Probably - but people too lazy to cook their own christmas dinner are spoiling mine

[SheinIsShite]

My youngest DS is 16 and works in a pub kitchen. Dish washing, food prep, plating starters/dessert. He is contracted to do 8 hours a week which is usually OK. Obviously this time of year is busy and because he is not at school he has more shifts.

School finished on Friday, he worked Friday evening. And Saturday, and Sunday. Did an extra shift on Monday afternoon as they were short. Yesterday was rostered 11-6 but got home at 22.50 as they were so busy and needed to prep for the 700 covers they have booked today between 12 and 4.30pm. He starts again at 10am this morning, and although they have said he'll be done by 6.30 I don't believe that so he will more than likely miss our family meal.

So all of you paying £85 a head for Christmas lunch in a very standard chain pub, thanks for that.

Totally appreciate that some people have to work and we are all grateful to the police, fire, midwives etc. But going out for your Chrtistmas lunch is not essential.

Why is it trashing other people's days? When I was a teen I loved working on Christmas, Chistmas Day is boring for most teenagers; working means they get a break from the mundane family stuff, get to see their mates, and earn some much-needed cash. Plus, the tips are excellent.

I enjoyed it much less when I had my own young kids, but I don't think the elderly people relying on me to get them out of bed would have liked me to stay home and leave them in bed.

Now my kids are older, I usually volunteer to work the Christmas period so that those with young kids can have it off, but I no longer work in an industry that is open on public holidays, so I get those off and work the days in between.

Quoted the wrong post, apologies.

My DD used to work in hospitality managing pubs.

She used to love the vibe at Christmas.

If your son doesn't want to work at Christmas maybe he should find another sort of industry to work in, or maybe it's just you OP.

Do you feel it's lazy and entitled to eat out generally, or just on Christmas Day?

OP can you imagine being married for 20 years and being in a relationship for even longer.
Can you imagine having 3 amazing kids that you love so much.

Now can you imagine that your DH and 3 kids all die in a car accident and you have no other family.

This is what happened to someone I know and I’m sure there are thousands more people alone in similar circumstances.

Not everyone wants to stay at home alone, not everyone wants go to someone else’s home and not everyone has a home to go to.

Why can’t there be a place open for people who are alone to celebrate with other people.

I used to volunteer at a cafe that elderly people would come to on Xmas day and most of them had lost loved ones and wanted to be around other people or didn’t want to/couldn’t afford to cook.

If I could afford it I wouldn’t definitely eat out on Xmas day.

(you don’t need to be alone or have tragic circumstances to eat out either).

As a teen working as a Chambermaid at the weekend I discovered the upsides of working on Christmas Day and/or Boxing Day. And since then, from the List - enhanced pay rate, tips, everyone a bit more cheerful, you're helping provide a place for people to go to if they want somewhere to go to, less work and you can just dip into the best bits of the Family Christmas. Obviously these depend on the job you do. If no job available than some Voluntary work can tick off a few.

I'm in my 60s now, thankfully have a job and even have paid time off this holiday which is a first since 1994. But honestly I don't think my young adult ds would be too bothered if I was working. He'd probably be ok being dragged along to some voluntary work too. We're just chillin and Mum's getting paid.

Christmas Day can be one of the best days of the year to work

He could always find another job?

I have no valid reasons. I just embrace my laziness. Go me!!!
No planning, no shopping, no having to find space for everything, no considering everyone's individual needs or wants, no slaving in the kitchen while everyone else is chilling, most importantly no washing up and tidying the lot after the carnage. Just calling one of the venues that would be happy and able to feed and water me and my lot and back to a lovely tidy home. Happy days.

Crikey. I only read the first page of responses and I really feel for you OP. My kids have also worked in hospitality over Christmas and as youngsters they can be taken advantage of. I know that pubs and restaurants work hard and they need the income to survive (January being especially dismal) but it does seem unfair that a promised end time so that the kids can join in with their own family meal after facilitating others' meals doesn't materialise. The frustration comes with planning around the hospitality hours only to find that they aren't kept and your own dinner ends up minus your own child.

Both of mine have missed significant events (their own birthdays as well as Christmas). I think it meant more to me than to them, especially when they got their pay packets.

Most of us in our family work in the NHS. We work shifts and at least some of us will work over Christmas. Sometimes when DCs are small it can be quite tough, but at 16 TBH it is not really a big issue. We simply move the day a bit to accommodate when we can all be together. Sometimes New Year, sometimes in January.

YABU and I say that as someone with a husband and son in hospitality. My husband is off this year but he’s worked many Christmas Days. My son is a student but will get good money and tips so he agreed to work it.

And I’ve never had Christmas dinner out but how dare you say people are too lazy to cook. You know nothing of people’s circumstances and why for whatever reason eating out is a better option for them.

YABU and need to grow up and get over yourself frankly

I’ve worked many Christmasses in hospitality and my partner has in healthcare. This year we had our meal out as we don’t have time and space to prepare one. We tipped well

@SheinIsShite some people go out for dinner because it’s the only way they get to sit with their whole family, due to distance, space , travel times etc. so for some yes it is a necessity!!

I have never read anything so ridiculous.

I can't decide if you're entitled, jealous, petulant or just thick.

Your Son could always leave if he doesn't like it.

He doesn't need a job. He wants to earn his own money. He is saving for an expensive trip next year. He does have a good work ethic, which is to be applauded. His older sister will be back to work tomorrow morning (retail) when the sales start to earn money for the next semester at Uni.

Again, I personally don't think Christmas is comparable with a standard weekend or bank holiday.

Oh get over yourself. Both my DC are working today, their choice. We'll celebrate properly later.

The only thing I agree with in the OP is the working hours. All of the places I worked on Christmas, both hospitality and care, did half shifts for Christmas, so everyone could enjoy a bit of the day. Most shifts were 4-5 hours long instead of the usual 8-12 hours.

Although you could and I did volunteer to do double shifts, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that OP's son had the option of working a shorter shift but chose not to.

DH (a doctor) has worked many Christmas Day’s - we just move the main meal to another day so it doesn’t matter if he gets delayed.

He doesn’t need to take an expensive trip next year. He’s obviously as entitled as you. Merry Christmas.

My first 🦇 💩 Christmas thread of the day with all my the classic trimmings: 93% against , but OP still doubling down brilliant 🍿.

Schools are on holiday

🤣

The don’t work in hospitality at 16 and leave it for another young person who’s happy to? It’s not even the son moaning, it’s his mum, it’s beyond ridiculous

eta: 16-18 year olds with jobs are the lucky ones. Applications have hundreds applying for one position

@SheinIsShitelots have explained the economics of this to you yet you are still raging over it.

'Nobody needs to go out for christmas lunch to a pub.'

How the hell do you know what people's needs are during the 'festive' season?

Have a word with yourself before posting nonsense again.

Merry Xmas!! 🙄

Keeping people in jobs eg staff and suppliers and keeping businesses open. It's an excuse for families to see each other and for those who may have been cooking to get a day off. Win all around.