Anyone else have a family member who has to work on Thanksgiving Day?

[MrsBasil]

My husband is a truck driver in the oilfields.  He may have to work early in the morning to grab a load or two.  It's his normal day off, but he's getting Christmas Day off so he may have to make up for it.

[ocelotmom]

DH typically works thanksgiving being that he works at the airport and planes come and go 365 days a year. However, his company was bought by another and so now policies have changed. The new employer gives EVERYONE the day off and then ask for volunteers. They set it up for a bidding war, people wanting to make triple time. If you work one shift you get double time, if you work a second shift, you get triple time for that shift. So, naturally everyone wants that day. DH has six years seniority and is no where near able to touch working that day. I will admit I won't complain having him home for a change!

 

It's not voluntary where I work, but, with the holiday pay, there don't tend to be a lot of people requesting the day off.  I'd happily work Thursday and celebrate another day if there was an opening, and I'm happy that this year I get to hog all the Christmas and NY holiday pay.

[Starr]

I often worked holidays as a young nurse. I could trade and get any Friday I wanted off once I offered to work Christmas morning for a mom of young children! Now Dh has a service and the church has a Thanksgiving Dinner for the community. If he has to work we might as well. In the evening we take the pies and have dinner , again, with friends.

[lovinmomma]

Not this year, but I have in the past (and I will work Christmas this year). 24/7 medical facility.

 

We just do the celebration on a different day. 12 hour shifts mean there's no good way to do it the same day.

 

The worst was the year I worked Thursday nights. The way they scheduled holiday pay, it was based on the day you clocked out - so if you worked 6PM Thanskgiving - 6AM Black Friday, you didn't get holiday pay, even though you couldn't realistically do anything for Thanksgiving.

 

(Just to be clear - in no way do I resent working holidays given that I work somewhere that can't just close up for the holidays. I just think the way they deal with holiday pay for night shift isn't fair!)

This is me, but luckily my shift doesn't fall on Thanksgiving this year. I feel your pain ocelotmom! Thankfully, our facility is much kinder about how they schedule the pay.

[fourcatmom]

As long as the Holiday falls M-F, DH has to work. Hopefully he will be able to get Christmas off this year but Thanksgiving is a black out day and they can't even request it. But, it's always been this way so we sort of expect it. I usually don't get New Year's Eve either. And he works a 10 hour shift + 1.5 hour commute each way. :sad:

 

DH is an EMT and a Field Officer at a Casino.

[Heather in Neverland]

Thanksgiving is not a recognized holiday here so both dh and I will be working and the kids will be in school. We celebrate with our American friends on Saturday.

[Murphy101]

One of my sons will be working an evening shift. The good news is that since he volunteered, he will have Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off. All employees had to pick one.

[bettyandbob]

I am really enjoying hearing about all the different jobs where people work holidays. There is so much focus on retailers, as if they're so evil because they choose to be open on a holiday. In reality, there are plenty of people working.

I do think most retail is different. Grocery stores open in the morning are actually helping people with Thanksgiving. You know, people who are preparing the day's meal. Hotels and airlines are getting people to their holiday destination. Restaurants are great for people who can't prepare a meal.

 

Retailer's, other than grocery, are saying "forget Thanksgiving. Forget taking a little time with friends or family or alone, forget that pause to be grateful.." They are saying "Go shopping with the only purpose being mass consumption."

 

One year my family got stuck in a terrible snow storm the day before thanksgiving. We spent the night in a fire station with a few hundred other people and pets--we weren't the only ones who didn't make it to grandmas. I got to ride on the back of a fire truck to get there. First thing in the morning my dad dug the car out and we went home. The roads going the Grandma's were not passable. Because we were to be away our refrigerator was empty. My dad was able to find a 7-11 open and got us hot dogs to eat that day. We were thankful. We stayed home and enjoyed each other. It was quite fess before grocery stores started opening on Thanksgiving, but we still did ok and had a nice family pause.

