Christmas Leave 'I have kids'

[paintityellow]

Yes I know this comes up every year, but it's so bloody annoying. The Christmas leave list went around in September, with it being specified that priority for Christmas Day would be given to people who worked it last year.
Despite this we now have a couple of people really trying to pressure others to give up Christmas Day because 'I have kids'. One of these women has had the last 3 Christmas Days off, the other's kids are teenagers. One of the people they're trying to pressure wants to fly home to spend Christmas day with her parents, Another has no family in the area so also wants to travel home for Christmas. Both worked last year.
AIBU to find this attitude infuriating?

@DragonFly98

I truly couldn't give a flying shite about your (or anyone else's) 'ickle' PFB's "magical" Christmas Day.

I just couldn't. 😂😂😂

If someone is at a point in life where spending Christmas Day alone will result in devastation, surely they should be seeking help and not be in the workplace?

If you really think a six year old who still believes in Santa having a magical day with their parents isn't more important than a middle aged woman spending time with their also adult parents you are very selfish.

Bloody hell!! Some posters are just awful.

It's really only the morning that's about the kids.
The rest of the day a lot of people seem to spend it getting fucked up drinking loads and eating their body weight in food.

If you take a job that needs cover at Christmas then you need to do your fair share, kids or no kids. No one should have to work every Christmas just because they dont have children. Dont like it, get a new job! My partner has to work some christmasses, just dpeends when his shift falls, last year he works 7-7 xmas day and boxing day and NYE and NYD! Crapola, this year he isnt working any. We just worked around it, xmas eve became xmas day thne on xmas day me and the kids went to my parents and he came and re heated his meal when he finished. We didnt die!

Good for you. Enjoy

@SwearyBetty I'm awful because I think someone in mental health crisis should not be in the work place. I think they should be getting the help they need?

The really ironic thing is that I still live near where I was born and brought up. It’s everyone else who has moved and it’s been made clear to me that if I want to see them, I have to make the effort (and pay the airfare). This is at least partly because they have children.

I couldn’t even decide to move and follow them if I wanted to - I’d never get a work permit at my age.

DH is working Christmas and it's DC2s first. It would never cross our minds to pressure anyone- were just celebrating the 24th with his side and the 25th I'll be at mine with the boys and then the 27th will be just us. It's shit but it's shift work for you

The Christmas is only for kids brigade are studiously ignoring all the examples of single adults needing to travel to be with their families and there being no trains on Christmas Day, or wanting to spend time with elderly parents, I see. I suspect a lot of these posters live in their home town with family down the road and don't get that a lot of us don't live like that, and can't just work a shift and pop round later.

Christmas is a time for gathering. For enjoying the company of your loved ones, for lovely food and sparkly lights and a solace against the drear of winter. And religion, of course, for many many people. It's not just about kids opening presents.

As an nhs clinician, I have had some Christmas days off, and worked others. Sometimes it feels unfair if you rotate around different hospital trusts and nobody knew that you worked the year before. However, over a lifetime it tends to
even out.

Not once did I request the day off because I have children. I would be embarrassed to behave in such an entitled way.

I'm lucky that we rarely struggle to cover christmas day at my work. We need to provide 24hr cover every single day of the year, but only 1 person, we need others in every day in the morning, but only for a few hours.

However, I'd be raging as either a mother with young kids, or as a single youngster if someone else assumed me to be less deserving of time off at christmas. I've been both in this job and no-one takes the piss. I see from this thread how lucky I am!

There is a difference between volunteering because it doesn't matter to you and being bullied into it. Not all childless people live with family or have friends many travel to see family for the once in a year time they can get everyone together.

@Alconleigh its also £££££ for someone who works in retail who then has to get taxis to get to work when they do get back because public transport isnt running

I agree
They should get jobs where they don't have to work Christmas if it's that important to them. It's not fair to expect others without children to miss Christmas with their families. I hope they don't give it up.

Not to mention cheaper for you so not entirely altruistic.

Your ageism is showing there.

No. Other people's children don't trump the wants & needs of anyone.

When I was a waiter we had a member of staff who was the only person on the entire planet to ever be mother. Leave was banned between 10th Decemeber and 6th January, everyone worked their usual days. She only worked three days a week, and it just so happened that she didn’t need to work her first three christmases. When it became her turned she genuinely thought the rule would be bent for her, despite some people having worked the last five christmas days. Swapping was banned (swapping shifts was banned outside of christmas as well). She threw various tantrums in the hope it would work and the manager would give her the day off, she stuck to her guns so she had to work christmas day, she fake cried for about three hours. Her teent weeny baby who needed mummy on christmas day was 23.

So I work for the NHS- ward based. I also have a three year old son and two step sons aged 11 and 14.

I work shift work over christmas, including Christmas Day- usually it would be one on, one off but there is no guarantee of this. Depends on staffing etc. I don’t expect to get Christmas off because I have a young child. I must admit it hurts more leaving for work on Christmas Day now I have a child of my own, but this is sadly the job I have chosen and what is expected of me. All my colleagues have someone they want to spend christmas with, be it children or not. In my eyes it has to be fair- the years I am working Christmas Day we just try to make a fun day the next time I am off.

last year I had a horror rota and was put to work both Christmas Day and Boxing Day and that did sting a little, but I got on with it as it’s my job and I knew this when I signed up for it. We don’t have our Christmas rota yet for this year but I’m hoping it’s kinder to me this time around 😂

It’s even worse if you’re single and childfree. Sadly there are people who assume if you don’t have children (or/and a partner) then you’ll have no plans, no other family, no friends and spend Christmas alone anyway.

We just change the day we celebrate Christmas, none of my kids have ever minded.

Barring Christmas or you or your partner being a teacher, I cannot imagine why anyone without kids would want to go away in the school holidays.

The op doesn't have to worry about kids they are happy to take turns fairly it's the coworkers who are not.

Agreed. It’s is annoying, infuriating and unfair for all who want Christmas off.
I have children and a job that requires cover 24/7 365. I will always request Christmas off and to work new years… but will also not be annoyed at working alternate Christmas days. Children or not it has to be fair for everyone. I always try my luck though as we do have some members of the team who want new years off (young, free and single) and some who would rather work as they don’t celebrate Christmas so prefer the extra pay.

However it also works the other way. One year (the year after my first Mat leave) people actually put pressure on me to request to work Christmas as I was off the previous year For the whole festive period. But there were enough people who wanted to work the Christmas that year so I just didn’t get the pressure. The same group also kept saying that I will regret not working that Christmas as I will want christmases off when my toddler is older! It was very uncomfortable especially considering all shifts were already covered with no issues. I’m happy to do my share but also very very happily work new years if my colleagues want to actually work Christmas Day!! X

Well I can either bring my kids or work then or call in sick. I have no holiday club because nobody will take my disabled son. Those are the options. My work have been pretty understanding so far luckily and know that this is out of my control.

Can you ask around for anyone who'd give their eye teeth to work over Christmas to escape the relys? They're all on here in their droves over Christmas, there's bound to be someone who needs the excuse 🤭