Would you go shopping on St. Stephan's day?

wmpdd3

It's that time of the year again when just as all retail staff dread Christmas, the threat of having to work on St. Stephan's day looms.

It has been on the cards with years, mostly kept at bay by shopping centers that don't want to open. This leaves it up to large standalone stores to lead the way.

The main choices last year were PC World, B+Q am.. the petrol station.....

This year many other stores are looking in to it, but would you really go shopping and if you would, do you have more than 36 hrs off for Christmas?

jhegarty

No, give the poor people a day off.

dudara

OK, I'm not sure what you're asking here but we'll leave the thread stand for now,

Firstly, the whole concept of shopping on Dec 26th (Boxing Day) is a very British thing. It doesn't fit with the whole Catholic concept of Christmas. St Stephen's Day is the day of the wren and all that. It's a church holiday. And even though you may argue that a lot of the cash-affluent people in Ireland no longer observe Catholic holidays, it is true that tradition is hard to overcome.

Secondly, Ireland traditionally has very generous holidays over the Christmas period. A lot of salaried Irish people are used to a week off over Christmas - some of my american colleagues cannot comprehend this - a lot of them are back at work on Dec 26th.

Personally, I dislike sales on Dec 26th. It's too soon after Christmas. I really cannot verbalise a better reason than that.

leeroybrown

I prefer to see shops closed on St. Stephen's Day. Certainly not for any religious reasons, but mainly because it's the one national holiday we have that brings most families together. Obviously a limited number of people will need to work but having retail staff back at work really eats into this. As it is some major stores already have staff back in work on St. Stephens Day to prepare for their early opening on the 27th. If sales start beginning on the 26th the logical progression is to have people back in work without a full night's sleep after Christmas.

In the US context it's very important to note that they also have thanksgiving in late November.

Cabaal

Nope everything should be closed for 25th and 26th, shops pubs the lot, sadly pubs are not and more and more shops are open and its an awful shame people can't live for two bloody days a year without drink/buying stuff

calex71

Cabaal wrote: »

Nope everything should be closed for 25th and 26th, shops pubs the lot, sadly pubs are not and more and more shops are open and its an awful shame people can't live for two bloody days a year without drink/buying stuff

Don't many of the Bar's in the Dublin city center stay shut on the 26th? I always go home for xmas so I'm never in the city

Agree though 2 days shut for shops/pubs would be no harm, the sales and pubs will still be there on the 27th.

Jip

jhegarty wrote: »

No, give the poor people a day off.

I thought poor people had every day off, hence them being poor.

rubadub

dudara wrote: »

Secondly, Ireland traditionally has very generous holidays over the Christmas period. A lot of salaried Irish people are used to a week off over Christmas - some of my american colleagues cannot comprehend this - a lot of them are back at work on Dec 26th.

I would not call it "generous", that implies you are getting it free or something, these are legal entitlements. I get 20 days per year and am FORCED to take some of them at christmas by my company. They force me to take off far more days than I would like, I would never consider this "gernerous".

I am always confused by peoples comments, like if I say "I get 2 weeks off at christmas" they might comment "oh you are so lucky" -now the majority of these people could have simply asked for these holidays (i.e. they are not forced to work like a doctor/nurse/retail staff might). The same happens on good friday, again I am forced to use up one of my holidays and people call me "lucky", when again they could have simply applied for that day off in their own job with no problem.

It is like people somehow view these as paid days off given by their company out of the goodness of their heart. In some cases it could be somewhat true, i.e. I know a guy who gets his legal entitled holidays and a bonus day off on good friday.

Cabaal wrote: »

Nope everything should be closed for 25th and 26th, shops pubs the lot, sadly pubs are not and more and more shops are open and its an awful shame people can't live for two bloody days a year without drink/buying stuff

I don't see why any business should be forced to close down because of some mythical character that many do not believe in. Why those 2 days in particular, I would prefer summer days if we had to vote for this bizarre obligatory shut down of businesses.

eth0_

Too soon after Christmas. New years day sales are a better idea.

Davidth88

I used to work in the Head Office of a major furniture co in the UK ( since gone bust )

26th believe it or not was our biggest sale day. Our shops were closed from Dec 20th ( or thereabouts ) and opened 9am on Boxing day. To put this in perspective we used to take approx 1 busy days takings every HOUR across all the branches.

