Working the holidays

lostinrates

Nargleblast wrote: »

I would love to know who all these people are who finish work the weekend before Christmas and go back the first week in January. A long time ago I worked in banking - just Christmas Day and Boxing Day off. Later I was in manufacturing - again, just a few days off and back to work before end December. Now in public service and working Christmas Day and Boxing Day. We also get those with small kids moaning about shifts, but you just have to grit your teeth and get on with it. This year our big day will be Christmas Eve.

A lot of my family in academia make good use of the long holidays. With the family living very far away from each other the long breaks are the only time some see each other. This winter for example I know two are spending just over two weeks in London to see friends etc, and in the spring break another two will be in 'Europe' including uk for three weeks. All this lot were in mainland Europe to meet and holiday ( and continue reading I dare say) for six weeks in summer. Its a lifestyle that suits some people really well.

My husband has holiday he has been able to take off throught the year, he too will probably get about two weeks over Christmas, mainly because it means he'll lose lesson of the holiday that cannot be carried over ( which as his work place have made the time off difficult they won't want to happen, so he's been granted his time off at Christmas and also two days this week ) he's only allowed to carry over five days. Even when he is off he is on call though, he is required to be available for work either at home or to be called back ALL the time.

sharalee99

I only have Christmas day off. Luckily I will only have a half day Xmas eve, but back to full 12 hour shift boxing day. I have New Year off, back on the 2nd, back in to 12 hour shifts. But there is light at the end of the tunnel. Off to Lanzarote on 5th, so I think I'll cope.

Spendless

Nargleblast wrote: »

I would love to know who all these people are who finish work the weekend before Christmas and go back the first week in January. A long time ago I worked in banking - just Christmas Day and Boxing Day off. Later I was in manufacturing - again, just a few days off and back to work before end December. Now in public service and working Christmas Day and Boxing Day. We also get those with small kids moaning about shifts, but you just have to grit your teeth and get on with it. This year our big day will be Christmas Eve.

The last place I worked at that shut down Xmas Eve or the Fri before if Dec 24th fell on a sat or sun, and went back Jan 2nd was a forestry company. It had a utilities contract, so cut back the trees that grew through power cables. The electricity within the range of where they were working often had to be shutdown and understandably no-one is going to agree in advance that they don't mind being without power during the holiday period. It was really handy for me for a couple of years not working during this time, when the kids were smaller as childcare at least where I live is non-existent in between Dec 24th - Jan 1st. I always wonder how people in jobs where they aren't allowed to book holidays for this time manage, when I worked in Retail we weren't allowed any of December off.

[Deleted User]

I am working nights on 23rd, Xmas eve (also my 30th, boo!), Xmas day and boxing day. Will get up about 1pm on Xmas day and eat and open pressies with OH. The weekend I am popping over to see my Dad and brother andi have new years off. Will probably take some nice non alcoholic fizz and cold bits into work for us to treat ourselves to after the patients have gone to sleep

LittleMrsThrifty

OP: what hours are you both working on Christmas Eve? Could you move Christmas Day to the day before? I'm sure your DD would be excited to hear that Santa is visiting her early. Or you could spread it over two days.

It's easy to get caught up in what Is the norm and supposed to happen but really you can do it any way which suits you and your DD is young enough to play along with whatever works.

lobbyludd

lostinrates wrote: »

A lot of my family in academia make good use of the long holidays. With the family living very far away from each other the long breaks are the only time some see each other. This winter for example I know two are spending just over two weeks in London to see friends etc, and in the spring break another two will be in 'Europe' including uk for three weeks. All this lot were in mainland Europe to meet and holiday ( and continue reading I dare say) for six weeks in summer. Its a lifestyle that suits some people really well

In one of the universities I worked in we got 37 days holiday, plus bank holidays, plus 2 weeks for christmas - no-one took it though the last year I was at that university I was in work 364 days ( and the 25th dec was not the day off). unless you are purely a lecturer, and in a university who is? then the only time to really get to grips with your research uninterrupted by pesky undergrads is when they are on hols. So during xmas, easter and the summer stretch the labs were full to bursting.

I remember working night shifts in woollies one christmas; I was in until 7am on xmas day and back in at 7pm through to 7am boxing day, setting up the sales stock, somehow our manager wangled it so that we were only paid single time for all of this - no special rate at all. It was fun - during our "lunch" we ate broken-boxes of chocolates and put a film on. But it was in a toen 10 miles from where I lived - no bus service ad the taxi home and there again in the evening just about took all of my take home for the shift....

I can't think of anyone I know who has a long time off at christmas - my boss has booked a week off, but I know she'll be ringing everyday re some work thing or other.

This year the kids are at their dads I am not getting out of PJ's - a friend is coming over and we will wtch crime dramas and read/ knit sew, with wine - I'll have a second present day with the kids when they are back - they really don't give a hoot which day it's on.

Gingernutty

I'm working. Nights. Christmas Eve to Christmas Day, Christmas Day to Boxing Day and Boxing Day to the 27th.

Also working 29th to 30th and 30th to 31st.

Don't mind it, to be honest. More money for Bank Holiday hours.

Although the constant Christmas music on the radio drives me nuts.