To think eating out on Christmas Day is selfish

[Grapefruitmelon]

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.

My daughter worked Christmas in her last job. She enjoyed it, as everyone was in high spirits. It was a hotel that had a lot of workers that couldn't go home for Christmas, so they had no option to stay open.

When I was a young 'un I was always glad to work Xmas day. It meant I would get a day in lieu and some hefty tips. I needed the money!

We used to fight over who wanted to work Xmas day in the pub I used to work in! Extra pay, tips, free Christmas dinner- win.

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

I'd rather never work but have to!

I don't tend to go out for Christmas but it's not selfish to do so. Some people like to work Christmas, some people aren't fussed either way.

Personally, I don't want to work on Christmas Day, Easter, Bank Holidays etc. I chose to work in a sector that it generally isn't required. We do open on Christmas Day, staff come in on a voluntary basis.

@Grapefruitmelon

Supply and demand, I suppose … if no one booked, they wouldn’t open.

But they do.

If no one opened, no one would book!

I’d rather never work

God, me too!

It would be nice though to have one day where you can’t work - emergency services are of course the exception to this but there’s still limits. Fair enough your leg is broken and you go to hospital but a painful fall you wouldn’t see a GP until after Christmas.

I suppose I just don’t see eating in a restaurant as ‘urgent.’

When I was a young waitress living away from home I used to volunteer to work Christmas Day. I liked the people I worked with so we had fun. We had Christmas dinner together after the customers had gone.
Then the staff who had young families and took Christmas Day off, they covered New Year's so it's young folk could go out and party

The hospitality industry is desperate for business, especially with all the covid cancellations.

YABU.

Some of us want to work - Christmas day isn't particularly special for me and I knew that the role I do as a sub-contractor would be required over the holidays, as did a few of the others who share the same role. So we volunteered that we'd cover those shifts and as it turned out, our support was needed and people did reach out to us.

In previous years though I've been so broke there was no option to celebrate christmas (nor anyone to celebrate it with). Insufficient funds to save up to buy enough to cover shop closures, back in the days when shops were genuinely shut two or three days.

If you think shops and restaurants aren't essential.. try being someone who has to work, or who doesn't have the luxury of Christmas as a holiday, who needs food or whatever... nothing compounds the misery more than everything being shut and you've not enough food for a meal, or can't put the electricity on.

If businesses want to open and pay staff to work, have at it - if you don't want to avail yourself of those services, don't - but don't try making anyone feel guilty if they do differently to you eh!

Rather silly argument.

Businesses need to make money. If someone applies for a job n hospitality they know full well they will be working unsocial hours...

Many other sectors also continue working during the festive season.

And also the fact that not everyone celebrates Christmas...

I find it baffling the difference in this thread to the Boxing Day shopping threads. On those threads it's dreadful, people should be able to spend time with their families, no-one needs to buy things and shops should go back to closing on Sundays as well. But for those who work in restaurants apparently most are happy with the extra pay (if they get it), should pick a different job if they don't like it and are probably grateful to not have Christmas with their families. Both are totally non-essential services.

I suppose I just don’t see eating in a restaurant as ‘urgent.’

It's not. Does it need to be? Should we go back to having a day of rest on Sunday too, with nothing open? Have one day a week where people 'can't' work?

I'm not a fan of Christmas...if I didn't have kids I'd happily give the whole thing a miss and would be happy to work on the day.

I suppose I just don’t see eating in a restaurant as ‘urgent.’

It isn’t. It might be “urgent” for the restaurant’s takings though.

@Grapefruitmelon

You can’t know that *@ilovesooty*.

You may be right or wrong but you can’t know. Either way, would you honestly have changed your plans if you had?

Hypothetical. I got a flyer through my door advertising it otherwise I wouldn't have thought about doing it. I assume the custom helps the restaurant to remain in business. The service was offered - I used it.

My best friend's husband died earlier this year, leaving her and 2 very young children behind. She couldn't face Christmas in their home this year and decided to eat out. I wouldn't call her "selfish"

We have both been in the hotel trade for many year, & working on Christmas Day was talked over long before the day arrived, you would be surprised at how many wanted to do it, it even feels different, it’s actually no different to working any other day, just a bit more cash

@PurpleDaisies

I suppose I just don’t see eating in a restaurant as ‘urgent.’

It isn’t. It might be “urgent” for the restaurant’s takings though.

Exactly.

Before I got married and had kids, I moved to waitress on Christmas Day.

yes and no but its the businesses that decide to open not the general public

if my dh is on shift he can work both days-it is double time and his dc are adults so it doesnt really bother him

Exactly. It’s usually made worth their while with double or triple time.

But you could also see that as 'wealthy people can use their money to tempt the poor to give up their Christmas' - which doesn't sound quite as nice.

It’s been a difficult year but personally I’d far rather see proper government support. What they have done to hospitality this year is awful.

Sooty - but you weren’t eating out to provide a service to the restaurant, were you?

@Grapefruitmelon

I’d rather never work

God, me too!

It would be nice though to have one day where you can’t work - emergency services are of course the exception to this but there’s still limits. Fair enough your leg is broken and you go to hospital but a painful fall you wouldn’t see a GP until after Christmas.

I suppose I just don’t see eating in a restaurant as ‘urgent.’

The list of occupations that pretty much require people to work, and possibly be away from home on Christmas Day extends far beyond the emergency services…and that then means those workers need feeding and watering.

Even in the non-urgent airline world (yep, airlines again) I and colleagues often worked and/or were down route on Christmas Day and we relied on Diners, Restaurants etc operating so we were able to be fed and watered, often prior to working Christmas Day night.

@fetchacloth

@PumpOutTheBilge

I think it’s selfish for anybody to work on Christmas Day. They should stand down the police, fire service, NHS staff and power station staff. It’s only one day, what could go wrong?

What could go wrong on Christmas day?
Well your house could catch fire, the power could be cut off unexpectedly. Or, worst possible scenario, someone in your house may need to be blue-lighted to hospital. I could think of other scenarios but I won't bore you with them.

Impressive proof there that really is no sarcasm so obvious that someone won't miss it.