Rant (NTTCALR-LONG)

lillissas85

Sorry you all have to read my rant, but my DH will think I'm crazy for even caring!  I'm a nurse  that works night shift, and sometimes have to work holidays. This year, its my turn to work Christmas Eve and Christmas night. I'm bummed, but its part of my job, and next year I will have it off, so whatever.  My family cannot seem to wrap their heads around this. My mom keeps telling me how "dumb" it is, and unfair, and blah blah blah. Uh, I know it sucks, I'm the one that has to do it!!!

So, last year after we bought our house, I asked if I could "have" Christmas as my holiday to have at my new home. My mom/sister agreed, and my dad really couldn't care less where it is. (DH's fam is out of state) Since I am working this year, I asked for the weekned before off, and told my family that this will be our "Christmas". I will do all the same cooking, we'll have all the same traditions as we would on Christmas, but it will just be a week earlier. It will be a nice time to get together for the holidays even if it is early.

Well, my mom writes me an email today saying, I might not even be done shopping yet!! You'll just have to get gifts later, like in January. Ok, I don't give a crap about gifts, but honestly, if that is her biggest concern, why can't she start shopping 7 days sooner? Then she says, well it won't REALLY be like Christmas, so we'll just have dinner or something. No, lady! I am doing "Christmas" the same way we have ALWAYS celebrated Christmas on Dec. 17th!!! I am the one that has to spend my holiday working, so why can't others just be flexible!?

Sorry, rant over. Its super long and I know I'm being irrational. She just pissed me off.

ktsnshn

I would be mad too. Sorry you have to deal with that.

carcrashheart

Im sorry. I totally understand. My dad works for the airlines so we grew up celebrating holidays whenever we were all together. We grasped that the holiday was about the day but also about family being together. But i find that a lot of ppl cant seem to grasp the concept and get all bent out of shape. It boggles my mind. I think you have a wonderful plan! You enjoy your christmas!

also, last year we spent xmas in the hospital with an emergency (literally the entire wknd, we had no xmas). But it made me appreciative of the staff that spent their xmas working. I made a huge basket of goodies for the nurses & doctors of the wing we had been in to thank them for sacrificing their holiday so that they could help make sure our family would have many more holidays to spend together. I hope your patients are grateful this year for all your efforts!!

punkin514

 

lillissas85

Thank you ladies! All I want is to have a nice weekend with family. Luckily, I work with a great group of girls, so even being at work on a holiday isn't so bad!!

LaTi07

I'm sorry, that really sucks of her! I totally understand the having to work holidays, but thankfully, enough of us in my family have had to or currently do it that we all understand and do our best to work around it. Will you at least get holiday pay for it?

bribri81404

I would be mad too!! With DH's family being as large as it is (his mom is the oldest of 10) his family does "Christmas" every year the Sunday before Christmas so that we get to see every one and share in the Holiday! Makes life easier for those (like you) that have to work on Christmas!!

mandac033

I'm so sorry hun. I also work as a nurse, but fortunately I work days. No one really understands how we have to work holidays and there is no question about it. I'm sorry your mom is giving you such a hard time. Maybe sit down with her and tell her how much it means to keep those same Christmas traditions that you won't be able to do on Christmas day. I hope she understands and will cooperate with you and your DH.

peloquinJ

Ugh. Sounds sucky and like something my IL's would do. In fact one year they made a big stink that we "went to my families house two years in a row". We had actually done what you are proposing (Christmas not actually on the 25th the year in question). I was super annoyed because a) my IL's would not have changed the date so we could come and b) we actually saw and I made dinner for my SIL on Christmas day for the year in question and she didn't even remember. Anyways, not sure if that make sense but I am still bitter about this so I had to write about it.

I hope that your family comes around, it sounds like a good plan to me!

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amandachs

Are we related??  Because my MIL is the exact same way.  DH works for a fire department, and until recently has worked shift work.  I have worked shift work off and on, and am now back on it.  Even if we're not technically working a holiday, we are both normally on call becuase of the jobs we have.  Which means we can't travel hours away for a three to four day span over a holiday.  We normally go for the day, maybe an overnight, but then we have to come back so someone else has a turn to visit their families.   When you're in public service or work at a place that is open 24hrs a day, especially like a hospital, it's just a give and take as to who works the holidays.  Someone has to do it... it's not like they're going to kick out the patients two days before Christmas and tell them to come back after New Years.

I don't understand the big deal to celebrate things on the exact date that the calendar says just because.  It's a special holiday, yes, but that doesn't mean that you can't celebrate it a week early just so you can all be together.  That's the most important thing, right?  And as for the shopping... One week really shouldn't make that big of a difference when you've got this much notice.  I'm sorry, I know it sucks.