Working On Christmas

[paintnolish]

I am hoping HOPING I don't work Xmas eve. I am a server, and we had to rank our holidays (day before/after Tgiving, day before/after Xmas, NY eve and day). I said Xmas eve is the most important to me. We go to my Gpa's in Chicago (over 2 hour drive, so it's not like I can pop over after work) every year and this will be the first year without my Gma (passed away after 65 years of marriage), so I have to be there.
Sorry you have to work!

 

[linda0706]

Several years ago my brother was the head manager for a fast food chain that was open on Christmas day. (not his choice) Of course EVERYONE wanted Christmas off. (mostly high-schoolers) His solution was to schedule everyone (who wasn't out-of-town) in 2 hour shifts. Maybe not the perfect solution, but nobody's holiday was totally blown by spending the day slinging hamburgers. I think he even had a sign-up sheet so they could choose their own time slot.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Several years ago my brother was the head manager for a fast food chain that was open on Christmas day. (not his choice) Of course EVERYONE wanted Christmas off. (mostly high-schoolers) His solution was to schedule everyone (who wasn't out-of-town) in 2 hour shifts. Maybe not the perfect solution, but nobody's holiday was totally blown by spending the day slinging hamburgers. I think he even had a sign-up sheet so they could choose their own time slot.

That was a great idea. I also think it was very fair. He sounds like he was a great manager.
OP- Sorry you have to work the holiday. I know how much it stinks.

 

[luvmy3]

Although it does stink that you will have to work, it is alot to expect to have two major Holidays off, even if one of them was your regular day off.
I don't think its fair to assume that those without families (I assume you mean kids?) CAN work, but if you know that they don't normally have a problem working Christmas maybe you could ask one of them to cover for you. I would also put in a request early to have Christmas as your (major) Holiday off next year

 

[robinb]

It was mandatory to work. The crappiest part of the holiday? Hearing customers say "poor you for having to work Christmas" Well shoot, don't stop at IHOP on your way to Grandma's then. If it wasn't the busiest day of the year I could be home!

We ate at McDonald's on Thanksgiving day this year. We went to the Thanksgiving Day parade in downtown Chicago in the morning but dinner wasn't until 3:00-4:00 at my sister's house and we were hungry by noon. McDonalds was one of the only places open (I didn't see an IHOP and would have preferred that ). Anyway ... I specifically thanked the people for working that day. I know they really had no choice but I thought it might make them feel a little better.

 

[Mandychelle79]

I worked, 3-1130 on Thanksgiving, 3-1130 on Christmas ( both these days are double time and a half) then I go back in Daylight on the 26th ( time and a half for "doubling back") and I also have to work New Years Day ( 7-330 at double time and a half). I have two kids at home, volunteered to work the afternoon shift on those days.

 

[BabyTigger99]

My DH worked Thanksgiving this year....and will work Christmas as well. Oh yeah, he is 10,000 miles away, deployed, as well....OP, count your blessings you can still spend time with your family for the holidays....

 

[crz4mm2]

I've worked xmas eve or xmas day (depending upon what shift I was on at the time) for over 20 years.
You work around it.

BabyTigger99. God bless your DH!

 

[disney1990]

It does suck to work on Christmas, but this year it's sucking even worse not having a job at all

Absolutely true. I would love to be working Christmas Day this year.

My DH worked Thanksgiving this year....and will work Christmas as well. Oh yeah, he is 10,000 miles away, deployed, as well....OP, count your blessings you can still spend time with your family for the holidays....

Thank your husband, from me, for all he is doing for our country.

 

[wvjules]

You work for less than the state minimum wage at 80-100 hours per week with NO ovetime? And Thursdays are your normal day off? That leaves 6 days to work those 80-100 hours? You are working 13-16 hour days 6 days a week? Sounds like you need another job. Maybe you could go back to driving instead of dispatching.

BTW, I agree with others that said family status doesn't/shouldn't matter and the fact that you did get off 1 major holiday should be good enough since you have only been there 2 years.

Time to find a new job, IMO.

 

[justhat]

My husband always has to work holidays too. It stinks, but what can you do. In theory, my husband is supposed to get 1 holiday day off each year, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year's. They put in a request and you may or may not get what you wanted. Well last year, despite his request for Christmas, he was schedule to work all 3 holidays, and overnight as well! Thanksgiving was a 30 hour shift, Christmas and NYE slated for 24 hours.

