So who's working over Christmas?

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poiuytrewq

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I am! For the first time in 12 years (since my daughter was born!)
I've been lucky enough to firstly work in an office where I had a fortnight off! Then the last two years at a bigger yard where I wasn't expected in as they were in and out on the big day before my start time and I was the only one with a child so no one minded.
This year I work for a much smaller yard so will be in to help with the mucking out probably chuck them all on the walker for half hour, just the basics (I hope!)
I don't mind Christmas Day can be a little claustrophobic much as I love it!
 
I am. All Christmas, 28-30th off, and back in NYE:(
Not horse related though.
OH will be at his folks', so at least if I get the right shifts, I'll be able to have a nice quiet hack without the guilt of abandoning everone for a few hours!
 
I work christmas. In at 7am, feed, walker, muck out, home for 12. One person comes in at 8am and stays to feed at 1pm. Someone else heads back to hay up and feed at 4pm and then I am back st 8.30-9pm to feed and hay again. Boxing Day and 27th runners get ridden. Christmas Eve and Boxing Day are your usual 7.30-4pm jobs.
 
I'm on standby over Xmas and New Year. They have to give me two hours notice on the 20th/21st/22nd, then 24hrs notice for the rest of the standby, and I could be away for anything from a single day to nine days, or alternatively not go anywhere!
 
Blimey Honey! What do you do? How likely are you to be called out?

I am lucky enough to be off from the 21st till the 3rd. I don't get much time off through the year (self employed) so Xmas is the one time I insist on it!
 
I'm cabin crew.

I can't grumble really (although I am!) as we all have to do it, and I haven't had standby at Xmas for ten years (I have worked over Xmas a lot though).

The likelihood varies. If there is bad weather like this week, fog and frost/snow there will be people stuck getting in and flights cancelled etc, so I would probably get used. I've heard on the work grapevine that a lot of people are on standby this year, so perhaps I won't go anywhere! I still have to go down to Heathrow for the first three days, and still would dread the phone ringing and wouldn't be able to drink over Xmas anyway!

Hubby is off from the 21st to the 3rd too - he is self employed too! Enjoy it.x
 
Yes I am working right up to Christmas Christmas eve -day boxing day- right up to new years and right through new year.


RESULT NOT GETTING ANY TIME OFF till I don't know when maybe end jan

Not into christmas anyway so for me nothing to get joyful about
 
For the first time since I was 14, I spat the dummy out this year and proclaimed that I'm not working Xmas or New Year.

I will work up to Xmas eve in my payroll job, back on the 27th.

But my stable and pub job, I just said no. The pub job is still going to try and get me in for New Year but its not happening. They're not even offering double time! Rather spend it with my OH for the first time :D
 
For the first time in 7 years i have the whole of christmas off! Yay! Finish at lunch on the 21st and back in on the 2nd Jan. Best thing is its extra paid holiday, on top of 4 weeks paid holiday and paid bank holidays! :D
 
I am. 11 days striaght. Iv got 2 jobs. But my last day at my old job is Boxing Day. I cud tell the old job I'm not doing it but I want to leave on good terms just incase. So between the 2 jobs I'm working 11 days. Will be my last long stint. Used to do 12 days working 2 days off. Killer!
 
Im so lucky, for years i worked christmas and new year, this year i went off on the 5the Dec and im not back till nights on 26th :D then im off again until the 3rd Jan, this has been the best holiday ive had in years :)
 
Me :(

I work for a newspaper, we get Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years day off as they're bank holidays, but that's it unfortunately. I have one days holiday left, but the only day I was able to take off is the 28th, so Christmas week will be a bit strange!
 
I work in McDonalds whilst at uni and always stay up here over uni hols so I can work full-time and earn some cash - I've applied for time off so I can travel home for 4 days over Xmas, but everyone wants Xmas off so may well be working it!

Saying that, its closed Xmas day itself so I can't complain, its just boxing day and Xmas eve, but ill be upset if they say no because I haven't been home or seen my mum since early august now.

Hope everyone's Christmas shifts are quick and painless! :)
 
Quite a few of us then, Do your families mind- especially those of you with little people?
My problem lies on Boxing day- We spend the afternoon with o/h's dad and family and they completely don't understand horses needing doing on holiday
"what??!! you need to feed them on boxing day" Horror! (been the same for 12 years!)
 
I am working til 3am on xmas morning but have managed to use a/l to then be off til jan.

Really pleased as babys first xmas and also got a 5 year old so will get to see them open presents :-)
 
My OH is on call from 5pm Christmas Eve until 5pm 27th :(
He's hoping not to have to do any operating Christmas Day but if there is anything urgent it will have to be done.
I'm working Christmas Eve & then I'm on call over the New Year.
TBH we sort of planned it this year so that we could get it out of the way
 
No :D for first time in several years


joy of working freelance/part time on a family yard - they understand I want christmas off!

I am working new years tho, for 4th year running...but I'm only house sitting this year so can still go to the pub for a few drinks ao not as tragic as it could be
 
My boss is in the country this year so I could have the day off - we decided to split the day instead. I'll muck out and turn out. She is going to bring in and feed and I'm going to do evening stables. Seems fair. No one is going to ride. Back to normal Boxing Day.
 
poiuytrewq said:
Quite a few of us then, Do your families mind- especially those of you with little people?
Click to expand...

My family are pretty good about it,sure it bothers them that I have to dash off xmas day night etc to work and cut everything short,but they don't complain too much.Think I moan more than anyone lol

My partner has always gone and seen to my own horses on xmas day so one less job to do there as well.We only keep them down the road though so not too much effort for him,and think he likes it really as always sneaks them a mince pie which I don't allow if am there!!

I have always said I won't work xmas eve night,my one stipulation with having kids is that I am here when they wake up on xmas day,and my work have always honoured that to be fair.

Have got really lucky this year though only working boxing day night and the night of the 28th,haven't had as good a rota as that in years!!

Have told my second job I won't be working over xmas,and as it staff bank can get away with that,so happy days this year,almost the whole of xmas off:D
 
As a YO I don't get any choice. My staff are split half and half between Christmas and New Year. They come in for a couple of hours on Christmas morning or 1st January and we get the mucking out done (usually 33 horses). Horses all stay in those days and get left with plenty of hay. Then I get cleaned up, prepare and cook Christmas dinner for myself, OH, son, and elderly father and aunt, eat it, clear up and back out to skip, feed, hay etc then collapse in a heap in front of the telly. Boxing Day/2nd January the staff come in for the whole morning so horses get turned out, mucked out etc then caught in at lunch time before staff leave - OH, son and I then skip, feed and hay before dinner with Dad and Aunt at night. It's nice to get back into a normal routine once it's all over :)
 
In all the years I was a groom I always ended up doing Christmas, usually done by 9.30 tho then just a couple hours of skipping out and rugs/waters etc in the evening.....that part of horsey work I don't miss!!
 
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