AIBU to not want shops open boxing day

[Moomoo75]

So basically I work in retail and have to work the sale on boxing day. AIBU to not want to work on this day to want to spend spend it with my family. With the surge in covid no.s etc is a sale the day after Christmas really necessary? 😪

If shops can open then why wouldn’t they? You presumably had it off last year anyway

Not being unreasonable at all. I would LOVE all shops to be closed on Boxing Day. I'm old enough to remember the time before online shopping and was always amazed at the pics of people in tents camping outside places like Lewis's , Selfridges, Next etc on Christmas Day night, just to be there when the store opened at 9am. Never did understand it.

I understand both sides of this. I’m sure it’s not nice for retail workers to be out working the sales when they’d rather be at home with their families, but I also think of the people for whom Christmas is a difficult time, and it’s good for them to be able to get back to the world functioning as soon as possible afterwards.

Unfortunately working in retail comes with working Boxing Day sales. Just like working in a school means you are restricted to when you can have time off, working in hospitality means working long unsociable hours, working in healthcare means working shifts all year round. It’s just part of the job and retail workers need to get on with it and stop complaining about Boxing Day. Or find another job.

100% with you. All the shops should be closed from 4pm-ish Christmas Eve to the late morning of the 28th IMO. Give them a good 3 days!

Several people I know work for 'Next' and similar shops, and have to be at work for 5 AM on boxing day. How the fuck they are meant to enjoy Christmas just baffles me. They have to go to bed at 9pm on Christmas night and can't drink alcohol after about 5pm.

The only ones who are OK with retail staff ONLY getting Christmas day off, are top management who make sure THEY have 4 or 5 days off! OR lower management and people who have no social life or no family or partner at home.

@Moomoo75 Don't be surprised to see a few 'well you CHOSE that job' type comments soon, and even a few snarky and ignorant 'shoulda worked harder at school and got a better job then!' type comments. Ignore them.

You have my sympathy. And this comes from me - a person who has Christmas off AND New Year. (Usually 10-12 days.)

I thought all the big chain shops and supermarkets were closed on Boxing Day?

I keep seeing reports about how they're all closing for 2 days because it's not worth opening the 6 hours they're allowed in England 'to thank the staff for their hard work during the pandemic'.

Is this not the case?

I agree, OP. There is no need for the vast majority of shops to be open on Boxing Day. Even less so this year when people should be staying home anyway.

YABU. If shops want to open and people want to visit them they should be allowed to. If you work in retail you know that there is a risk you will have to work weekends and bank holidays, it's not a 9-5 Mon-Fri type of job. A lot of people are grateful to work on bank holidays because they get extra pay. People shouldn't be obliged to work at Christmas, but shops should be free to offer their staff bonuses/higher wages to lure them in.

Not sure. I’ve seen a few chains saying they’re not opening on Boxing Day this year and our local shopping centre is going to be closed.

I don’t know why this debate is only ever for shop workers. No one seems to care about hospitality or factory workers who also work Boxing Day.

Tesco is opening boxing day.

Make of that what you will.

YANBU really as most people will still be off work for a couple of days after Boxing Day.

However, reopening a day later isn't going to make a difference to the spread of Covid.

Non essential shops should be shut Boxing Day full stop. Nothing to do with COVID.

I used to work in retail. It's a bit crap to have to work boxing day but our supermarket was always quiet and l got some bargains and extra pay so didn't mind to much.
Now l work with in a care home so have to work boxing day with no perks at all and Christmas day but that's the job l chose so l can't complain. Although l do miss the days l worked in an office and we shut down between Christmas and New year
If you don't want to work bank holidays look at changing your job.

YANBU. It doesn't seem that long ago when no shops were open on Boxing Day apart from the odd corner shop. People can survive two days without shopping, you'd think everyone would have had enough of it this time of year.

@halcyondays

Not sure. I’ve seen a few chains saying they’re not opening on Boxing Day this year and our local shopping centre is going to be closed.

Our local shops are closed until 29th.

I don't think there's a need for places to be opening at 5am for sales etc, but as someone who does need to work all through Christmas on shifts, I'm always grateful for the smaller grocery shops and supermarkets that are open on Boxing Day at least one end of my shift because I sometimes forget to grab an extra milk or some loo rolls etc in the run up to Christmas as I'm trying to juggle it all around my shifts and I'm very grateful to be able to drop into a shop and get what I've forgotten before/after my shift on Boxing Day! If I ever do have Boxing Day off I'm certainly not spending it shopping in a heaving town centre, I've had enough of shopping by then, but then if I want the January sales I've got days off usually when everyone else is back at work so it's quieter or online shopping.

I agree, wholeheartedly. I was working in retail when Boxing Day opening started in the early 2000s and it affects your Christmas Day, knowing you have to get up early the next day for work. You can't go away to visit family, can't risk a hangover - it's shit.

100% agree. I've also made an effort to shop at retailers that have announced they are closed boxing day. There is no need for them to be open.

YANBU

In other European countries non-essential shops are closed Boxing Day, quite rightly I think

It’s looking more likely this won’t be an issue for you anyway.

Thanks for the replies. It ruins Christmas for me to be honest. I will look to change roles within the next 2 yrs. I work where I am because it suits the needs of my current situation family wise. Also my employer does not pay extra for bank holidays . For those who assume all retail might be well paid at this time, it is not for everyone.

I know it comes with the turf. I'll get over it! I just needed an anonymous moan. Cheers all.

My husband's store is closed this year and I'm not working christmas. It'll be the first boxing day we've had together since we had our first 7 years ago. I'm NHS... If I work Christmas or New year I get enhanced pay and time in lieu. He gets minimum wage and deprived of seeing his family.

It really doesn't hurt any major retailers in the time of online to stay closed for boxing day and new year but it would mean the world to their staff who are systematically ground down to expect the bare minimum off their employers.

YANBU.

As much as it would be convenient to be able to pick up stuff it won't hurt to wait a day. Having worked in retail in the past, working Boxing Day is so depressing.

I work In.a shop too that is only ever closed on Xmas day.
Being open boxing day ruins Xmas. You have to have an early night, cut off any drinking if u have to drive in the morning and everyone's tucking into yummy left overs while you serve people who had 363 other days they could have gotten this stuff and a 24 hr online service.