 

I think with stores inching toward opening all day, Thanksgiving will just become any other federal holiday, with no soul to it. Do you celebrate President's Day greeting friends? I think it is sad the direction retailer's are taking this holiday.

[AmandaVT]

DH is on call for part of Thanksgiving this year. He's an emergency mental health worker and they have 12 hr shifts. For bigger holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas) they divvy up the day into 3-4hr shifts. So DH has 12-4. Christmas eve falls on his regularly scheduled day so he will (hopefully) have Christmas day off after working part of it last year. We'll just eat Thanksgiving dinner around dinner this year. :-)

[Slartibartfast]

Dh nearly always works during Thanksgiving.

[FaithManor]

Sincebecoming a medic, dd has worked every religious and federal holiday.

 

Dh is on call 24/7 and we've definitely had holidays when he's been called info work so we donot entertain

here. My mom will often have us over or we spend it quietly and have dinner on an alternate day/evening

for dd.

[brehon]

Over the course of 4 years I work all the holidays - 4 years because of leap year.  And on the year before leap year and leap year I work all the major holidays (4th of July {which is major not only because of Independence, but mainly because it's one of my kid's birthdays}, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc).  That's right -- for the price of a somewhat creaky, cranky after midnight, overly educated paramedic -- you get to see my smiling face two years in a row!  woot.

 

My family's used to it and we plan our special dinners and get-togethers for one of the days I'm off around the actual holidays. 

[MedicMom]

DH is working thanksgiving and Christmas this year. By some miracle I have both off.

I think we are going to skip Thanksgiving; he is working Wednesday and Thursday and I am working Friday, so there is just no good time to do it. My kids are too young to care about Thanksgiving yet, and between having four paramedics with different schedules in the immediate family my mother has all but given up scheduling holidays.

 

I haven't figured Christmas out yet.

[cajunrose]

My husband works on an oil rig in the gulf. He is working thanksgiving, his birthday, our anniversary, and christmas this year. :( He won't even be at home to celebrate later in the day or whatever. He won't be home from now until after Christmas.

[unfrumpable.]

I do think most retail is different. Grocery stores open in the morning are actually helping people with Thanksgiving. You know, people who are preparing the day's meal. Hotels and airlines are getting people to their holiday destination. Restaurants are great for people who can't prepare a meal.

 

Retailer's, other than grocery, are saying "forget Thanksgiving. Forget taking a little time with friends or family or alone, forget that pause to be grateful.." They are saying "Go shopping with the only purpose being mass consumption."

 

One year my family got stuck in a terrible snow storm the day before thanksgiving. We spent the night in a fire station with a few hundred other people and pets--we weren't the only ones who didn't make it to grandmas. I got to ride on the back of a fire truck to get there. First thing in the morning my dad dug the car out and we went home. The roads going the Grandma's were not passable. Because we were to be away our refrigerator was empty. My dad was able to find a 7-11 open and got us hot dogs to eat that day. We were thankful. We stayed home and enjoyed each other. It was quite fess before grocery stores started opening on Thanksgiving, but we still did ok and had a nice family pause.

 

I think with stores inching toward opening all day, Thanksgiving will just become any other federal holiday, with no soul to it. Do you celebrate President's Day greeting friends? I think it is sad the direction retailer's are taking this holiday.

 

I disagree. Convenience stores, grocery stores, gas stations, hotels, etc are not necessities in the way that health care personnel, emergency personnel, etc is.

 

I'm glad you were able to get hot dogs at a 7-11 and that you are fine that the people working there had to spend time away from their family to provide you with that necessity.

 

Convenience stores, gas stations, hotels, grocery store, etc are all open on holidays to make money. Period. They are not open because they want to help anyone out. If they were not making a profit, they would not be open. Same with other stores. They are opening on Thanksgiving because there are plenty of people willing to come shop and they are making money.

 

If it makes you feel better to tell yourself that the person at the gas station or grocery store is only there to provide a necessary service, than knock yourself out, but that is not the case. Macy's and Walmart, et all are not evil entities trying to ruin the Thanksgiving spirit. They are businesses out to make money, because that is what businesses do. Just like the many other businesses that are open and/or have employees working on a federal holiday.

