Working On Holidays (fast food, Christmas, healthcare, regular)

[cremebrulee]

OK, I just heard this morning on the news that a lot of stores are going to be open today, Thanksgiving so that shoppers can get a head start on Christmas shopping.

When my son was little and I was very young....I waitressed for a living then, 6 days a week, and made very good money but, the down side and very sad part of it was....I never got to be with my son on the holidays...

I propose a suggestion...ever since I'm an 8 - 5 career women, I have decided to make certain, I have everything I need before the holiday and I refuse to go out shopping because I'm hoping a lot of people feel like I do. If we all ban together maybe these stores won't be open and allow their employees to spend the holidays with their families.

I think it's awful that places have to be open Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years and Easter....and believe that is and should be a family day.....

Am I old fashioned? I just feel really really bad for anyone who has to work on a Holiday in some store so all the nuts can go out and shop, sheesh...

I will admit, back then, on those holidays, while on my way to work, I used to cry? But then, I was a big sap for family and being together? Until about 12 years ago...funny how our priorties change.

I do feel really sorry for anyone who has to work and just think we should ban all the stores on those holidays....if the stores didn't do any busniness...then they'd be forced to shut down...

Does anyone else feel like I do?

[Mooseketeer]

I don't think you're old fashioned at all. I think it would be nice to have "special" days where consumerism and profit making took a back seat allowing people time to spend with families, friends or even on their own.

Here in the UK , the shops close on Christmas day and that's it pretty much it and I think it is unbelievably sad. All bank holiday week-ends and even boxing day seem to be spent on orgies of consuming madness, where "buy, buy, buy" is the philosophy of the day. Shops start their "january" sale on the 26th of December, first thing in the morning. It's pathetic. It seems we can't cope at all with not being able to spend money somehow.

I much prefer it in France, and Italy for example when the entire country shuts on Sundays and where National holidays are actually respected and enjoyed as a time for celebration and family gathering.

What kind of society is so greedy it NEEDs to work and shop 365 days a year !?!

[hektic]

I know how you feel. Quite frankly I'm a little disappointed that I have to work these holidays -- I'm basically working today, Christmas, Christmas Eve, New years eve, new years day, easter as they all fall on my scheduled days on. 3p- 12a at a call center for Comcast, can't request it off as people do it in advance by a year and get put on a waiting list so I won't be getting any of these holidays off.

I wish they would at least give us Christmas and Thanksgiving off, most the time that's the only time people get to get together with all their families and friends. I mean really, people can live without their cable for a day..

[cremebrulee]

Originally Posted by hektic

I know how you feel. Quite frankly I'm a little disappointed that I have to work these holidays -- I'm basically working today, Christmas, Christmas Eve, New years eve, new years day, easter as they all fall on my scheduled days on. 3p- 12a at a call center for Comcast, can't request it off as people do it in advance by a year and get put on a waiting list so I won't be getting any of these holidays off.

I wish they would at least give us Christmas and Thanksgiving off, most the time that's the only time people get to get together with all their families and friends. I mean really, people can live without their cable for a day..

I feel very sorry for you...I really do...I believe it should be like years ago, when everything shut down and the stores even said, we are shutting down so that our employees can spend time with their families...I would admire all the stores a lot more, if they put families before making money on those days...sheesh, how greedy can ya be?

The town I live in was originally settled by Quakers, and it was still a very religious town growing up...all the stores in town shut down on Wedensday's at 1:00 so that everyone could attend church....even the Jewish stores followed suit and shut down with everyone else. Nothing was opened on Sundays...

How in the world, would we do it then?

[cremebrulee]

Originally Posted by Mooseketeer

I don't think you're old fashioned at all. I think it would be nice to have "special" days where consumerism and profit making took a back seat allowing people time to spend with families, friends or even on their own.

Here in the UK , the shops close on Christmas day and that's it pretty much it and I think it is unbelievably sad. All bank holiday week-ends and even boxing day seem to be spent on orgies of consuming madness, where "buy, buy, buy" is the philosophy of the day. Shops start their "january" sale on the 26th of December, first thing in the morning. It's pathetic. It seems we can't cope at all with not being able to spend money somehow.

