Have you ever had to Work on Christmas Day?

Conor84 · 22-12-2018 5:04pm #1

Havent had to work it myself. Obviously medical staff and emergency services have to work but probably others do too.

Have you ever worked it? Do you have any good stories about good things that happened or was it tough being away from family and home?

harr · 22-12-2018 5:12pm

Had to work it a few times when I was younger, wasn’t married and had no kids.
It was very boring and nothing was happening they just needed someone on the premises to spot check temperature of large refrigeration units. All done remotely now.
They were looking for volunteers and I got nearly an extra weeks wages for working the 8 hours. It was grand worked from 6am till 2pm and then off back home.
My family waited till I got home for dinner so didn’t miss much.
I volunteered for a few years, all changed them once the kids came along and I probably wouldn’t like to do it now.

Fann Linn · 22-12-2018 5:12pm

Spent many a christmas stuck on a ship in some foreign port over the years. Christmas dinner, some videos and tacky christmas decorations.

Some craic but once you've a family there's only one place you ever want to be.

OldMrBrennan83 · 22-12-2018 5:13pm

In my single days, never minded it at all. Wouldn't even contemplate doing it now though.

r93kaey5p2izun · 22-12-2018 5:19pm

Yes when I was 16-18 and working part time as a care assistant. I wasn't happy about it but it was fine really. I wouldn't take a job where it was a possibility now.

seamusk84 · 22-12-2018 5:19pm

Back in 2009 I worked 12 to 10pm on Xmas day. Suffice to say my fiancé was not happy!

Worst Xmas day ever, but drew the short straw so had to do it. Was working for an online poker company at the time. The amount of people playing online poker that day (in particular in the UK) was unreal.

Had to heat up my Xmas dinner in the canteen...Depressing.

The office was full of people like me who didn’t want to be there or people who just hated Xmas. Never again unless I’m forced to!

Conor84 · 22-12-2018 5:20pm

harr wrote: »

Had to work it a few times when I was younger, wasn’t married and had no kids.
It was very boring and nothing was happening they just needed someone on the premises to spot check temperature of large refrigeration units. All done remotely now.
They were looking for volunteers and I got nearly an extra weeks wages for working the 8 hours. It was grand worked from 6am till 2pm and then off back home.
My family waited till I got home for dinner so didn’t miss much.
I volunteered for a few years, all changed them once the kids came along and I probably wouldn’t like to do it now.

Sounds like a great deal . You still pretty much had your Christmas after 2pm and also 5 times regular pay.

dxhound2005 · 22-12-2018 5:24pm

In the old days postmen (as they were known) used to do deliveries on Christmas morning. That went out years ago, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it coming back. People need their parcels, even on Christmas day.

OldMrBrennan83 · 22-12-2018 5:34pm

dxhound2005 wrote: »

In the old days postmen (as they were known) used to do deliveries on Christmas morning. That went out years ago, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it coming back. People need their parcels, even on Christmas day.

If they've a pair of balls (or even one) then they still are, Twitter and Boards be damned.

harr · 22-12-2018 5:35pm

Conor84 wrote: »

Sounds like a great deal . You still pretty much had your Christmas after 2pm and also 5 times regular pay.

It was and no one else wanted to do it which surprised me...even single people who probably would have been in bed most of the morning anyway. The company didn’t mind paying out the extra cash as they needed someone on. God only knows why they didn’t just roster someone on that day. The company was very heavily unionised so I am sure that probably made a difference.

TerrorFirmer · 22-12-2018 5:41pm

Thankfully never had to, it's the only day of the year I genuinely care about being off. If I had to, I think I'd be OK with working early in the morning until the early afternoon - still plenty of time for family, food, dinner, movie, the works.

Working mid-day until 10pm like described above though is really a horrible raw deal. But I suppose someone has to do it in a setup like that which had no down-time.

Canis Lupus · 22-12-2018 5:43pm

Worked most of the last 5 or 6 years. Couldn't care less. It's just another day as far as I'm concerned.

Franz Von Peppercorn · 22-12-2018 5:48pm

I’ve worked a few thanksgivings.

Necro · 22-12-2018 5:53pm

First time ever this year

Christmas Day ruined for me, have to work for 5 hours from 10pm till 3am. Joys of emergency services work I guess. The extra pay does help soften the blow but I'd rather have the day off.

