AIBU Christmas and retail

[ItsaTenfromDen]

I work in retail, yes this is my choice at the moment, would dearly love another job, but so far this is proving hard to find.

AIBU to be annoyed by someones desire to go shopping on Boxing Day? I will be up at 4.30 and opening at 6am. What can anyone possibly need at 6am on Boxing Day? We don't sell medicine or food!

I appreciate that Doctors and Nurses and other professions have to work, but I see that as a necessary park of their job. People need medical attention every day.

Even if I didn't work in retail I would never think of going shopping on Boxing Day, I've seen enough of the shops in the run up to Christmas.

Stop.
It's dark and cold and wet and everyone has a snotty nose.

Let's be kind to one another, retail worker or otherwise.

Even as a retail worker, who is working on Boxing Day, some of your stories are shocking.

My main problem with having to work bank holidays is that there is no public transport. (I'm hoping to enjoy the lovely half hour cycle ride through the countryside.) Boxing day and New year are allocated randomly.

I cannot understand what makes customers want to get up early to buy sale clothing. I'm lucky to work reasonable hours in a supermarket, where the main reason most people come in is to get reduced meat and veg. Some people don't have much fridge space. My normal hours for that day have been squished so that I only work from 9am and can be home for a very late lunch.

Shopper - I have never thought about being lonely as a reason for shopping. I'd rather sit at home with a book.

Helena yes he was very incompetent and the staff paid the price, miserable place to work (I had a couple of people I was good friends with work there too at the time).

Shopper - I have never thought about being lonely as a reason for shopping. I'd rather sit at home with a book.

If you haven't seen a person in days, just going out and being where others are around can make you feel less lonely.

I don't think the shops open for this reason (nor should they) but don't underestimate his rotten it is having been in on your own for a long time. Getting out of the house is really important.

I was only saying that before reading this, I hadn't thought of that being the main reason one would go shopping at 6am. I'd thought it was to get bargain.

Christmas is a Christian holiday. Lots of the people shopping on Boxing day are there because the goods are cheap and they do not celebrate or care about a Christian holiday. There is no reason not to close on Boxing Day ... the sales will still be there the day after Boxing Day. I remember back in the day when Sales did not start until New Years Day and between Christmas and New year all of the ads on TV were for cheap sun getaways. Bring that back please!

If people are lonely (and I don't think that's a significant % of the sales hoards) maybe it's because nobody can travel to them or visit or invite them over because they're all bloody working hmm??

What in earth happened there

I missed it all

Even with boxing day There are approximately 362 days left to shop to your hearts content

I mean i dont mind a bit of shopping but even i couldn't manage 362 days

Maybe if people got their bank holidays back they could do more to include their relatives and neighbours… if this actually had anything to do with lonely people

OhtoBlazes. I hang my washing out every day of the year

I was a child in the 70's and 80's. No shops opened on Boxing Day. I'm totally bemused by the 58 year old poster up thread who said people worked on Boxing Day. I'm 53, and NOTHING was open then!

Opening on Boxing Day started creeping in during the mid to late 90's.

Emoji, I must be misremembering, I was a child then too.
What I remember more is when I started work....Xmas didn't take over or last as long. Half day Xmas eve, back to work after Boxing Day. I wouldn't choose to use annual leave in December but so many offices close now.

I work in retail and will have the 26th and 27th off. The sector I work in isn't busy enough to warrant opening. I dread the extension of trading hours on Sundays. I will welcome the end of rampant consumerism. Also if you shop with your headphones on and won't put money into a shop worker's hand you are being rude.

I grew up in the 60's and 70's and no shops opened on boxing day.
however, I said this on the first of these threads and was told I was talking rubbish

Shopper5 this whole 'it's part of retail' is grossly elitist. It wasn't always, it's not an emergency service and the smug assumption they should put up with this is worrying. People can want better from any role no matter how you might look down on them.

Wurly, people won't put money in your hand?
I don't shop much but if I'm en route to work I have my earphones in and switch them off to talk to the shop assistant, I always say good morning, how are you etc so hope they are okay with it.

I heard in the70s London Underground ran on Xmas day. I would find that helpful as I'm trapped with family otherwise but if there were a few lines running then people would want to go shopping...!

I worked in retail for over 15 years, most of that in central London. I was lucky enough to generally be able to choose whether to work Christmas eve or Boxing day and would always opt for the former as otherwise I couldn't go home of see family due to the absence of public transport in the holidays. As a manager I did my best to rota fairly so staff had time off at new year instead, or at Christmas if they preferred to work new year. However conditions have declined in the years since I left and now with less staff trying to meet increased demand I imagine this flexibility - such as it was - is no longer possible.

Retailers are in a constant race to beat targets at the most profitable time of year. I doubt this will change unless it's forced on them.

It's not pleasant, but as an NHS nurse I'm working a night shift on Christmas Day, night shift on Boxing Day, Early on New Years Eve and Late on New Years Day. I'm part time . I may well spend those shifts trying to stop someone dying or trying to make their death as comfortable as it can be (ITU). I'm sure there are many other people that will be doing hard jobs over Christmas, too.

As for the loneliness, I'll never forget one of my sociology university lecturers saying she was going to do a piece of research on 'just a slice of ham' - the behaviour of older people who visit the supermarket daily for their one slice of ham, rather than buying 4 slices, so that they get to talk to someone.

Lorelei76 - agree, it shouldn't be a race to the bottom.

at the only two options for Boxing day activities for the bored, fed up and lonely are to a) sit in their house (where there is no method of entertaining themselves whatsoever) or b) go to the shops.
Going for a walk to their nearest park/nature reserve/beach/castle, seeing, friends and grandparents, going for a meal, popping to the pub, going to pantomime, attending a boxing day event (i.e. some places go sea swimming), volunteering....

and whats so fucking awful about being bored for a day or so anyway?
Bet the retail workers who are knackered would love the opportunity to sit down for more than two minutes and have a chance to be bored.

I grew up 70's/80's here in Scotland I remember very little open until 3rd Jan after hogmonay.

Same here Emoji. Im 43 and i remember going into town with my mum really early on Christmas Eve to get the fresh produce. Because the shops here would shut anywhere between 2 to 4pm and not open again until the 27th or the 28th if 27th was a bank holiday.

This was back in the 80s . My parents were both full time workers. They coped.

Lorelei76, make sure you take them out of your ears too!