[Lady Florida.]

My mother was a waitress, so she worked most holidays when I was a kid. Our holiday meals were always scheduled around her work schedule.

 

Dss and ddil are in the medical field and both will be working on Thanksgiving.

[bettyandbob]

I disagree. Convenience stores, grocery stores, gas stations, hotels, etc are not necessities in the way that health care personnel, emergency personnel, etc is.

 

I'm glad you were able to get hot dogs at a 7-11 and that you are fine that the people working there had to spend time away from their family to provide you with that necessity.

 

Convenience stores, gas stations, hotels, grocery store, etc are all open on holidays to make money. Period. They are not open because they want to help anyone out. If they were not making a profit, they would not be open. Same with other stores. They are opening on Thanksgiving because there are plenty of people willing to come shop and they are making money.

 

If it makes you feel better to tell yourself that the person at the gas station or grocery store is only there to provide a necessary service, than knock yourself out, but that is not the case. Macy's and Walmart, et all are not evil entities trying to ruin the Thanksgiving spirit. They are businesses out to make money, because that is what businesses do. Just like the many other businesses that are open and/or have employees working on a federal holiday.

 

I know the gas station is open for a profit. However, they are not selling big screen tvs, the latest plush toy craze, etc. They are selling something most people use everyday. Gas stations do not have sales on Thanksgiving. Do you give a tank of gas for Christmas? No I do not need a tank of gas on Thanksgiving, but it might help me get to Grandma's. I don't need a pint of cream, but it might help me make a favorite dish. It is the effect of the sale that is entirely different.

[brehon]

DH is working thanksgiving and Christmas this year. By some miracle I have both off.

I think we are going to skip Thanksgiving; he is working Wednesday and Thursday and I am working Friday, so there is just no good time to do it. My kids are too young to care about Thanksgiving yet, and between having four paramedics with different schedules in the immediate family my mother has all but given up scheduling holidays.

 

I haven't figured Christmas out yet.

Ah! Your dh is on the whipping boy shift this year, eh? In my system that's B-shift. You have my sympathy. It is hard, isn't it.

 

When my shift works Christmas my family has its celebration either on the 24th or 26th. We don't travel and our families know they are welcome to join us; but, we will not go to them. (See prior post re: the creaky, cranky medic) No hissy fits tolerated. Fortunately, I've been working this gig for so long that everyone is used to my wonky schedule.

 

I feel for your poor mother.

[melmichigan]

DH works Thanksgiving this year.  He also works Christmas and New Years this time around.  We are celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow and Christmas will be moved as well.   We are used to adjusting the holidays to meet schedules, hospitals always need staffed so I often worked too.  Now we make adjustments with the kids being older and celebrate on different days.  The kids learn that it's the togetherness and sharing, more than a day on the calendar.

 

I saw all the big retailers are going to be having some holiday shopping hours on Thanksgiving, which just seems wrong to me.   I still remember when everything was closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

[MedicMom]

Ah! Your dh is on the whipping boy shift this year, eh? In my system that's B-shift. You have my sympathy. It is hard, isn't it.

 

When my shift works Christmas my family has its celebration either on the 24th or 26th. We don't travel and our families know they are welcome to join us; but, we will not go to them. (See prior post re: the creaky, cranky medic) No hissy fits tolerated. Fortunately, I've been working this gig for so long that everyone is used to my wonky schedule.

 

I feel for your poor mother.

My mother gave up after the year we were all working the same place, there was a major incident, and everyone got recalled(and my father and father in law, who are volunteer firefighters, left too).

Now she has a celebration and whoever can make it goes and whoever can't knows where the leftovers are. :-)

 

A few of the older guys have offered to cover DH Christmas morning for a few hours. They try to do this for the guys with young kids. We haven't taken advantage of it before and done Christmas on another day, but my three year old is all about Christmas this year, so we might.

 

We make it work best we can, and try to focus on the reasons for the holidays and not the actual days themselves.