I much prefer it in France, and Italy for example when the entire country shuts on Sundays and where National holidays are actually respected and enjoyed as a time for celebration and family gathering.

What kind of society is so greedy it NEEDs to work and shop 365 days a year !?!

I'm with ya, that is the same way I feel, and I really wish, people would follow suit...it isn't fair...not to all those people working....
We made lists so we wouldn't forget anything. So for a few measley days out of the year, these stores could close.

I wish, like anything, everyone would stay home on these holidays, so that everyone got to spend time with their families.

I understand, police, emergency workers, hospitals, have to be open...and I do know a few choice people who are alone do enjoy working...but for the most part..these days should be considered family days...

Viva la France and Italy!!!!!!!

[charolastra00]

Not everyone celebrates these holidays though. I don't get my holidays off for "family days" and have to fight to get the really important religious days off (Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashana). Honestly, I like shopping on Christmas. I have nothing better to do because everything else is closed. Even the Chinese restaurant in my town closes.

Thanksgiving I am stuck alone on my college campus because that's not a big deal with my family either (my dad is about half Native American so we don't celebrate it). I wish some things were open so I wasn't alone for 5 days straight. If my office at school had been open, I certainly would have worked without complaint!

[oz in SC]

It is sad how tradition falls prey to consumer greed.

Does EVERY gas station REALLY have to be open on Thanksgiving?

In our state,stores weren't at first open on sunday.

Then it was open but only certain items could be sold.

Then it became only special hours.

THEN it became open regular hours just like every other day.

And now people work every day so people do not have to plan ahead,because if one thing is impossible,it is planning ahead.

Having worked in the restaurant business as a Chef for 12 years I missed most special occasions(not Christmas however) or special nights,Valentines meant a busy night making food for people.

On a slightly differnet tack,has anyone ever watched 'Affluenza'?

Quite illuminating

[Rita Mordio]

Creme, while I love your enthusiasm on the matter, I for one, can say that when I worked fast food and at Wal-mart, I had no problem working on Christmas, Easter, and such. I don't celebrate these holidays for the religious aspect - so I could hold out on opening my presents (or get them early!) so that I could make double time working.

In fact, for some of these places, they try to ask who does and who doesn't celebrate these events and slide them into spots first.

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by charolastra00

Not everyone celebrates these holidays though. I don't get my holidays off for "family days" and have to fight to get the really important religious days off (Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashana). Honestly, I like shopping on Christmas. I have nothing better to do because everything else is closed. Even the Chinese restaurant in my town closes.

As a fellow Jewish American, I completely understand! I mentioned having the High Holy Days off SIX months ahead of time, and you know what my boss said? "We'll see..." I responded by reminding her how many sick days I had left, LOL. Anyway, I do agree that most businesses should be closed on the major holidays... but those who work in retail, food service, healthcare, etc, should expect they might have to work. My best friend is a nurse, and she just assumes she'll be on-duty for most holidays. Being Jewish, she always volunteers to work Christian holidays, in hopes that she'll get her important ones off in trade. 'Tis the reality of the career she chose! But employees should get extra pay or bonuses on certain days, like my friend does from the hospital (I think she gets 3x her pay on Christmas, and 2x on other holidays).

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by Kuharai

Creme, while I love your enthusiasm on the matter, I for one, can say that when I worked fast food and at Wal-mart, I had no problem working on Christmas, Easter, and such. I don't celebrate these holidays for the religious aspect - so I could hold out on opening my presents (or get them early!) so that I could make double time working.

In fact, for some of these places, they try to ask who does and who doesn't celebrate these events and slide them into spots first.

When I worked in retail & food service, my bosses ALWAYS asked me first to work Christmas & Easter (knowing I was Jewish)... of course I happily volunteered, since I'm usually bored on those days anyway. And we didn't even get extra pay, aside from the bigger tips when I delivered pizzas.