To ask what it's like working Xmas day?

[pancakes22]

I'm completely in awe of NHS staff and other public services that work on Christmas Day and just really curious what it's actually like, especially when you have families?

Do you still get to see your children open presents? Do the kids understand you have to leave to work or do they get upset? Do you resent that part of the job having to work on Christmas and everyone is grumpy at work or is it just an accepted part of the job?

Well done to everyone who does have these valuable jobs and thank you x

Ive woken up this morning and decided i need to change jobs- im a carer and have worked at some point over Christmas every single day! Ive got 4 kids and to be honest im just fed up.of the no family time

I worked ds was away so prefer to work than be at home or with family/friends and their children I just rather be on my own or work. I work in NHS MH. Cooked Christmas lunch many residents were with their families but not all and it was a relaxing day. It’s was absolutely fine and I get extra pay too.

The Christmas rota is never hard to cover it’s surprising how many people want an excuse to not have to be at home

Christmas didn’t happen for me this year (apart from buying ds presents and sending texts) apart from at work cooking a Christmas lunch

Community carer, i had to do a shift last year, and ds cooked the family meal, so i luckily wasnt back too late. my dc are older, i believe it was a hanging around day for them, got out of it this year

Have worked many , don't mind honestly .
Used to be strange out driving with everything closed but now corner shops , Mcadonalds are open its just another day .
I can have Christmas celebrations any time.
I'm emergency services, have also dealt with a cot death on Christmas Day.

I'm a midwife and have worked Christmas. I agree with previous poster who said depends on the atmosphere in work and who you are with.

It can be lovely if people just get on with it. If I'm working day shift I leave at 7am so I get dc up at 6 for presents.

I worked night last year and it was grand, it was very quiet and I got sent home at 6:30 and went to bed at 10am m, woke at 2pm for dinner then lay on couch for the rest of day watching films then headed back in.

My DP also works shift so that's annoying in the sense that there's always one of us working something. This year he was on night shift, last year I was night shift the year before he worked the day shift (although didn't start until 10an so not too bad)

But the benefits of shift work trump the need to work holidays: I feel I have the best of both worlds as in I work but also off midweek to see my kids plays, collect from school. I can plan my shifts around anything. We also need very little childcare because we can work around each other. I don't know how people do it that work mom-Friday and only have weekend off with their kids.

Also pancake, you get used to the vomit very quickly. I remember being so nervous about that going into my course but it just becomes second nature.