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AIBU?

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Original poster

Christmas leave -v- New Years leave

63 replies

Homethroughthepuddles · 06/11/2018 11:41

Someone in here has just suggested that staff with young children be given priority for Christmas leave, and staff without young children be given priority for leave on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

Sigh! When will some people get that not every adult without small children wants to go out and paint the town red on NYE? I haven't gone out to celebrate New Year in about ten years. I'm quite happy at home with a glass of champagne and the telly.

On the other hand I do value Christmas day with my extended family.

AIBU to wish people would stop suggesting this as some kind of 'fair' compromise. Maybe some young and childfree people might love the opportunity to go wild on New Year's Eve. But many people have no interest whatsoever in doing so, regardless of their family situation.

OP posts:
fanfan18 · 06/11/2018 11:46

Totally agree.

My mum was a nurse, always worked Xmas when we were small. Now we are older and she's near retirement, its an unwritten rule that people with young children get Xmas off. So she worked back then and now she works it still!

FuckedItAgain · 06/11/2018 11:46

I'm a parent and I'd gladly let you tale Christmas leave if it meant I was off over New Year.

Whitescarf · 06/11/2018 11:49

So frustrating! Almost all the people at work with young kids expect Christmas off because it's 'for the kids'. I want to celebrate and not work too!!

Santaclarita · 06/11/2018 11:53

I put myself down for both off this year, as I've got neither for 3 years, so sod the lot of them. I got it, and some complained, but don't care. Having a child doesn't give you a right to get over Christmas off. Most of these people hate Christmas too, but I love it.

Puggles123 · 06/11/2018 11:55

We used to do a ballot at work, as the watches moved around it wasn’t really possible to just change it every year. I would usually swap with colleagues with little ones if I pulled out Christmas, but it was nice to have the choice and for everyone to have an equal chance.

IWantChocolates · 06/11/2018 11:55

YANBU. Holiday leave over Christmas/New Year should be done on a rotation basis so everyone gets the time they'd like every year or so. If there are those who'd like every NY off then they can let the person doing the rota know in advance.

My brother is a police officer and he's worked Christmas Eve/Day/Boxing Day many times before and has two children at home. He doesn't complain, he knows it comes with the job and has a good family time when he's not working. He doesn't expect anything just because he has kids.

IWantChocolates · 06/11/2018 11:56

every other year

Alfie190 · 06/11/2018 11:59

I am childfree and would definitely prefer Christmas to New Year. I rarely do anything on NYE, maybe once evry four years i might go out.

ilovesooty · 06/11/2018 12:00

My manager simply said anyone who didn't have first choice last year gets it this year. Family circumstances irrelevant.

FormerlyFrikadela01 · 06/11/2018 12:07

I agree. I adore Christmas and always have done even before children. However my maternity leave was the first time in 7 years of had it off becasue It was assumed I'd prefer new year (I dont).

I now work where it's assumed everyone takes their fair share and this year I'm doing nights. There's a few that moan and say that since they have kids they should have it off but tough.

ScreamingValenta · 06/11/2018 12:10

Childfree here and haven't been out on NYE since 2011.

SnuggyBuggy · 06/11/2018 12:14

I don't get why people without children are less deserving of Christmas off. Don't families where a parent works Christmas just move the festivities to another day?

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 06/11/2018 12:22

My manager simply said anyone who didn't have first choice last year gets it this year. Family circumstances irrelevant.

Your manager sounds like they have their head screwed on correctly! It frustrates me so much that people use the it's for the kids line. Yes its lovely when you get to see them opening their presents but equally you chose a job that means you may have to work during the festive period. Christmas is for families and just because you do not have children does not mean that you are less deserving of having the day off.

DogMamma · 06/11/2018 12:22

Oh god that is so frustrating before I was a step mother i was always expected to not take Xmas leave. i met my now husband and dss came into my life, for the first few years I was still expected to work Xmas...fine he is not biologically mine and he loves with his mother. He has since loved with dh and I for 8 years I have parental responsibility over him, I raise him. I do everything for him as I would i had given birth to him myself, and I struggle to get Xmas off.....because "well its not really the same is it, you never gave birth to him" ARE YOI FRIGGIN KIDDING!!! he is my legal responsibility I applied to the court I got all the documents he loves with me is financially, emotionally and morally dependant on my dh and I he is in every other sense of the word my kid. We just don't have the same DNA, i cant habe children i need a surrogate (abother story) yet miss prissy in same dept first fostered then adopted a child and gets Xmas off.... because "that's their child" I have had my son for 10 years and a parental responsibility for 8, she has adopted her child 5 years ago. I don't see how mine is not considered my child and gets is

DogMamma · 06/11/2018 12:23

Lived with his mother and moved in with dh and I

NRPDad · 06/11/2018 12:25

YANBU

KingLooieCatz · 06/11/2018 12:26

You might struggle to get a childminder on Christmas Day mind you.

MorrisZapp · 06/11/2018 12:28

Sometimes as I lie on the sofa watching the Muppet Christmas Carol and stuff myself with Quality Street and DS plays loudly on the iPad, it strikes me that in some ways kids ruin Christmas.

I'm a cosy, hygge, candles and Miss Marple person. I adore Christmas and always have. DS is like yeah where's my presents.

He doesn't even like roast dinner.

I would so much rather have Christmas off than New Year, and I say that as a Scot. Fuck the Hootenanny.

DanglyBangly · 06/11/2018 12:31

Some weak managers out there to let this kind of thing go on.

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 06/11/2018 12:33

He doesn't even like roast dinner.

Shock Did you keep the receipt or is it too late to take him back for a refund, he sounds like he may have an internal wiring defect. Grin

HotInWinter · 06/11/2018 12:35

Should totally be offered first to whoever has had the longest time since they last had Christmas/NY off.
They you don't get families like us, where DH is working for the 3rd time in 4 years Sad.

WitchesHatRim · 06/11/2018 12:36

Some weak managers out there to let this kind of thing go on.

I agree.

Original poster
Homethroughthepuddles · 06/11/2018 12:37

It wasn't actually management who suggested this 'compromise'. It was a group of colleagues who all, surprise surprise, have young children.

OP posts:
SnuggyBuggy · 06/11/2018 12:41

Very convenient. I haven't had a job that requires bank holiday working but I have worked in places where the same parents with young kids hogged the leave around Christmas by booking it in January every year.

Managers need to consider all their staff and I think taking turns is the only way that's fair.

Parker231 · 06/11/2018 12:41

My staff are aware that holidays for anytime of the year are on a first come, first approved basis. This has on occasion meant that employees who are parents not getting anytime off in the summer school holidays or the Christmas period but no one gets priority for being a parent. I have found that those who were slow to submit their holiday requests one year and subsequently not had the time off they wanted, were the first to ask the following year.