My three girls and I work in Nursing and the other daughter works retail. We don't ever count on being off on holidays. With the holidays, comes all the family and the buying of groceries and preparations for the big feast at Thanksgiving. Since it is a holiday, if we work it we get either double time and a half or we get an extra day off during that week.
When Christmas comes we face the problem of everyone going off to their in-laws to enjoy their festivities. So we usually work around it and set our time for Christmas Eve night for gifts and have an open buffet at a later date. This works well with our family and we can all enjoy some special time together. No one feels left out or cannot attend because we have all agreed on a specific time and place. After all Holidays are for families.
By gem from VA
The suggestion to be flexible about with whom to spend holidays is excellent. When the children were grown with families of their own, we started the "tradition" of having a party on January 6th (Twelfth Night).
This holiday it won't take money to create great family memories. There are so many family activities that can be done for less. So, forget about the expensive Martha Stewart decorations and the Rockettes on Broadway.
Sometimes family schedules don't allow celebrating Christmas with everyone you would like to be there. If this sounds like your family, try celebrating the weekend after Christmas to allow for everyone's busy schedules.
The holidays are a time that traditionally centers around family get togethers, but as family members move away new traditions can replace the old one. Perhaps a telecommunications video chat app can allow everyone to sit down to a Thanksgiving or Christmas meal together.
