Page 26 | Christmas Leave 'I have kids'

paintityellow · 2023-10-23T14:03:19+00:00

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?

Chickenkeev · 23/10/2023 20:48

redeyedcat · 23/10/2023 20:44

So employers should give parents every Xmas off and make the childfree employees pick up the slack?

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Eh, no? I said earlier that i abolutely think childfree people should be treated equally.

Sheerdetermination · 23/10/2023 20:48

cadburyegg · 23/10/2023 20:40

I'm appalled by how many parents on this thread are all for children being without their mums or dads on Christmas Day

It's all about how the parents handle it! What about children with separated parents, are you appalled that they don't see both parents every Christmas? My soon to be ex husband isn't seeing our kids on Christmas Day. He's invited but has chosen to spend the day with his partner. My kids don't care, I told them he will see them Christmas Eve instead. Kids don't need both parents to have a memorable Christmas.

I’m not appalled but I think it’s a shame for them, yes. Sounds like you’re doing a brilliant job of shielding your dc from what could have been a hurtful disappointment.

FeverBeam · 23/10/2023 20:48

Sheerdetermination · 23/10/2023 20:45

Exactly. As someone else said, where’s the compassion?

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year on/year off is 'compassionate' and fair to all employees. Can you really not grasp that?

LuluBlakey1 · 23/10/2023 20:49

twostraws · 23/10/2023 20:46

I used to work with a colleague who refused to work over Christmas. Our boss wasn't one for confrontation, so he let her. The rest of us all worked, because we knew how busy it would be and how it wasn't an appropriate time to take off.

She couldn't figure out why everyone hated her, and why she was always held back from promotion.

I'm not sure her Christmases off were worth it.

Everyone is always going to have a reason for wanting time off. It's hugely selfish to assume your reason is more valid. When you're a team, if it's even possible to have the time off, you take it in turns fairly.

When you're not a team player... don't go whining when your career goes nowhere. Refusing to work on the unpopular days is something that everyone notices and always remembers.

Why was it so busy on Christmas Day? What kind of business was it?

Chickenkeev · 23/10/2023 20:49

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Don't rise to it!

YouJustDoYou · 23/10/2023 20:49

We've not had dh home for the last 5 xmases. Such is the nature of his job. (We just tell them xmas is "today", when he's home...it's not. They never know. We just delay xmas a couple days or have it early or whatever. Main thing is is that we spend it together whenever we can).

FeverBeam · 23/10/2023 20:50

LuluBlakey1 · 23/10/2023 20:47

So:
Hospitality:pubs, hotels, restaurants, some takeaways
Some petrol stations- there are never any near us open on Christmas Day
Some corner shops- again many are closed
Air port - again reduced staffing
Roadside recovery - reduced staffing
Highways - reduced staffing
Journalism- must be skeleton staff
Some pharmacies- skeleton staff in a few pharmacies
Animal care
Vicars- I would have thought they'd want to given it's about the biggest church attendance of the year.
Taxi drivers

Apart from hospitality we're not talking large numbers in any of these. They're not huge employers. There must be more than this given the size of the issue every year on mumsnet. What else ?

I can't see why most of these can't just close apart from animal care, the occasional pharmacy, taxis, roadside recovery and vicars.
We don't need newspapers that day, or flights, or petrol stations, takeaways, corner shops or pubs- it's one day a year. Personally, I wouldn't be allowing hospitality to open apart from hotel rooms.

you've left out a big one. healthcare workers. they will make up large numbers of those working on Christmas day.

Insommmmnia · 23/10/2023 20:50

Sheerdetermination · 23/10/2023 20:45

Exactly. As someone else said, where’s the compassion?

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How about you start by leading by example? You are trailing behind a bit on the compassion so far

redeyedcat · 23/10/2023 20:50

@LuluBlakey1 these threads come up every year because people are not always talking about just the 25th December. Often it relates to Christmas Eve and the week between Christmas and new year.

Insommmmnia · 23/10/2023 20:51

LuluBlakey1 · 23/10/2023 20:47

So:
Hospitality:pubs, hotels, restaurants, some takeaways
Some petrol stations- there are never any near us open on Christmas Day
Some corner shops- again many are closed
Air port - again reduced staffing
Roadside recovery - reduced staffing
Highways - reduced staffing
Journalism- must be skeleton staff
Some pharmacies- skeleton staff in a few pharmacies
Animal care
Vicars- I would have thought they'd want to given it's about the biggest church attendance of the year.
Taxi drivers

Apart from hospitality we're not talking large numbers in any of these. They're not huge employers. There must be more than this given the size of the issue every year on mumsnet. What else ?

I can't see why most of these can't just close apart from animal care, the occasional pharmacy, taxis, roadside recovery and vicars.
We don't need newspapers that day, or flights, or petrol stations, takeaways, corner shops or pubs- it's one day a year. Personally, I wouldn't be allowing hospitality to open apart from hotel rooms.

You forgot all the engineers

Justrolledmyeyesoutloud · 23/10/2023 20:51

CatMum27 · 23/10/2023 20:32

Child free social outcast here. I can promise you that the vast majority of us do very much want children to be with their parents/family on Christmas. However, that doesn’t extend to making endless sacrifices because of other people’s lifestyle choices. People choose to have children, people choose to work jobs where festive working is required. That’s on them not me.