Well he was very lucky is that a very nice coworker asked my husband if he wanted to switch Christmas Eve for Christmas Day. That particular guy didn't celebrate Christmas, is not married, doesn't have kids, and his family lives hours away so he couldn't see them anyway so he said the day wasn't important to him and since he knew we had little kids he figured my husband would appreciate being home. It was great cause his 24 shift was over at 7am on Christmas so we got to celebrate on the actual day for a change.

In the past though, when he did have to work, we just celebrated on a different day so that he could be home with us.

 

[Metro West]

I used to work all holidays when I was in high school. I worked at a nursing home kitchen and of course that requires residents to be fed every day.

The first time I missed a holiday was Thanksgiving...I was really upset that I had to be away from my family but then I realized I could make the resident's holiday better by keeping a good attitude. I didn't mind working holidays but I can certainly see where some people would.

 

[disykat]

I was over half way through this thread before it dawned on me that my Dad often worked on Christmas. I think it's a real credit to my parents that they didn't make it a big deal.

LOL - Now I just remembered my mom worked on Christmas too! She was a paid church organist and we always had church on Christmas Day, not to mention several services the night before! It just was what it was, so it never occured to me it was a big deal.

 

[DVC-Don]

Worked Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years and most other major holidays all the time back when I was in public safety/law enforcement/EMS (double time and a half). Somebody elses turn now.

 

[Mandychelle79]

Yeah, we never made it a big deal either. Mom was a nurse, people still are sick, she needs to work. We would just get up before she went to work and open the gifts before she left.

 

[OK!]

I work for a bank so I'm off, but a few years ago when I was working retail while going to school, I thought I had a good deal by getting off at 6 (when the store closed) on Christmas Eve. Well, until my boss announced that we had to stay late to set the ad for the day after Christmas sale. We didn't get out of there until 10, and that was after getting yelled at for not getting it done fast enough (as though we deliberately went slowly to try to prolong the joy of working on Christmas Eve!) Grr.

Sorry to everybody who has to work on the holidays! Hopefully all of your companies will do something nice for you to try to make up for it.

 

[nutterbutter2010]

When I was working my way through college I worked for a company that shipped dead people. We were opened every second of the year since people don't not die on holidays.

I was a student and needed the money and we got 2.5x pay for working the holidays so I volunteered to work every one. I don't work them anymore though.

There has to be a nicer way to say that...

 

[Darsa]

Well he was very lucky is that a very nice coworker asked my husband if he wanted to switch Christmas Eve for Christmas Day. That particular guy didn't celebrate Christmas, is not married, doesn't have kids, and his family lives hours away so he couldn't see them anyway so he said the day wasn't important to him and since he knew we had little kids he figured my husband would appreciate being home. It was great cause his 24 shift was over at 7am on Christmas so we got to celebrate on the actual day for a change.

Now THAT'S what I call having Christmas spirit. What a great guy!

 

[MerMom60_94]

DH is a firefighter and has to work a 24 hour shift this Christmas. He has seniority in the department and if someone decides to take the shift as overtime he will have the first option to take off. I think if that happens, though, he will let somebody take off who has a child who still believes. You know, it's an I'll scratch your back you scratch mine type of thing. Call it karma or what you will, but he always took the shift before we had our daughter or he would at least go into the station and cover for the morning so somebody could see their kids open their gifts. When our DD still believed others did the same for him. When you take on a job that requires holiday coverage you should expect to pull your fair share and not expect everyone else to work the holidays while you are exempt. Your children are all older. Why should this fall only on childless workers?

You'll see, it will all work out just fine.

 

[focusondisney]

Hi! Hospital RN here , 30 plus years & counting. Have worked PLENTY of all major/minor holidays. We have a union so our contract dictates holiday scheduling. We do get time & 1/2 on the holiday. I have kids & family traditions too. And I worked my holiday commitments as I raised my kids. We worked around it, as others have said.

OP, sorry but I disagree with your logic. You not using time you are intitled to take, or not asking for other days during the year doesn't entitle you to have off the 2 days almost EVERYONE wants off. You only have 2 years of senority? I have coworkers who have 25 yrs. of seniority & are still working every Christmas ( we have a lot of high seniority on our unit).

I used to have compassion as my kids got older & volunteered so others could be home with small children. No more. I have seen too many want EVERYTHING off just because " I have kids". I mean these people want off all major / minor holidays, Halloween, St. patricks Day etc. Give me a break!!

I now feel that I'll follow my contract & take off what I'm entitled to. Time for less senior employees to pay their dues.