I could never understand it , I could think of a thousand things I would rather do on the 26 than go shopping , esp as in our case you ordered the furniture , the same stuff was still available at the same price until 6th Jan ( when phase 2 of sale started ). I used to have to get in to restart the computer systems around 5am on the 26th.

Don't Next open at 4am or something stupid forcing their staff in at midnight ? I heard of at least one person that walked out of a job there because of this policy.

jhegarty

rubadub wrote: »

I don't see why any business should be forced to close down because of some mythical character that many do not believe in. Why those 2 days in particular, I would prefer summer days if we had to vote for this bizarre obligatory shut down of businesses.

Except for pubs there is no law stopping shops open. If there was a market they would.

But believe it or not , people want time off for Christmas.

Lollipops23

I work in a dept store. We're open 24th til normal time,then off 25th/27th. Honestly, most years we need the 2 days off in order to get up the strength to deal with the January sales (starting 27th dec:rolleyes:) as they're MENTAL!!

P_1

I currently work in retail so I suppose my judgement may be slightly clouded

Personally I don't agree with shops being open on Stephens Day. The main thing I enjoy about the Christmas holiday is being able to completley switch off for those 2 days.

Also bear in mind that for the shops to be able to open on Stephens Day you probably would have to have public transport workers working the day too.

leeroybrown

rubadub wrote: »

I don't see why any business should be forced to close down because of some mythical character that many do not believe in. Why those 2 days in particular, I would prefer summer days if we had to vote for this bizarre obligatory shut down of businesses.

While I'm neither a fan of our commercialised Christmas or the religious formality that goes with it, the simple fact is that it's one of only a few real national holidays in Ireland. In particular it's the only holiday that is focused on bring families together. Regardless of some people's individual ideals there is very little reason to dilute what is an excellent event for the majority.

This reminds me of the annual "Why can't the pubs be open thread' that generally crops up around Christmas.

Mimikyu

This post has been deleted.

Kensington

Place I used to work would open Stephen's Day. It was the single most busy day of the entire year - both in crowds and turnover. I'd have to work 9-6 Christmas Eve and be back in Stephen's Day at 7.30am to get the shop open for 9am. When I arrived at 7.30am, there'd already be a queue of customers outside. By 9am both the carpark and industrial estate were packed with customer cars.

Damnit though, the money I earned over those two days made my January paycheque damn nice indeed! Fortunately for me though, I get my first Christmas off this year in 3 years. Three years of retail has taken it's toll...

dh0661

A lot of independent sole trader shops around the country (I'm sure there is at least one in every town) open x-mas day for a few hours and do a good trade with people buying items they forgot, batteries, cards, presents of one sort or other, cigarettes, cream or custard for the pudding - the list goes on.
All at a premium rate.

Redpunto

its up to the "heads"- if the shops arent open. people cant go shoppin, as simple as but money is what makes the world go round. if retailers are gonna make money then they are gonna open

mailblaney

it would have to be something special to get me out to shops on st stephens day

wmpdd3

Try 10 years of retail, worked in Next too, once left the store at 21:30 Christmas Eve and back in 27th at 4:30.

I suppose what most people don't realise is that you work 6 days a week from about the 14th of Dec. So that's your last chance of 2 days off together.

Then straight through from the last Saturday before Christmas until Christmas Eve.

It would be great if St. Stephans Day didn't take off and we all got 2 days off together for Christmas, but if it does than there goes Christmas.

Also with disposable income thin on the ground, the shops that do open could get in there first.

themadchef

I work every day except Christmas day. I work all the way through New years. I wouldint work Christmas day for the pope if he asked me. The rest of it? I'm just glad i'm earning instead of spending.

No it's not just the recession that has me feeling like this, it's always been this way. Distant family and friends are great in small doses. Crap telly, spend your day cooking anyway to feed the hungry hounds that inevitably turn up (big family). Bah hum bug to the lot of it :P

Shopping? you must be kidding. The shops will still be there on the 27th. People only have so much disposable income.

thebiglad

All the sales start on online on 26th anyhow - so can shop the UK chains and not even have to leave home.

If shops were open I would head out for a look.

Sales start on 27th and back to work then:(

matt70iu

Nope, would never shop on 26/12, simply because I feel so sorry for all retail staff who have to work, the more people that shop, the more likely the fat cats at the top are going to want the shops open. Retail staff work long enough hours as it is.

x in the city

no once force you out of your house on 'boxing day' to shop.

contrary to popular belief, you wont blow up into a zillion bits if you stay at home

Snoopy1

jhegarty wrote: »

No, give the poor people a day off.

