A bit OT: Does it bother anyone else...

[jessica52877]

DH works the holidays always and it is salary so no extra in it for him. It does stink, because we can't ever enjoy a holiday it seems.

 

[kid-at-heart]

I refuse to shop on Thanksgiving. This is the one holiday that almost everyone in the United States celebrates - regardless of their religious beliefs. I can understand stores being open every day of the year except this particular day. I carry my "no shop on Thanksgiving" one step further, I stop shopping at stores once I find out they are/were open on Thanksgiving (with the exception of places such as gas stations and convenience stores (sometimes needed for emergency items; medicines, i.e, children’s cold medicines, etc.).

 

[willoughbyclan]

Many occupations work both shifts & the holidays comes with the territory.

Especially, if a holiday salary premium is involved; typically no problem getting volunteers .

I agree totally, and the employees are also aware when they chose to accept the position. This is one of many reasons I chose not to work in retail since having kids.

 

[TinkerbellRN]

I carry my "no shop on Thanksgiving" one step further, I stop shopping at stores once I find out they are/were open on Thanksgiving (with the exception of places such as gas stations and convenience stores (sometimes needed for emergency items; medicines, i.e, children’s cold medicines, etc.).

wow. that's intense.

i'm sure people working at kmart on thanksgiving are paid double time, plus maybe they get the perk of not having to work the next day.

i've worked alternating thanksgiving/christmas for the last 5 years. it's really not that big of a deal. christmas can always be celebrated on December 26th!

 

[DisneyGal358]

I think it's funny it wasn't mentioned that DISNEY never closes also.

During my college program I worked in the Magic Kingdom and I worked on every holiday (Thanksgiving day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and New Years Eve and New Years day...). I knew that going into the program but still hard when you see everyone celebrating in 'the happiest place on earth' with their family and your family/friends are miles away. Serving food to hungry and sometimes rude guests isn't so 'magical' then.

I loved the program and would do it again but I am much more considerate to anyone in a service industry now. It's hard work and usually long hours.

 

[Aliceacc]

Thanksgiving is one of the very few American holidays we have. It's not about religion or political beliefs or anything other than being American.

I can see food stores being open until mid afternoon. I can see that pharmacies and gas stations need to be open.

But there is nothing that K-Mart is selling that can't wait until Black Friday. They can open up at midnight and stay open until Christmas Eve if they want, but they should be closed for Thanksgiving.

I always love the PC Richards Thanksgiving ad that explains why they're closed.

 

[suzydisney971]

I do feel bad for those who have to work. There used to be a time where all the stores were closed on Sundays and there weren't any longer holiday hours. (that's what my mom tells me since I was too young to know any different). Sometimes I think we should go back to those days. Everything seemed simpler and no one had to go out and get the latest hottest toy. It seems the more technology we have the less time we have to enjoy.

 

[Patti_C]

I worked retail for years, and I didn't like the idea either, I agree that the stores should be closed those days and Sundays. I remember when I was younger the stores were not open and we spent so much family time. It seemed to be what Sundays and Holidays were all about. I am going to contradict myself though, last year I did need something on Thanksgiving that a gas station would not have and I had to run to K-mart. Also Hobby Lobby can still stay in business and they are closed on Sundays. Happy Holidays everyone!

 

[klofan]

I work in retail at the Home Depot. And we have off WITH holiday pay. Now thats how stores should be.

 

[safetymom]

I think we should go back to when the stores were closed on holidays. Many employees that have to work those days don't want to be there.

I used to work retail and had to work the holidays and I sure didn't want to be there. I also had a boss that wasn't the best and he gave the "kids" the days off and the full time people had to work. No fair unless you wanted to be there.

 

[Kay1]

What about Disney? They'e open 365 days a year. Should they change that?

 

[irishbosoxfan]

To go with working on holidays...the military.

