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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think eating out on Christmas Day is selfish

320 replies

Grapefruitmelon · 27/12/2021 18:23

I know that there will be people who say they appreciate the extra money and tips and not everyone celebrates Christmas and not everyone has a family to spend it with and I hear all that.

But just the same, it does force some people to come to work who’d rather not.

OP posts:

ChargingBuck · 28/12/2021 09:32

You're so right OP - in fact let's take it further. Eating out on any day is totally selfish.

As is taking a bus, going shopping, visiting your GP surgery, using electricity, filling up at the petrol station, & ordering anything online.

Don't people realise they are forcing others to WORK every time they eat out, shop, or basically interact with anyone or any service, every time they do it?!

We should all just stay home with the lights off, so nobody - including ourselves - has to ever go to work. There! - sorted it for you OP.

tiredofthisshit21 · 28/12/2021 09:33

@ChargingBuck

You're so right OP - in fact let's take it further. Eating out on any day is totally selfish.

As is taking a bus, going shopping, visiting your GP surgery, using electricity, filling up at the petrol station, & ordering anything online.

Don't people realise they are forcing others to WORK every time they eat out, shop, or basically interact with anyone or any service, every time they do it?!

We should all just stay home with the lights off, so nobody - including ourselves - has to ever go to work. There! - sorted it for you OP.

😆

DaphneDeloresMoorhead · 28/12/2021 09:47

@TangledNemo

I agree with you OP. This thread has shown most people work Christmas because they make more money. They wouldn’t need that money so badly if they weren’t so underpaid the rest of the year. It’s just another example of the rich manipulating the poor. They’re making them think it’s a choice they’re making when it isn’t really. If a business owner is ok working on Christmas with staff volunteering, then fair enough, but they shouldn’t force staff to work if they aren’t prepared to do it themselves.

It's almost as if you are suggesting that most people work for money

DaphneDeloresMoorhead · 28/12/2021 09:50

One final question before I bow out as I've already wasted far too much time on this nonsense.

How many Christmases have you worked, OP, and how many years do you have working in hospitality?

notimagain · 28/12/2021 11:20

@ChargingBuck

You're so right OP - in fact let's take it further. Eating out on any day is totally selfish.

As is taking a bus, going shopping, visiting your GP surgery, using electricity, filling up at the petrol station, & ordering anything online.

Don't people realise they are forcing others to WORK every time they eat out, shop, or basically interact with anyone or any service, every time they do it?!

We should all just stay home with the lights off, so nobody - including ourselves - has to ever go to work. There! - sorted it for you OP.

, oh forgot

SawdustAndHay · 28/12/2021 11:53

I never understand the concern over working Sundays or bank holidays either. People want to work those days and it's not for other patronising middle class do-gooders to tell them they don't. I imagine quite a lot of young adults would prefer to miss Christmas with deaf Great Aunt Maud or wandering hands Uncle Barney and earn some cash instead.

Leaving aside Uncle Barney, I seem to remember USDAW at the forefront of the ‘Keep Sunday Special’ campaign so what is middle class about that. It’s a genuine conflict of interest between making money and making sure that as much of society as possible can have their time off at the same time. I’m with deaf Great Aunt Maud who doesn’t see her extended family at any other time.

Jumping4Ju1ce · 28/12/2021 11:53

I work in another industry & I was on the rota to work on Xmas day. I managed to do a shift swap.

We went out for Xmas day lunch & enjoyed ourselves. I left a generous tip.

Eating out on Xmas day is keeping the local economy going & people in jobs

Xmas day is no different to any other day

Certainly not selfish

shinynewapple21 · 28/12/2021 12:24

@Sportslady44

People who eat out at Xmas must be very rich to pay those prices either that or very lazy.

Neither thanks! Having hosted Christmas for the last 20 years it was nice to have a break.

(And before anyone pipes up about others taking a turn I used to host for elderly family and others visiting the area to see the elderly family .)