[brehon]

Your mom sounds like one smart cookie.

 

If someone offers to cover part of Christmas for your dh, tell him to feel no guilt for taking them up on their kindness. And remember - never underestimate the power of ice cream and a plate of homemade goodies. :)

[Luanne]

Time & half for some. I hope that is true for you dd.

 

I hadn't thought about that.  I'm sure she will be paid time and a half.  We could really use the money.  Thanks for pointing that out to me.  :001_smile:

 

[LisaD]

My DH works on Tday, so we are celebrating on his only day off this week- Tues. (: at least he'll get Christmas Day off this year, but it's still a bummer. I'm trying to use these opportunities to teach our kids that the holidays we celebrate aren't about the date of the calendar so much as they are about the reason for celebrating and the family we celebrate with. It's a good lesson for me, too! (:

[Mrs Mungo]

My husband works on an oil rig in the gulf. He is working thanksgiving, his birthday, our anniversary, and christmas this year. :( He won't even be at home to celebrate later in the day or whatever. He won't be home from now until after Christmas.

We have been through many years like that. ((HUGS))

[Jenn121]

My DH is  a deputy sheriff. He has worked his fair share of holidays. He has enough seniority now to not have to work unless he wants to. They have sign ups about 2 weeks before the holiday and if not enough people sign up then they "draft" people starting with the lowest in seniority. DH is way up that list so it is rare now for him to have to work.

 

 

[HappyCrazyMama]

My son has to work but he works in a hospital. :)

[Mom23Boys]

My DH is off this Thanksgiving, but has to work Christmas. He works at a nuclear power plant and that is just part of his job. They never close. He did work last Thanksgiving.

[tex-mex]

DH grew up with his dad working on holidays and recalls many a Thanksgiving or Christmas at the Fire Station as a kid.  Used to be a schoolteacher and got the week of Thanksgiving off, but was always stuck with grading and too tired to decorate or cook.  Now, both DH and I have to work holidays but celebrate on another free day the holiday with a simple dinner... Prime Rib instead of Roasted Turkey for 3 people! 

[unfrumpable.]

I know the gas station is open for a profit. However, they are not selling big screen tvs, the latest plush toy craze, etc. They are selling something most people use everyday. Gas stations do not have sales on Thanksgiving. Do you give a tank of gas for Christmas? No I do not need a tank of gas on Thanksgiving, but it might help me get to Grandma's. I don't need a pint of cream, but it might help me make a favorite dish. It is the effect of the sale that is entirely different.

 

The pint of cream and tank of gas could actually be purchased on the many other days besides Thanksgiving that the store is open.

 

My point is that I see a lot of people (not necessarily here) that are complaining about retail stores taking people away from their families. In truth, there are plenty of retail type stores and restaurants that have always been open on holidays and no one is crying a river for those employees, even though they are also away from their families on holidays. Those stores being open is a convenience. If one cannot fill up their gas tank on a holiday, that is an inconvenience to that particular person, but it is not a necessity. No one is going to keel over and die because they aren't able to fill up their car on a holiday.

 

I guess what I am trying to say is that I don't understand why it is so important that those who work at Target, Macy's, WM, et all to be able to spend Thanksgiving with their families but those who work in other places that are open on holidays are just poo-pooed as being somewhat "necessary." IMO, it doesn't matter what one is purchasing. Any purchase can be done prior to a holiday.

 

I just cannot take a complaint about working on a holiday seriously when there are those who selflessly work many holidays to help and serve others. I am glad we have police officers (and I assume their support personnel), firemen, health care workers, military, etc who work these holidays away from their family without complaining and starting online petitions.

[bettyandbob]

The pint of cream and tank of gas could actually be purchased on the many other days besides Thanksgiving that the store is open.

 

My point is that I see a lot of people (not necessarily here) that are complaining about retail stores taking people away from their families. In truth, there are plenty of retail type stores and restaurants that have always been open on holidays and no one is crying a river for those employees, even though they are also away from their families on holidays. Those stores being open is a convenience. If one cannot fill up their gas tank on a holiday, that is an inconvenience to that particular person, but it is not a necessity. No one is going to keel over and die because they aren't able to fill up their car on a holiday.

