Christmas In The Good Old Days

[barry1010]

When I started work most people had two days off for Christmas, Christmas Day and Boxing (or Monday and Tuesday if it fell on the weekend).  No day off for New Year's Day either.  Now it seems to be a 10 - 14 day feast for many people.  

We didn't have a fridge or freezer so the meat, milk, cream had to be bought on Christmas Eve - very long queues outside the butcher's.

Do you think Christmas today lasts too long?  

[rockyracoon]

I would largely think that anyone having a 10-14 day holiday over Christmas either work in a school or have used some of their annual leave. 

[david small]

I used to work long solo shifts during the Christmas holidays. I much preferred the peaceful solitude. Christmas succumbed years ago to greed and materialistic acquisitions. Humbug anyone?

[gramps85]

In the early 1960's I was a postman in central London and had 2 deliveries of mail to make on Christmas Day.  I think Christmas Day deliveries were abolished about 1963/64.

[barry1010]

1960 in England and Wales, 1965 in Scotland, gramps 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/9/newsid_3271000/3271363.stm#:~:text=The%20General%20Post%20Office%20stopped,and%20in%201965%20in%20Scotland.

[barry1010]

A lot of parents have to take annual leave to look after their children during the Christmas break but some businesses do shut between Christmas and new year.

[gramps85]

Thanks Barry, I knew it was around that time but earlier than I first thought.  After all this time years seem to go into one and what I thought happened yesterday happened a lot earlier.  The joys of getting old.

[barry1010]

Same as you, gramps 

[vulcan42]

Long ago I came to the conclusion that I at one time, worked for a modern day Scrooge. We had a fiscal year ending on the 31st of December. As the rest of the company enjoyed a break from Christmas eve to the 2nd of January, those of us who were involved with finance worked during that time. We didn't get extra pay, time off in lieu or a bonus. Scrooge would also go on to the shop floor to ensure there was enough work after the holidays to keep everybody busy and although this was done on Christmas eve he never wished anybody a Happy Christmas.

This was the same person who invited office staff to a Christmas lunch one year, held during their lunch break, and afterwards his secretary visited each table for payment. He was also the same man who couldn't understand why he had a large turnover of staff. In answer to the question, during the time I worked for him, Christmas was always too short.

[barry1010]

I've had an employer nearly as bad as that, vulcan. He made the working day so miserable I didn't stay long

[davebro3]

I always used to take the minimum amount of time off work at Xmas/New Year. It was blissfully quiet in the office & I could save my leave for when the weather was better.

[cassa333]

Retail workers get one day off with no gauruntee of anything more because shops only shut for one day. 
 

some businesses close for a week/week and a half depending on when Christmas is. Otherwise I think it's schools off so teachers don't work it.

so actually I don't think anyone really has a two week feast. Unless you count leftovers a feast lol

However when shops have the start of their Christmas stock out befor the summer break has finished its rather tedious.

my local supermarket has Easter gigs out for Boxing Day.

[barry1010]

I do think shops shouldn't open on Boxing Day, totally unnecessary.

Let the small convenience shops open for a few hours if they want to and staff are happy to.

[davebro3]

Retail workers don't work every day - the shops may be open but not all the staff employed are there. My neighbour works at Morrisons, if he's in at weekends etc. he gets days of during the week.