Was due to work 10pm-8am Christmas Eve to Christmas Day but thankfully was given it off. No such joy on Christmas Day night though.

corner of hells · 22-12-2018 5:55pm

This Christmas day is the first one I'm off in years.Wont know what to do with myself.
Probably get drunk and start argument with the OH.

BeerWolf · 22-12-2018 5:56pm

Airport is closed on Christmas day.

Had to do a swap with someone to get Eve off as well. Being able to only swap with other Supervisors sucks! Back to work on the 26th and 27 but have the week off after through New Year's.

sightband · 22-12-2018 5:57pm

Worked one Christmas Day in Japan, it’s not recognised as anything over there. Went into work and said happy Xmas to a colleague and they looked at me like I had two heads. All expats I knew had gone back to families. After work I Went to the foreign import shop and bought six 330ml cans of Guinness for about €50 and then got a bucket of KFC and went home and got through about 2 cans and a few bits of chicken and went to bed at about 8pm. Good times.

ceadaoin. · 22-12-2018 6:03pm

I did once but they let me do it from home. Pretty sweet deal really as I drank prosecco all day and got paid quadruple time for a small bit of data entry

notsoyoungwan · 22-12-2018 6:31pm

One year I worked from 9am Christmas Eve morning right through to 9am Christmas Day- the joys of being a junior doctor!

Greyfox · 22-12-2018 6:50pm

Scheduled in once, obviously I rang in sick. They knew I wasn't really sick but there's very little a company can do about it as it's still just 1 sick day. Unless your something like a nurse I think people who work Xmas day are off there heads

eviltwin · 22-12-2018 6:50pm

Worked it last year and working it again this year. I don't mind. I'm not really into Christmas and it's just another day to me

vkus6mt3y8zg2q · 22-12-2018 6:54pm

BeerWolf wrote: »

Airport is closed on Christmas day.

Had to do a swap with someone to get Eve off as well. Being able to only swap with other Supervisors sucks! Back to work on the 26th and 27 but have the week off after through New Year's.

Oh wow, are you a supervisor? Amazing

RWCNT · 22-12-2018 6:57pm

I did in 2012 when I was working in a call centre for a rental cars company. It was actually good craic! We had feck all calls and the management decided to let us drink,so we were basically just chatting and drinking and surfing the net all day.

I did get a call off someone towards the end of my shift, they were stressing about having not received a confirmation email for a car they were renting in 6 months time. He was half cut, I felt tremendous sympathy for him.

arybvtcw0eolkf · 22-12-2018 7:00pm

I'm a soldier, so yes lots of Christmas day duties. I suppose the most difficult was Christmas away from my children while I was away on UN service in Lebanon.

iamwhoiam · 22-12-2018 7:03pm

I worked a few Christmas eve night until 8am Christmas day . I loved it as Santa came with sacks for everyone and we had to dole it out and leave at the foot of the beds and cots . We had very few patients and time to give to each child

salmocab · 22-12-2018 7:05pm

Worked last Christmas night and in this Christmas Day, ‘‘tis a pain in the nuts, 7 to 7. Only save is the lad on the night before said he’ll hang on for a bit so I can see the kids before mooching in about 8.30. Luckily it’s only 15 minutes away. Christmas dinner when I get home with the wife.

super_furry · 22-12-2018 7:12pm

Not Christmas day but I regularly worked Christmas Eve and Stephen's Day.

Kermit.de.frog · 22-12-2018 7:18pm

The country would be a lot wealthier and more productive if the country decided to forgo all bank holidays and Christmas...

miezekatze · 22-12-2018 7:20pm

There are more people working Christmas day than you'd think, it's not just emergency services etc. I used to work in IT support, that team had to be available 24x7 so someone had to cover Christmas day, etc. (at no extra pay!). Luckily one of my colleagues at the time didn't mind working that day so I've never had to do it.

Galwayguy35 · 22-12-2018 7:22pm

Never worked christmas day but christmas eve is a normal day for us so can't remember that last time we had one off.

Potential-Monke · 22-12-2018 7:35pm

Yup, pretty sure i've worked every Christmas day for the last 10 or so years. Somehow managed to be rostered for every Christmas day while I was a Garda, but I did swap once or twice and got a different day off instead. I'm finished work tonight at 10pm (kinda like a supervisor, but not a proper one yet), and my normal week is Tuesday to Saturday, so I was rostered to work this year again. They then pulled names and gave me Xmas day off, but an hour later asked if I could work as they were stuck. I don't mind. I don't have kids, and don't like kids, so I'm missing the Xmas dinner with roaring kids around (myself and the parents go to the sisters house). And getting double time for it (yes, I agree it should be more, but thems the deals, it's the legal amount, joys of American overlords!). So it's better for me to work, as I'd only spend money if I was off.

