to think it is good that supermarkets/express/garages are all closed christmas day

[WillowTit]

i am sure in previous years shops would open for a couple of hours
discovered that we dont have enough wine but apart from premium overpriced stores shops are shut
and major garages too
i have enough petrol,
we will manage without the extra wine
i am glad the shops are shut
aibu

how so?
isnt it jesus birthday
happy birthday jesus

We're a multi-cultural society and not everyone celebrates Christmas. There may be Muslim families who need something urgently. Why should they go without because of a Christian celebration? It's mostly non-Christian shopkeepers who will open today and if they're happy to do it then I'm happy for them to do it, as long as they're not forcing people to work who want to be celebrating Christmas.

i am happy for those who want to but happier that large companies like Tesco for instance are closed

as i recall in previous years Tesco/coop would be open for an hour or two
i am glad they have made the decision not to

Lots of people don't give a shit about Christmas, whatever their religion. I don't. I'd work today if I could. Don't be policing other people!

i am not policing anyone

why dont you volunteer somewhere?

I work in an express store. I'm sorry but if you can't organise enough bog roll / tooth paste / petrol to last you 24 hours then that is very much a you problem. It's really not that hard.

I find it bizarre if people can't last a single day without access to a shop. If you are missing something, just eat something else. It is well publicised that shops close today. When I was younger shops were closed all day Sunday and half day Wednesday. People just shopped or got petrol before.

One year myself and dh were working. We had a 100 mile journey to work, we thought we could get petrol on the way 🙄. We are older and wiser now.

Not everyone loves or celebrates Christmas. Some people might have lost someone this time of year / go through stuff and not feel cheerful. This post is tonedeaf and reminds me of threads during Covid when some people thought that everyone should appreciate isolating and wfh.

Yes it was a pain wasn't it.

We actually have a small shop near here that still closes early on a Wednesday. But it is so they can watch their kids play sport in school teams. As before they made a commercial decision rather than based it on religious beliefs

in what way is it tone deaf that tesco is closed?

How odd. Support local independent /franchise business and go and buy your wine. These shops will be open and staff paid well for today. Ask the staff what they are paid so you know that it’s double or more.

Loads is open near me, Muslim owned, Jewish owned etc. I'm in london. Different people have different significant days. Doesn't make a difference to me as long as people aren't working who wished they were off.

Plenty of places open around here.

waitrose closed both christmas and boxing day and always have done

No, Christmas is a compromise

In my last job we were closed at Christmas. I'd have been happy to work if we'd been open and many of our very lonely and vulnerable clients would have welcomed it.

WillowTit · Today 08:42

well it is a christian festival today

/<Pedant mode>\

It's actually lifted wholesale from the origin of Mithras, parents had to travel, mother gave birth in a cave and Mithras was born on the 25th of December, a thousand years before Jesus.

Even the virgin conception, announced by the holy spirit, in the form of a dove.

I have done, at my own expense and giving up considerable time to do so, involving travel on Christmas Eve and Boxing day. Volunteering opportunities near me are snapped up very early in the year.

my Christmas days working in hospitality from age 16 to 36 were some of the best Christmases since childhood , such fun with people your own age, double time pay and a fabulous Christmas lunch. Later as a manager of a hotel I had absolutely no problem recruiting students on Christmas Day for all of these reasons, it was also a busy & lucrative time of the year which kept the business going in the hard winter lull, meaning employment for local people and keeping our area profitable. Merry Christmas

Agree. And those who don't celebrate/believe in Christmas.

The maudlin notion that shops should be all closed on certain arbitrary days really annoys me. Some people need to shop and some people want to work and earn.

I think you've wilfully misunderstood what was being said.

As a former journalist, I worked my share of Christmas Days.

The world doesn't stop turning on 25 Dec.

Are we really comparing you running out of milk to the emergency services? 🙄