Really quite sad, ds is going to be alone for Christmas.

[OhWhatFuckeryIsThisNow]

Ok, he's a grown up,but still. He moved away a few years ago, shared house with friends. Had to work last year, but so did his housemates. Got stiffed on the rota this year too, but everyone else is either going home or has moved elsewhere. He may be working Christmas Day, but def before and Boxing Day, so can't come home (we live about two hours away) we can't go there as dh is only off Christmas Day. I know it's only one day, and first world problem, but oh, I do feel sorry for him. ☹️(And we'll miss him)

Had to work last year, but so did his housemates. Got stiffed on the rota this year too.

Gently... I think perhaps he doens't want to do the 'big family thing' anymore.

People without kids do tend to get stiffed on the rota though.

I chose to spend Christmas alone when I was 25 or 6. I had the best time! I started the day with Bucks Fizz and was gently tipsy by lunchtime! I don't recall much about the day, but I know I wasn't arsed by being alone. 😁

He might be quite happy to do his own thing.

IT will be at least c Eve and Boxing Day, but if he's doing them he's says he'll offer to do Christmas Day too. Nothing world saving, cinema.(yes, open on the day)

I guess he's offering to work on 25th as he can't make it home and back in just one day? So he's giving someone else a chance to have the 25th off. That is very thoughtful of him OP.

Some people on this website are pathetic. Empathy bypasses by the score.

It's shit, OP, but at least he knows he's missed. Dead good of him to say he'll work the 25th - that might mean a child having their parent home, or an elderly person not being on their own all day. Lovely of him. Will you get to see him before or after those few days?

It's really rubbish, I understand why you feel sad. Can he get a train up on his day(s) off?

Sounds like you've all accepted that you won't be able to see him and good on him offering to work as he'll be on his own anyway.
Can you arrange to meet up with him before Christmas or visit him/him you? Then as a pp suggested, you could make him up some lovely parcels and some bits and bobs to make a nice meal on Christmas Day.
Phone call, Skype/FaceTime will be your friend here. Hope you have a good time!
And don't get why people are being so judged about adults not driving - there are plenty of reasons, financial, medical, choice etc etc!!!

I think it's appaling cinema workers are being forced to work Christmas. Really how many people are going you go and see anything. It can't be worth their while opening. My brother and I work for the emergency services so we expect to have to work at some point or over all of Christmas that's fair enough but cinema workers? Bloody ridiculous

That’s a shame for you OP, but really very nice of him to offer to work xmas day. That could be win-win really.

For people moaning about cinemas open on Xmas day: not everyone celebrates Xmas you know. It’s just another day for millions of households across the country.

He does live in a large multicultural city, so the other part of the clientele are people who don't celebrate.
Thanks for the nice posts.its modern life on a minimum wage. Just have to make the best of it.

Can't he get the uber if he's in the city then?

It gives you a great excuse to have another family get together in January, He will be fine, I never saw my family when I was younger due to working Christmas, I actually had a blast.

That's just rubbish. I really feel for you. Sometimes logistics just mean it's not feasible to get together.

Definitely need lots of Skype/FaceTime/phone calls when he is free and maybe send a nice box of things to open on the 25th, special and unique to your family's normal celebrations.

Possibly set another day aside for Christmas Day with your boy and anyone else who is still staying over.

I hope it all works out for you. I know just how hard it can be being away from loved ones at times like this.

This happened to me one year when I was a student. It was absolutely fine, I snoozed through most of it. Don't bombard him with 'just like at home' gifts and Skype calls because you feel sad about it - he's possibly not as bothered as you are.

I've spent a few Christmasses on my own due to work. It was fine. I felt I was missing out for a brief time and then actually enjoyed relaxing on my own. Cooked myself a little dinner and watched whatever I wanted to! I almost pine for those days now!!

ohwhatfuckery I get you, it's not great to be in the situation you're all in but given that he will go to work he is actually going to see some people and not be alone all day. Send him treats for after and do the whole facetime/skype thing. Hopefully it will be better next year

on an unrelated note, it's interesting to see Maryz commenting on a xmas thread in november

We live in NZ and Skype is a godsend. Here's something we've done before which works well. Send him a parcel of goodies to open and Skype him into the openings of gifts in the morning.

Then get him to cook himself a nice lunch, even a ready meal to be ready the same time as yours. With nice desserts etc. Place iPad/ laptop on one end of the table Skype him in again while you are all eating. He can join in the conversation and feel like he's eating with you.

We do this often with friends dinner parties and not quite the same but close!

WunWun he could (it would cost a bomb) then he can't get back for work Boxing Day.(no public transport here)
He really does want to come home. We aren't a big Christmas family, and we only have each other now (distant aunts and uncle) and working a shit job (he's looking for something) with shifts. Only set a few weeks ahead (Christmas is different) he can't afford trains often.
But on the upside we get to see Maryz!

For people moaning about cinemas open on Xmas day: not everyone celebrates Xmas you know. It’s just another day for millions of households across the country

Realistically they could probably cope with the cinema being closed though. It's hardly life and death.

I still can't imagine it's even good business sense opening on Christmas Day

He won't exactly be by himself if he's working, will he? And besides, he's a grown adult.

redglitter

But why should they have to? Frankly everybody on the planet could cope with cinemas being closed every day.

Are you hinting that non-practising Christians and non-Christians should be made to observe Christmas Day, nay have it disrupt their own lives?

We are officially a Christian country though. So I don't see why we can't observe Christian festivals. There's is absolutely no need for anyone to be at the cinema or shopping on Christmas Day. If people want to open their businesses, then fine. But nobody who doesn't want to should have to work a non emergency services job on Cristmas day.

Agreed Tinkly. Mumsnet is overrun with comments about " loving Chrustmas" and not judging people for having Christmas trees up in November. Yet a thread about a mum not having a son home because a bloody cinema is open gets sarky comments about driving and being multi cultural.

Umm, I'm the op and brought up the fact that he lives in a Multicultural city (which he loves after living in a little country town). I think it's more to do with rapacious businesses trying to screw one more pound out of consumers than the erosion of Christianity.

I'm not even complaining about the erosion of Christianity (though I do go to church). I just think that at Christmas, unless you expressly choose an emergency services type job, you should be able to say, "No actually I'm not working on Chrismas Day, or even Boxing Day, I'm kicking back and spending quality time with my loved ones".