I don't mind working. I'll always volunteer to work it, but I take issue with companies that automatically give people with their own family the day off and expect the employees that don't have kids to work it instead. In general, I don't think any parent should get special treatment just because they had unprotected sex. I don't agree with parent/child parking spaces either. Actually, I just don't agree with anything where people get special treatment just because they had a kid.

That went slightly OT...

sightband · 22-12-2018 7:49pm

Potential-Monke wrote: »

Yup, pretty sure i've worked every Christmas day for the last 10 or so years. Somehow managed to be rostered for every Christmas day while I was a Garda, but I did swap once or twice and got a different day off instead. I'm finished work tonight at 10pm (kinda like a supervisor, but not a proper one yet), and my normal week is Tuesday to Saturday, so I was rostered to work this year again. They then pulled names and gave me Xmas day off, but an hour later asked if I could work as they were stuck. I don't mind. I don't have kids, and don't like kids, so I'm missing the Xmas dinner with roaring kids around (myself and the parents go to the sisters house). And getting double time for it (yes, I agree it should be more, but thems the deals, it's the legal amount, joys of American overlords!). So it's better for me to work, as I'd only spend money if I was off.

I don't mind working. I'll always volunteer to work it, but I take issue with companies that automatically give people with their own family the day off and expect the employees that don't have kids to work it instead. In general, I don't think any parent should get special treatment just because they had unprotected sex. I don't agree with parent/child parking spaces either. Actually, I just don't agree with anything where people get special treatment just because they had a kid.

That went slightly OT...

I think the idea is that it’s for the kids sake and not the parent(s). My mother was a nurse and worked a few Christmases when I was young as they did a cycle irrespective of families or not. I do recall the ones where she worked and we’d have present opening or dinner at peculiar times, pissed off when she left. Think you’ve got the purpose of it arsed ways there. Although automatic entitlement is wrong, I’d agree with that...but having worked in private and public sector I’ve never heard of it so I’m not sure I believe you or that it happens...I was asked when I didnt have kids to do the Stephens day and on to New Year’s Eve and I did agree but there was no gun to my head.

Conor84 · 22-12-2018 7:55pm

Greyfox wrote: »

Scheduled in once, obviously I rang in sick. They knew I wasn't really sick but there's very little a company can do about it as it's still just 1 sick day. Unless your something like a nurse I think people who work Xmas day are off there heads

How dis that work out? Did somebody get a call to come in on Christmas Day to cover for you? .... Might have damaged your popularity

arybvtcw0eolkf · 22-12-2018 8:02pm

Greyfox wrote: »

Scheduled in once, obviously I rang in sick. They knew I wasn't really sick but there's very little a company can do about it as it's still just 1 sick day. Unless your something like a nurse I think people who work Xmas day are off there heads

If you done that in my job and got someone caught to cover your shift on Christmas day you'd be getting unarmed combat classes in the handball ally

There'd be no doubting your next sick day would be genuine.

Martina1991 · 22-12-2018 8:11pm

I've done different days around Xmas and did work one Xmas day 9 to7.

I work in a hospital lab and it was just boring and lonely. Got dinner for free in the canteen though which was a nice touch.

Its just another day for me as i dont have kids. I didnt mind working it.

OldMrBrennan83 · 22-12-2018 8:12pm

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

The country would be a lot wealthier and more productive if the country decided to forgo all bank holidays and Christmas...

And there would also be no point in doing anything then, so it wouldn't actually be.

Conor84 · 22-12-2018 8:17pm

Royalty Helpless Tinfoil wrote: »

I'm a soldier, so yes lots of Christmas day duties. I suppose the most difficult was Christmas away from my children while I was away on UN service in Lebanon.

Being overseas for one of those tours if you have children must be real tough. Most people even if they are working will get to see the family at some stage during the day.

Brother is starting training next year. What type of duties would you have on Christmas Day? Thought they would only need a minimum number on duty on Christmas Day unless there was some emergency or really bad weather?

arctictree · 22-12-2018 8:22pm

Farmer here. Stock still have to be checked and fed. Is that 'work'?