Where does it end? They should get priority on Christmas, Easter, school holidays, other religious celebrations? When do I get to see my young nieces and nephews and spend any holiday time with them? I didn’t give birth to them so I should get to the back of the queue right?

Bowing out now as I can that the festive spirit is doomed on this thread. If anyone needs me I’ll be back in my childfree spinster box. Until someone needs me to cover their work shift that is 😉

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I do have a child but totally agree with you - families come in all shapes and sizes and people with kids shouldn't trump those that don't.

Tinklyheadtilt · 23/10/2023 20:51

Your kids come above your job, fine. Your kids shouldnt be prioritised over other people's jobs.

INeedAnotherName · 23/10/2023 20:51

Christmasbird · 23/10/2023 20:33

Controversial opinion but Christmas is a religious holiday. It's not necessarily about "the kids"
The clue is in the name

After reading this thread i think you have spelt it wrong. It's spelt Kidsmas.

twostraws · 23/10/2023 20:52

LuluBlakey1 · 23/10/2023 20:49

Why was it so busy on Christmas Day? What kind of business was it?

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It wasn't just Christmas Day. It was all of December. She literally went away every Christmas and left us to not just deal with our work, but to deal with hers.

Not once did it occur to her that other people would have to cover her workload.

I'm not still bitter.

notlucreziaborgia · 23/10/2023 20:52

Sheerdetermination · 23/10/2023 20:29

I can’t work out how to quote to reply properly to people. No, I don’t think parents are more important than their colleagues; I think their children are more important a consideration. @RosieGirl27 summed it up succinctly.

To their parents maybe, but not to their parents colleagues. By all means stay mad about it though!

AvengedQuince · 23/10/2023 20:52

As others have said, by all means you can ask, but that's it. It'll be your turn the following year, and I doubt this people would swap for someone with kids younger than theirs!

I'd swap as my child is a teen and we don't need one specific day to celebrate. I'd certainly swap with a colleague with a young child. I think the fairest way is to just allocate the days based on who has worked other holidays or last year, regardless of circumstances, then allow swaps.

PrismGuile · 23/10/2023 20:53

Yes to the above. I’m a journalist who has to work Xmas day. God knows why as none of you ever read anything on Xmas day.

It is a skeleton staff. But there’s only 2 on my team so one of us always has to be in - you never know if it will be another 9/11, 7/7, etc. journalists don’t get bank holidays off either. And we get the legal minimum days off.

TeaMistress · 23/10/2023 20:54

Sheerdetermination · 23/10/2023 20:45

Exactly. As someone else said, where’s the compassion?

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So compassion only applies if you happen to have children???? Where is the compassion for people without kids who are sick to the back teeth of being treated like second class citizens when it comes to Christmas leave requests. Some of the really nasty posters have descended into name-calling anyone who refuses to put up with being treated like this.

Trampley · 23/10/2023 20:54

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...you must be very new here.

LuluBlakey1 · 23/10/2023 20:54

twostraws · 23/10/2023 20:52

It wasn't just Christmas Day. It was all of December. She literally went away every Christmas and left us to not just deal with our work, but to deal with hers.

Not once did it occur to her that other people would have to cover her workload.

I'm not still bitter.

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That's a bit different. Were you expected to work Christmas Day?

Sheerdetermination · 23/10/2023 20:54

notlucreziaborgia · 23/10/2023 20:52

To their parents maybe, but not to their parents colleagues. By all means stay mad about it though!

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I’m not mad about it. Just expressing an opinion, like everyone else here.

ForfarFourEastFifeFive · 23/10/2023 20:55

PostItInABook · 23/10/2023 20:35

Goady? Or just a bit dim? Can’t decide 🤔

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I can.

LadyTrunchbull · 23/10/2023 20:55

LuluBlakey1 · 23/10/2023 20:47

So:
Hospitality:pubs, hotels, restaurants, some takeaways
Some petrol stations- there are never any near us open on Christmas Day
Some corner shops- again many are closed
Air port - again reduced staffing
Roadside recovery - reduced staffing
Highways - reduced staffing
Journalism- must be skeleton staff
Some pharmacies- skeleton staff in a few pharmacies
Animal care
Vicars- I would have thought they'd want to given it's about the biggest church attendance of the year.
Taxi drivers

Apart from hospitality we're not talking large numbers in any of these. They're not huge employers. There must be more than this given the size of the issue every year on mumsnet. What else ?

I can't see why most of these can't just close apart from animal care, the occasional pharmacy, taxis, roadside recovery and vicars.
We don't need newspapers that day, or flights, or petrol stations, takeaways, corner shops or pubs- it's one day a year. Personally, I wouldn't be allowing hospitality to open apart from hotel rooms.

And police, hospitals, waste removal, security, etc. All busier than usual at this time of year.

Honeychickpea · 23/10/2023 20:55

Sheerdetermination · 23/10/2023 20:45

Exactly. As someone else said, where’s the compassion?

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The compassion for you choosing to lie to your children about a fat man in a red suit?😂Oh the humanity!

Tinklyheadtilt · 23/10/2023 20:55

@RosieGirl27 hitting the MN bingo card already 😂