 

I guess what I am trying to say is that I don't understand why it is so important that those who work at Target, Macy's, WM, et all to be able to spend Thanksgiving with their families but those who work in other places that are open on holidays are just poo-pooed as being somewhat "necessary." IMO, it doesn't matter what one is purchasing. Any purchase can be done prior to a holiday.

 

I just cannot take a complaint about working on a holiday seriously when there are those who selflessly work many holidays to help and serve others. I am glad we have police officers (and I assume their support personnel), firemen, health care workers, military, etc who work these holidays away from their family without complaining and starting online petitions.

I've never gone to get gas or groceries on thanksgiving. I think it's too bad that they are open too, but those being open are actually helping some people further the focus on Thanksgiving. So, I give them a slight pass. Travel related businesses are making it possible for people to focus on thanksgiving. Target, Walmart, Macy ect. Are furthering any focus on the holiday or the reason for the holiday. Those businesses are simply sucking away at the focus of thanksgiving.

[vonfirmath]

Even crazier - Christmas lights started going up around my neighborhood the weekend after Halloween.  Here we are the week before Thanksgiving, and I'd say 20% of the homes here already have lights up. Driving down a single street you'll see fall/autumnal decorations at one home and winter décor and lights at the next!

 

Not so crazy when you realize that, this year, the amount of time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is shorter than usual (less than 30 days). So its harder to jam everything into it.

[vonfirmath]

I do feel that there's a difference, as retail is the only one where working the holiday is profit-motivated. The others are all focused on keeping basic infrastructure running.

 

Profit is the way you keep the doors open, people employed, paying taxes, and such

 

[Annie G]

Not so crazy when you realize that, this year, the amount of time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is shorter than usual (less than 30 days). So its harder to jam everything into it.

 

We live where winter are pretty cold so most people have their lights up by Halloween because it's often too cold to do them after that. And since they have them up, many folks go ahead and turn them on the day after Halloween. And they wait until the snow melts to take them down, which is often late March.  

[Jenny in Florida]

The pint of cream and tank of gas could actually be purchased on the many other days besides Thanksgiving that the store is open.

 

My point is that I see a lot of people (not necessarily here) that are complaining about retail stores taking people away from their families. In truth, there are plenty of retail type stores and restaurants that have always been open on holidays and no one is crying a river for those employees, even though they are also away from their families on holidays. Those stores being open is a convenience. If one cannot fill up their gas tank on a holiday, that is an inconvenience to that particular person, but it is not a necessity. No one is going to keel over and die because they aren't able to fill up their car on a holiday.

 

I guess what I am trying to say is that I don't understand why it is so important that those who work at Target, Macy's, WM, et all to be able to spend Thanksgiving with their families but those who work in other places that are open on holidays are just poo-pooed as being somewhat "necessary." IMO, it doesn't matter what one is purchasing. Any purchase can be done prior to a holiday.

 

I just cannot take a complaint about working on a holiday seriously when there are those who selflessly work many holidays to help and serve others. I am glad we have police officers (and I assume their support personnel), firemen, health care workers, military, etc who work these holidays away from their family without complaining and starting online petitions.

 

I compare this to what I call "incidental, necessary noise" in a neighborhood and that really loud party that goes on all night. The first is something that can reasonably be expected if you're going to live around other people. The second is just inconsiderate.

 

I think we all recognize -- and appreciate -- that people who work in public service jobs often have to sacrifice time with their families. I assume we are all grateful to those who are willing to go to work to care for the sick and to handle emergencies and keep electricity and water flowing and other such necessities.

 

And there are certain kinds of businesses that, while not strictly "necessary" are very helpful to many people. Pharmacies, convenience stores and, yes, gas stations all offer services that are or can be important. A mom running out of formula for her infant very much appreciates knowing she can buy enough to get her through the day at the local Walgreens. The man she runs into in line at the store, who woke up that morning with a terrible sinus headache, is also grateful to have a place to buy Tylenol or Sinutab. The family driving from home to Grandma's house who miscalculated the number of gallons left in the tank or whose driver really wants a cup of coffee to stay awake and warm on the trip counts on that 7-Eleven to be open.

