Be Flexible with Holiday Celebration Dates

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. So we have all compromised and decided we'd have Thanksgiving on our Saturday off in the middle of the day, so everyone can come and enjoy this special time together. Even though one daughter has to work, her shift doesn't start until 3 so she has time to eat and enjoy some family time.

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

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By 11/18/2010

Very smart thinking. When I was married the first time around, the in-laws always had their Christmas gathering the Sunday between Christmas and New Year's. Whoever couldn't show up due to work schedules was just out of luck. I remember rushing out of church as soon as possible to make the hour's drive to the grandparents, then usually dozing off somewhere while the kids and hubby spent time with his family. I like your solution better.

By 11/17/2010

My husband & I both work for companies that are open 24/7 and we frequently have to rearrange holiday celebrations around our work schedule. This year we will celebrate Thanksgiving on the Tuesday before since I work Wed - Sun and he works on Wed and Thurs.

Later I work on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day but he is off and we both work New Years Eve and New Years Day; so, we will have to work something our for those holidays also.

By 11/16/2010

It is so nice to hear of families that work things out so they can spend time together, even if it's not on the actual holiday. Here's wishing you and your daughters a very happy holiday season.

Joan from Chesterfield, MI