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.

😂😂😂

His hours are unlawful - he shouldn’t be working more than 8 hours a day and needs at least a 12 hour gap between shifts.

I'm sure they can't compel him to work these extra hours? How does your DS feel about it? If he's ok with it, then all is good. If not, point him to the ACAS website and help him frame the right words to say 'no' politely to the extra hours.

At any rate, of course it isn't the fault of people who choose to eat out at Christmas. Are you actually the actual Grinch?

One thing I will say for OP is that the first year my brother wasn’t home at Christmas it was a very tough adjustment.

Doesn’t mean any of us would have posted something like this though!!

I second that

I would be happy to have a 16 year old with a good work ethic. I have quite a few older friends who have recently suffered bereavement, some without children, they don't want to cook for themselves,so are going out today.. some cannot cook owing to health issues. I was nursing, mostly in hospitals,mil and sil used to say I couldn't be working...it was Christmas! I had one Christmas night off in 20 years.

Presuming he’s on a zero hours contract, he could refuse the shifts? Maybe he should be grateful of earning some extra cash?

@SheinIsShiteyour son has a good work ethic to do all those extra hours and to step up when needed. I’d be proud of him.

I’m not going to disagree with you on Christmas Day but I’ll put another perspective - my partner works late shifts in a large supermarket warehouse. He only gets Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve off (every other year it’s Christmas Day, NYE, NYD). No extra pay. There are just the two of us, 60 years old. We live in a small flat and frequent a lovely local pub. They’re putting on a Christmas Day meal for the first time this year and we thought we’d try it. My partner has no resentment towards people buying food right up till Christmas, the only thing we regret is not getting better educations 😂

He chose to work in a pub.

As your children grow into adults, Xmas evolves and changes.

They have friends, jobs, girl or boyfriends or interests/adventures that means they aren't necessarily going to be spending any of the Xmas period with you at all, let alone just skipping.

This is normal life. He has chosen to get a job and earn money. He might decide to go spend a few years living n Australia and not be around at all at Xmas in the future.

Don't be a bitter person bemoaning that your children aren't small and opening their presents on your bed any more and you aren't the centre of their world and more. He is growing up - that's life.

What? Been at the sherry?

I bet he doesn't mind. And I don't blame him.

Christmas is a bit ‘meh’ at his age. Maybe he’ll have more fun at work - the atmosphere will be amazing and he’ll have a laugh with all the other employees and the customers. Maybe it’s where he’d rather be!

One of the most ridiculous posts I've ever read!

He has chosen a job that potentially means working Christmas.

Everyone knows that when they take this kind of job so it was always the chance. I say that as a nurse who has worked wvery other Christmas, its part of the job

For some, going out for lunch or to a pub on Christmas day may be the only company they have. Or the only way they can have family all together if no room to host. Whatever the reason, people are entitled to use a service that is open

I hope with your attitude you don't use taxi's or takeaways or service stations on bank holidays as that would be pretty hypocritical...

I love your post, thank you for your years of nursing. It’s also helped me as my partner lost his dad this year and I’m still missing my sister so much, but I didn’t mention that in my post above as I thought people would think I’m weird for going out on Christmas Day after bereavements! So thank you for making me feel less guilty and that it’s quite normal.

I wouldn’t have wanted my DC doing those sort of hours while still at school
I suppose if he needs the money 🤷‍♀️

In a field of stiff competition, this might be the silliest post today.

My parents were really proud of me for working Christmas Day in a busy pub kitchen. It was good fun and I made more than I would on a regular shift. A laugh too! My mum made us a late Xmas dinner in the evening, that was fun too. Would you rather your ds didn’t work?

YABVU.

Christmas dinner out is bloody lovely, especially if it's close enough to walk so that all the adults can have a drink.

The first time I did it, it was because I broke my wrist a couple of days before Christmas and couldn't cook, and my ex was so useless in the kitchen he couldn't manage anything more complex than a bacon sandwich.

We had such a great time we did that for the next 3 years. Sadly, the lovely hotel we went to has now closed, and I don't think any of the local pubs are doing Christmas lunch.

I hope you don’t pass on this pathetic work ethic to your son.

I don’t believe this post is actually genuine.

Dont be so ridiculous!

Stupid post. It's not just emergency services who have to work on Christmas Day. A significant portion of the hospitality industry is also open too.

Throwing your toys out of the pram springs to mind.

We are going out for Christmas Dinner today and I am absolutely not sorry about it at all. There will be five of us. We pay a lot to do it every Christmas we can and it is one of our few meals out each year, so not lazy at all, thank you very much. Pubs and hotels/restaurants can make a fair bit of money opening to the public on Christmas Day so many of them do so.

In fact, we are going to be eating at the same hotel where my own DD works (housekeeping, so cleans rooms etc.). She's at work this morning but will finish and then join us for dinner. I am proud of her and she is happy to be getting the double time pay packet. You should be proud of your DS too.

I'm looking forward to our meal.