 

It's not that the people who work in those jobs matter less, that we are dismissive of the fact that they, too, are missing time with their families. It's just that we recognize they are providing a service that is genuinely valuable and helpful to many people on a day when normal opportunities to take care of those needs are limited.

 

I think what bothers many of us about the trend toward so many big box retailers opening on holidays is that, for the most part, these are not businesses focused on meeting a limited, urgent need. They are businesses designed and intended to lure through their doors enormous numbers of people whom they hope will buy tons of mostly unnecessary merchandise no one needs right this minute. And there's just no legitimate reason I can see -- other than greed -- to make large numbers of employees work just so that the stores can begin taking in buckets of money a few hours earlier than they might otherwise.

 

In other words: a limited number of businesses staying open to provide for emergency or at least urgent purchases and services is regrettable for the affected employees, but seems reasonable to most of us. Normalizing the idea that we should all be able to buy a big-screen TV for a low, low price any day of the year and requiring droves of people who would otherwise be able to have the holiday off to work just so we can buy it today instead of tomorrow feels wrong.

 

For what it's worth, I've had jobs in which I needed to work on holidays. My husband had a position for a couple of years that required him to work at least one of the major holidays during the season. And this year, my daughter is working Thanksgiving and probably New Year. too. I'm not unsympathetic. I just don't see how it makes things better to put more people in the same position, especially for such frivolous reasons.

[Lady Florida.]

Well, add another family member to the list of those working on Thanksgiving. The Falcon 9 launch was just scrubbed and rescheduled for Thursday. Dh will be working. :(

[TravelingChris]

My son is a pharmacy tech and they hold a drawing as to who has to work.  They are needed to staff a 24 hour pharmacy. 

 

Growing up, we always had dinner late because my father, who worked for Voice of America- a radio service of the US Government broadcasting all the time to certain countries under oppression was a 24 hour service.  My dad was a journalist and had to write stories for the broadcast that day.

[Miss Marple]

Yes, and Christmas too.  We are celebrating Thanksgiving on Wednesday in order to accommodate everyone's schedules.  

[PeacefulChaos]

I'm working.   :)  4:30-9.  

I volunteered for the shift.  I don't really care all that much about thanksgiving.  

I volunteered for Christmas and New Years, too, for the same shift.  DH will probably be working the opposite one, at least on NY.  

I don't work retail.

It's just a holiday.  No big deal, IMO. I'm with the kids and DH everyday.  I really see no difference.  :)

[Ravin]

Yup. DW#2 works at 5 until 2am. She's a customer service manager at Walmart.

 

She'd like to spend Thanksgiving at her mom's, but that's way on the other side of town (major metro area), so we're doing dinner early at home. We also invited another CSM who's a friend of hers and working the same shift.

[Pippen]

My son wound up working a 5pm to midnight shift at his fast food job. We had a 1pm meal with family so he drove separate and left early--it didn't really impact things much for us.

 

One nice surprise for him was that two guys who work with him are culinary school graduates and cooked up a spread of non-turkey day foods.   :coolgleamA:

 

 

[twinmami01]

My DH had to work. He is in law enforcement and is a supervisor with enough seniority to have that day off. However, he is willing to work to ensure he is able to take off for Christmas.

[Hunter's Moon]

My sister had to work. Only 7 - 1, so she was able to spend the better part of the day with us.

 

She works at a bakery type chain (it is national, but I don't want to give away too much information). She said it was ridiculous the number of people who felt bad that she had to work Thanksgiving. She could barely keep herself from saying "I'm here because you are."

[Jean in Newcastle]

The local news was interviewing retail workers who had to work the holiday.  Many were complaining that they hated having to be there but were afraid of losing their job if they said no.  

[Julie Smith]

I recently found out that for Christmas Dh might have to be on call.