First time we have eaten out at Christmas and it won't be the last - particularly next year when there will only be myself and DH for Christmas lunch .

ChateauxNeufDePoop · 28/12/2021 12:51

@Grapefruitmelon

I know you were trying to mock me Daphne but actually I spent years volunteering at Christmas. I’ve done my bit now and I won’t be doing it again for a good while.

However I’m neither notably thoughtless or selfless. I just think people should be able to have a day off on Christmas Day if possible.

But They Might Not Mind Working

No, I don't think you're thoughtless or selfish tbf but really short on logical thinking skills. There's been multiple nuances to the situation mentioned and you're still ploughing on as if its a black and white issue.

Hemingwayscatz · 28/12/2021 12:58

Lots of people work on Christmas Day and some people really aren’t arsed about it. Not everyone celebrates Christmas for starters but even those who do aren’t forced to be a big fan of it. My friend used to work in a pub and he opted to work Christmas Day because he couldn’t stand his family .

Solodreamer · 28/12/2021 13:02

I worked for a couple of Christmases as a waitress. Had a great time. Lovely atmosphere, people in great moods, extra pay and good tips on the whole. I really enjoyed it. Mind you it was only a few hours and if it was anything more than that then it's a bit unfair I guess.

I probably wouldn't go out and eat myself on Christmas day as I wouldn't want to take up the spot of a family who needed it more.

edwinbear · 28/12/2021 13:04

DH works in hospitality, he has to work Christmas Day sometimes. The years he isn’t on shift, we go out to eat.

Christmascardsontheshelf · 28/12/2021 13:35

My DH always worked Christmas. He got double pay plus bonus for each day (Christmas eve the day and boxing day) we used to celebrate Christmas a little bit early with the kids and the dinner. It's not easy to say no to that much extra money for one day or a couple of days.

However he could always say no if he didn't want to work it.

I think its good. most people get extra pay for working Christmas shifts.

Doomscrolling · 28/12/2021 14:32

In the three industries I worked in that operated on Christmas Day, all of them asked who wanted to work Christmas before doing the rota. A good 80% of the staff were volunteering to take that shift (an easy shift, lots more pay, whatever the reason).

The rest compromised by having their choice of other days off. There are plenty of ways to celebrate Christmas, it doesn’t have to be just the be OP’s idea of an acceptable way to celebrate.

The solo diners is a red herring; plenty of people meet friends and family for meals at a restaurant when no one has space enough to host in their houses. A restaurant is a way to allow them to celebrate together.

Cofifeefee · 28/12/2021 17:41

I just think people should be able to have a day off on Christmas Day if possible

You still haven't answered the question as to whether you used a non-essential service in your home on Christmas Day that required somebody somewhere to be at work.

mogsrus · 28/12/2021 17:49

Everyone watches some tv on Christmas Day, that lot does not run itself either

Shebangshebong · 28/12/2021 18:04

YABU. No meal planning, cooking or washing up. I don't feel guilty. I've served my time as a waitress/in retail and done the xmas/boxing day/unsociable hours and I understood at the time it was part and parcel of the job.

Rosebel · 31/12/2021 14:51

@mogsrus

Everyone watches some tv on Christmas Day, that lot does not run itself either

Not everyone. We were never allowed to growing up and I've carried that on with my children.....

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 31/12/2021 15:13

I used to manage a hotel.
I used to have quite a number of staff who would volunteer to work Christmas day as they didn't have families to spend time with and would rather be at the hotel. We also had plenty of guests who were alone and didn't want to be. Some quite special friendships blossomed between elderly guests and some staff.

SawdustAndHay · 31/12/2021 17:15

Aside from the fact that not everyone does watch telly on Christmas Day, I think there is a difference between having your dinner cooked and put in front of you and watching a film broadcast to millions, just as there’s a difference between providing hospitality and emergency services. There seems to be a definite lack of nuanced thought on the anti-OP side.
As for the idea that using any service ever is selfish, well if you take any argument to an absurd conclusion then it becomes absurd.

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