DH is AD Army.He's been in for over 12 years. Christmas 2005 was the first year we actually celebrated Xmas on Xmas- before that we had to wait till New Years when he was off.

Thanksgiving is a mixed bag--We have had it on T day a couple of times but we've also had it the weekend after and the weekend before.

There has been a couple of times he wasn't here for one of the days but this year I am on my own for both T day and Xmas as you can see by my ticker.

At least in the general public holiday pay is given, usually at the rate of time and a half---in the military there is no holiday pay or overtime pay and we get paid on the first and the fifteenth of the month for a total of 24 paychecks a year at the same exact amount every single time.

 

[snowwhite84]

Stores are open on July 4th and that's a major American holiday. I think it might even be more significant than Thanksgiving, which, when you look at the history, doesn't have such a pretty past.

Don't get me wrong, I love Thanksgiving and would hate to work on that day. Which is why I would not work retail.

 

[PatriciaH]

Just think about the places that NEVER close...hospitals, police and fire departments.

It's all part of the job and you are told that when you are hired.

Disney hourly employees work holidays.

 

[TnTWalter]

not only do they not get to SHOP, but they have to put up with the sometimes rude shoppers and it's a mad house, rude or not.

I'm pretty sure they get off in time to enjoy dinner without having to do any of the cooking! LOL. They get paid and get out of cooking...win win.

Trish

 

[kmchar1]

I work at WDW and I've worked every single holiday for the past 4 years. We do get paid double time, but it's not worth it to me. Usually the guests are not pleasant on the holidays (Christmas especially) and it makes it very difficult to be there. I work in a resort, so I don't get the joy of being in the park during that time. I knew going into the job I would have to work holidays, but almost every job in Central Florida requires you to work weekends, nights and holidays (such a huge travel industry down here obviously). It's not just the hourlies that have to work holidays..managers and some O&T do as well. Also, most of the areas are not allowed to celebrate Christmas..so we don't even get a holiday party or Christmas dinners at work...stinks 'cause there is nothing special about working that day. We aren't even allowed to say "Merry Christmas". ugh.

If I had to do it all over again, I'd get a job in a bank and buy an annual pass for Disney. I do love my job every other day though, so I guess I'll have to work the holidays for a few more years......

 

[bluesaturn]

If I had to do it all over again, I'd get a job in a bank and buy an annual pass for Disney. I do love my job every other day though, so I guess I'll have to work the holidays for a few more years......

Now days most banks are open at least half the day Saturday, and some are even open Sunday. Of course that is nothing compared to working holidays. I'm sorry you have to work the holidays, but I'm even more sorry people are so rude to you and your coworkers. I hope you can still enjoy the season .

 

[bumbershoot]

I used to work at amazon, and the only thing I felt bad for myself about working that day was how NASTY the customers were who called on that day!

I work in retail at the Home Depot. And we have off WITH holiday pay. Now thats how stores should be.

Or you could work that day and get holiday pay AND pay for working. Or comp time instead of getting paid for working (and the holiday pay).

Now that is a nice deal!


I have no family nearby, we're vegetarian so nothing we eat takes as long as an omnivore's thanksgiving meal, and we like days off or extra money. So if DH has to work Thanksgiving (he's back at amazon!) don't feel bad for him or us, it's just another day!

 

[Ciao Mickey]

that Kmart is open Thanksgiving day? I was looking at the BF thread and noticed he Thanksgiving day sales. I just feel badly for those employees with families who are stuck working that day.

No. When I was in high school, I worked at Walbaums supermarket and had to work on Thanksgiving day. I didn't mind it at all because I got paid double-time.

 

[ryka]

I use to work in CVS. It's a 24 hour store. When holidays came around they would ask who wants to work. You didn't have to if you didn't want to but if you did you got triple time. I worked one Christmas day. They let me come in after my kids opened all the presents and I got to go home by dinnertime. It was the easiest day working there. Hardly anybody came in. We really didn't do anything that day and got paid triple time.