I'm working 7am till 7pm 25th, 26th and 27th December. Why should retail employees be any different. If i wasnt stuck in this place, i would definitely be in the shops on the 26th.

Oafley Jones

Snoopy1 wrote: »

I'm working 7am till 7pm 25th, 26th and 27th December. Why should retail employees be any different. If i wasnt stuck in this place, i would definitely be in the shops on the 26th.

It's the Christmas Grinch!

jahalpin

I normally go into town on St. Stephens Day. HMV and McDonalds are always open and the buses operate a Sunday service. The cinema is also open and there is almost always a new film out on the 26th

I then go out to PC World in Blanchardstown to check out the "sale"

I get bored if I am around the house for too long and this year I'm off from the 24th - 28th inclusive

the_syco

Have often worked on the 26th. The cinema would be very busy, with a lot of people having gotten vouchers. This year "Nine" and "Sherlock Holmes" come out on the 26th in Vue cinema in Liffey Valley.

mono_mac

ah feic it ! Il prob just go to pub :-)

AlmightyCushion

Does anyone remember when they used to be called the january sales. No I wouldn't go shopping on st stephen's day. Never really buy things in the sales so I'd only really need to go to the shop for things like food and that.

Toots

I wouldn't go shopping on Stephen's Day, as in going on a random trip around the shops. I am however, glad the shops will be open this year, I've to run down to argos and buy a new duvet after our current one got destroyed last night. I'll say no more.

Nightwish

Definitely not. I worked for a British high street chain for 7 years and every year we came under huge pressure to open on Stephens Day. The management didnt want to open let alone the staff. Now it seems they won out and its horrible. Retail staff dont even get a break at Christmas.

number10a

The whole thing was so successful (for the retailers) that I can't see shops ever being closed again on St Stephen's Day. It's sad really. In fact there'll probably be more open next year. I remember about 7/8 years ago when you'd be shocked to see a Centra open on St Stephen's Day. Now whole cities are open.

ch750536

People can decide this, just dont go shopping, they would soon close. I havent been in a shop since weds and dont plan on doing so till later today.

Massive Muscles

It's a free capitalist country so if there is demand for shopping then businesses have every right to supply if they want. We're also a multicultural society so not everybody cares about Stephens Day or xmas.

Lollipops23

number10a wrote: »

The whole thing was so successful (for the retailers) that I can't see shops ever being closed again on St Stephen's Day. It's sad really. In fact there'll probably be more open next year. I remember about 7/8 years ago when you'd be shocked to see a Centra open on St Stephen's Day. Now whole cities are open.

Yup,we were pretty busy. Dang:mad:

It annoys the hell out of me that so many people (customers) were complaining in the run-up to christmas about us opening St Stephen's Day. There were plenty of people crowded at the door before opening. One couple had been waiting since 1pm Christmas Day.

mono_mac

lollipop lollipop , lolly lollipop

_michelle_

no i think they should be closed 25th & 26th however saying that last year i went & bought a tv on stephens day as it was half price but only for that reason otherwise no.

wmpdd3

Oh great there goes Christmas time to leave retail.....
Defiantly next year most stores will be open as apposed to closed.

True it's a capitalist society, but footfall and sales rule the world of retail.

pickarooney

Count yourselves lucky you get time off at all. Number of hours free for Christmas in France in 2010 = 0.

axer

Its about time shops overrode the stupid religious influence this country has been subjected to.

I would like to see everything open every religious holiday - including christmas day.

The world doesn't revolve around christians.

Cabaal

axer wrote: »

Its about time shops overrode the stupid religious influence this country has been subjected to.

I would like to see everything open every religious holiday - including christmas day.

The world doesn't revolve around christians.

I see where your coming from but for alot of people in this country and the world christmas is less about religion and more about a break from work and spending time with their family.

People are entitled to some basic amount of days off work in fairness,

I'm curious in your job do you work all the days of the year including bank holidays?

axer

Cabaal wrote: »

I see where your coming from but for alot of people in this country and the world christmas is less about religion and more about a break from work and spending time with their family.

Then it has nothing to do with christmas/st. stephens day.

Cabaal wrote: »

People are entitled to some basic amount of days off work in fairness,

As is required by law - nothing to do with christmas/st. stephens day.

Cabaal wrote: »

I'm curious in your job do you work all the days of the year including bank holidays?

Nope, I'm on call for bank holidays and every other day other than christmas day. Nobody works all the days of the year as that would be against the law.