Eight great reasons to work over Christmas

Eight great reasons to work over Christmas by Amber Rolfe Deck the halls with boughs of…jobs?Christmas time is fast approaching, and everyone’s preparing for a full season of food, drink, and monopoly-induced chaos. But if you’re having to work throughout the festive period, you might not be quite as excited. That is, before you realise the many upsides of avoiding the Christmas rush (believe us, there are some).To make sure you’re seeing the silver linings, here are eight great reasons to work over Christmas:You’ll actually get a seat on your commute OK, so you’re probably not too thrilled about working during the festive season.But what would you say if we told you that your commute was about to turn from the worst part of the day, to the part where you get a whole train/plane/automobile lane to yourself?Not only will you have the opportunity to listen to the loudest, most irritating music you own (cue: all of the Christmas songs), you’ll also be able to do all the things you’ve always wanted to do o n your way to work.Feet up? Check. Quiet nap? Check. Not having someone’s armpit directly in your face? Check.Crack open the Buck’s fizz, because your Christmas starts now.Everyone will feel sorry for you If you’re having to work over Christmas â€" you’ll undoubtedly have a number of friends and family that are blessed with time off. But don’t resort to bitter jealousy just yet.Whilst everyone you know is frantically preparing for Christmas, whether it’s slaving over a hot stove, dropping the turkey, or pushing through crowds of desperate shoppers on a last-minute present rush â€" your only responsibility is to get through the day.Regardless, your family (along with any customers you encounter) will feel sorry for you, not to mention praise you for being such a hard worker.Admiration; unrestricted access to the remote; wine mulling. It’s basically win-win.You can escape awkward Christmas parties (and/or in-laws)Although copious amounts of food, presents, and trash TV a re enough to make you look forward to Christmas all year â€" not everything about it brings quite so much anticipation.For example, if you have a large extended family or in-laws, you probably have a number of parties and gatherings you’re practically forced to attend.The good news is, if you’re working over the festive season â€" you basically get a get-out-of-jail-free card for all the obligatory events you dread. No one’s going to force you to stay out late when they know you’ve got work in the morning.You get first choice on the discounts Working in retail over Christmas can be especially tough.Not only do you have to miss out on festivities, you also have to deal with floods of panicked people who have the tendency to get unnecessarily angry when they realise you’ve just run out of Furbys.But luckily, there’s more to it than difficult customers. Because if there’s one great thing that happens in the run up to Christmas (and the following weeks after it) â€" it’s discounts.And you couldn’t be in a better place for it. Whether you work in a supermarket, a clothes shop, or a department store, you’ll be the first one to see and buy your favourite discounted products.Boxing Day doesn’t seem so bad now, does it?  You’ll have free reign of the office If you’re based in an office, you might be one of the few people that come in during the festive period.Not only does this mean you’ll get to enjoy a few days without any annoying colleagues or unreasonable requests â€" you’ll also be able to do whatever you want. No one’s around to tell you to turn your music down, mess with the thermostat, or use up all the milk.So eat with your mouth open, listen to Christmas songs, and dance like no one’s watching. Come on, it’s Christmaaaaaaaaas.You: 1. Work: 0.  It’ll show you’re dedicated When it comes to impressing your boss, working over Christmas is up there with one of the best gifts you can give.Because nothing says you love your j ob like going the extra mile, and in addition to showing them you’re dedicated â€" you’ll also be able to demonstrate that you’re a team player. After all, offering to work over Christmas is essentially doing your colleagues a favour.Because of this, you might even be put forward for progression opportunities, as well as exciting new projects or responsibilities.  You get to celebrate off-peak Sad about work making you miss out on festivities? Don’t be.Christmas time is chaotic. Not only is travel more expensive, there’s also crowds absolutely everywhere you look â€" and even the least liked shopping centre in the county is full of frenzied shoppers.So instead of having to compete with the majority, take comfort in the fact that you’ll be able to use your time off to celebrate at a less busy period. You could even take advantage of the post-holiday sales while everyone else is moaning about being back at work.No more jealousy â€" just smugness. Take that, everyone else.  Everyone’s in a good mood So your immediate thought probably wasn’t ‘going to work’. But you might be surprised at how the festive season can positively influence people’s moods â€" both your colleagues and your customers.After all, nobody can say that hearing ‘merry Christmas’ doesn’t make them feel warm and fuzzy inside â€" even if it is over and over again, from your friends, and in songs, and from perfect strangers on the street.Additionally, since there isn’t a lot to do in many workplaces during the festive season â€" everyone will be happier than ever. Hardly any calls, few emails, and even fewer meetings means you can get on with your work at lightning speed â€" thanks to literally zero distractions.It also helps that you’ve all probably got a massive dinner to go home to.#SilverLinings  Honourable mentions: you’ll be helping others, you might get more money, you can use the time to get ahead on your work, you can avoid arguments over who gets the last pig in blanket.  Still searching for your perfect position? View all Christmas jobs nowFind a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the terms and conditions applicable to our service and acknowledge that your personal data will be used in accordance with our privacy policy and you will receive emails and communications about jobs and career related topics. Features Temporary jobs