OldMrBrennan83 · 22-12-2018 8:25pm

arctictree wrote: »

Farmer here. Stock still have to be checked and fed. Is that 'work'?

Depends if you want to do it or not.

beaufoy · 22-12-2018 8:29pm

worked 3 christmases as a security guard...it was great got paid double time...drank beer watched tv and eat food and sweets

22-12-2018 8:30pm

Nope, never. I haven’t even worked in the period from 21/22nd dec until the 2nd if Jan.

arctictree · 22-12-2018 8:30pm

Patww79 wrote: »

Depends if you want to do it or not.

Love doing it. Great to be out and about!

Yer Da sells Avon · 22-12-2018 8:31pm

No, but I worked from 6am - 5pm today, I'll be working from 9am - 7pm tomorrow and then from 5:30am - 5pm on Christmas Eve, so I'll probably be too tired to function on Christmas Day.

OldMrBrennan83 · 22-12-2018 8:31pm

arctictree wrote: »

Love doing it. Great to be out and about!

Then it's not work. Work is only something you hate doing.

beaufoy · 22-12-2018 8:32pm

beaufoy wrote: »

worked 3 christmases as a security guard...it was great got paid double time...drank beer watched tv and eat food and sweets

forgot to mention I had long sleeps without fear of supervisor catching me because they did not work...in the end i lost the job because I was caught asleep on duty

DaveyDave · 22-12-2018 8:36pm

I haven't worked it yet but I'm working a morning shift Christmas Eve and will be working night shift New Years. It's not a huge deal. If you're working you can pick another day to spend time with family and exchange gifts. It's not the end of the world.

cml387 · 22-12-2018 8:41pm

Royalty Helpless Tinfoil wrote: »

If you done that in my job and got someone caught to cover your shift on Christmas day you'd be getting unarmed combat classes in the handball ally

There'd be no doubting your next sick day would be genuine.

I know it's a tradition in the British Army that the officers serve the non coms Christmas dinner. Does that happen in the Irish Army?

22-12-2018 8:48pm

Worked in a NOC (network operations centre) for a number of years, the NOC is operational 24x7x365 so two 12 hour shifts covered christmas day.
Fortunately, we had an agreement where the parants would have xmas day off and work new year and vice versa.

So I never worked xmas day, but, worked several new year days (& nights).

22-12-2018 8:53pm

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

The country would be a lot wealthier and more productive if the country decided to forgo all bank holidays and Christmas...

I assume you're trolling, if not, we're on this planet to live, not just to work to line the pockets of the 0.001%

Mark25 · 22-12-2018 9:12pm

Years ago worked in a call centre and worked Christmas evening as was new got rostered for it. Just 2 of us plus supervisor and was real quiet. People actually called to check if there was anybody there!

cml387 wrote: »

I know it's a tradition in the British Army that the officers serve the non coms Christmas dinner. Does that happen in the Irish Army?

Don't know about the Army but in Mountjoy prisoners get a cooked breakfast served by the Officers on Christmas instead of the usual cereal

Potential-Monke · 22-12-2018 9:14pm

sightband wrote: »

I think the idea is that it’s for the kids sake and not the parent(s). My mother was a nurse and worked a few Christmases when I was young as they did a cycle irrespective of families or not. I do recall the ones where she worked and we’d have present opening or dinner at peculiar times, pissed off when she left. Think you’ve got the purpose of it arsed ways there. Although automatic entitlement is wrong, I’d agree with that...but having worked in private and public sector I’ve never heard of it so I’m not sure I believe you or that it happens...I was asked when I didnt have kids to do the Stephens day and on to New Year’s Eve and I did agree but there was no gun to my head.

I know it's for the kids sake, but like yourself, I had some Christmas's where one or both parents were working, sucks but tough. 99 times out of 100 I'll volunteer, but it has happened me in 3 jobs (2 call centres about 12-14 years ago and the Gardaí) where I was expected to work and those with kids automatically got it off. Didn't know any better for the first 2 call centre places, I was 19/20 and 22/23, was just happy to be working. When it happened in the Gardaií though I was rightly annoyed. And not just for things like this, having kids while being a Garda seems to automatically put you top of the list for days off. It's not like us single folk enjoy these times too...

Have you ever had to Work on Christmas Day?

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