

kali110 · 10/12/2015 00:56

Oh xmas day off, thankyou very much Hmm
Made it so worth it when i had to go to bed at 9pm xmas day to be up for my boxing day work.
To be basically working for nothing.

ComposHatComesBack · 10/12/2015 02:54

This year I will be off, but in previous years I've worked boxing day and I'll be in on New Year's Day (in Scotland where it is as important, if not more so that Christmas) for the regular hourly rate. (no double or treble time for us!)

I wouldn't say it was one of my favourite parts of the job, but I don't mind it and knew he score when I took the job. I would resent having two or three days of my leave allowance which I can take any time I like and have it 'fixed' on the 26th Dec and 1st Jan. Surely the op didn't think employers would give us extra days off did she?

baublesbells · 10/12/2015 18:02

YANBU. I think it's cruel and borders on inhumane

Inhumane? Never heard anything so ridiculous in all my life

baublesbells · 10/12/2015 18:07

baublesbells out of interest, how long do you get off for Christmas?

Currently, I get 12 days off

BUT I worked in retail for over 20 years where I only got Christmas Day off, didn't bother me. It is part of being in retail. No point moaning about it, I was just grateful I had a job

ivykaty44 · 11/12/2015 18:53

DD works in a perishable independent shop and finishes on Xmas eve at 3pm and the shop shuts for 3 weeks!

vienna1981 · 11/12/2015 20:45

I don't participate in Christmas these days but I find it quite disheartening the number of businesses (mainly large stores) that are now open on Boxing Day and New Year's Day when they were closed on both these days just four or five years ago. Morrisons, I am looking at you. For heaven's sake, take a break. It means that apart from Easter Sunday and Christmas Day, Morrisons is open every day of the year. It's bloody depressing and a sign of the times.

BTW I am also at work (airport) at 5 a.m. on Boxing Day, 27th, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day and 2nd. No enhanced pay. I sympathise with those similarly affected.

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