Being made to feel guilty because I won't swap my shift on Xmas day

[Hannah4banana]

I work in a job where we are required 365 days a year. I'be worked there since I was 21, I'm 35 now and I work with 10 other ladies.
I'm child free so generally I didn't mind working on Xmas even when I was rostered off. This year my shift is on.
My boss usually does a dip with everyone's name as 2 people can apply to be off if staffing permits. My name was drawn and in the past I've said just stick it back in but this time I was really happy as ive recently moved an hour away from my hometown nearer work and now I can stay with my family and husband at Xmas.
I've already been asked 4 times if I'd swop with my colleagues so they can be off instead because they have kids. They are making comments about missing their child's wee faces and how they will miss important family time and memories. I know they are bitching about me behind my back and can't seem to understand that I might want some time off myself this year.
AIBU not to swop?

I see Satisfactorylemon has not been back to answer the point made by myself and others - that Christmas is not just for children - it is for everyone. Or to say whether she believes that, now my children are all (technically, at least) adults, Christmas shouldn't matter to me any more.

Wow ladies, so many comments since I last checked.
I definitely won't be swopping my shifts. I've made plans to see both our families over Xmas eve and Xmas day and I'm excited.
I've not had any more requested after the initial 2 days. All the ideas about rosters sound great but we all work 4 on 4 off so there no negotiations with shifts, that's just the way it is.
Thanks so much for all the support, I will definitely be adopting a new more assertive me that says no more often come January!

YANBU

I agree with a fair and equal system for everyone in the workplace. But, if differences in situation were going to be considered, I actually think that single adults (with or without children) should have more priority than families with children not less.

An adult in a two adult household can work all day or half a day then go home to their partner and/or children to enjoy the rest of Christmas Day/Boxing Day.

Few single adults end up settling in the same area as their parents/families. They could well end up working all day or half a day and going home to an empty house for the rest of Christmas because they couldn't go and stay with family due to work.

Defo stick to guns and enjoy the day - I wouldn't expect anyone to swap a shift for me (and I have small child) in fact my other half has always worked Christmas Day for the last 10 years - I'd rather he had New Year off and we get a nice 2-3 week break than a measly 4 day break for Christmas, (which incidentally is a pagan/Christian rite not a right)! For those 'missing their wee children's faces' then I say move the present opening time to accommodate shift or Christmas day to another day especially as most people don't attend church services anyway. Christmas has gone far too commercial now. :)

People get incredibly precious about Christmas!

I do agree with those that have said, if you go in to a 365 day job, your have to expect it.

I've worked many christmases and am working crap shifts this year which I am sucking up quite magnanimouslyeven if I do say so myself A colleague actually suggested I ask someone to swap! I just laughed. Apart from the fact I know no one wants the shifts I've got, hence why I've got them, I would never put anyone in that position. It's rude and my Christmas is no more or less precious than anyone else's, children or no children.

Well done Hannah, keep stuck to it. It's massively off for them to be asking.

Another YANBU from me, too.

Just to add to the chorus - YANBU!! They are very unreasonable for making you feel guilty! Make sure they hear loud and clear that you have worked EVERY Christmas sine you've been there. It must be tough walking away from your kids on Christmas Day, but they will have known this was part of the deal when they took the job - it's not up to you to mitigate for one of the downsides of the job that you all signed up for.

YANBU. It sounds like you have done more than your fair share in the past. People are aware you have been kind in the past and are now expecting this every year. They are not entitled to your kindness and you are definitely entitled to enjoy Christmas Day with your family!

I'm glad you are sticking to your guns. Ridiculous of the others to pester you.

We have some friends who own a care agency and they ALWAYS celebrate Christmas on Boxing Day despite having 3 children. They do this as they both work the Christmas Day shifts to give more of their staff the day off. They figure as owners it is the least they can do and they don't prioritise staff with children to have the time off, they just do the rota but with 2 'extra' hands so to speak.

Enjoy your Christmas.

For a minute there I thought I was wrong in thinking everyone who typed 'swop' instead of 'swap' was incorrect! Thanks posters on page 2!

Now back to the matter on hand, you ARE NOT been unreasonable OP.

Glad you stuck to your guns OP - enjoy your Christmas
I work 8-4 on Bank Holidays - when it was my shift on Christmas Day we bought a family game as an extra present given to the kids on Christmas Eve so they could play it during Christmas Day whilst I was out. They opened their stockings from Father Christmas before I left, and I arrived home to dinner almost ready and we did the presents then. Not impossible to work something out. If children are too young to stay up later/wake up early they are too young to really be bothered if you do presents on Boxing Day instead!