How many Christmases have you worked?

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Dec 21, 2013

2008- Xmas Eve, 2009- XMas Eve night, 2010- Xmas Eve, 2011- Xmas Day. I left the hospital in April of 2012 so no more holidays for me. I am "on-call" on Xmas this year though.

HikingEDRN, BSN, RN · Dec 21, 2013

2009 (first year as a nurse) - scheduled Christmas Eve/day but was able to switch and be off 3-7 on C Eve and 7-3 on C day. I worked an overnight on New Years Eve in return.

2010 - off both days

2011 - 11am-7p in the ED on Christmas Day

2012 - off both days - someone who didn't celebrate the holiday approached me and took my Xmas Eve for the diff.

2013 - off both days :)

Next year I have Christmas Day - think we'll have Santa come Xmas Eve morning instead

subee, MSN, CRNA · Dec 21, 2013

Worked every Christmas between the ages of 25 and 60.

featherzRN, MSN · Dec 21, 2013

I've been a nurse 25 years and I've never worked Christmas day. Ok, once I worked Xmas eve into Xmas morning, but then I was able to get to the family thing. My first 5 years in med surg/ICU/etc I was just lucky, then I moved into no-holiday jobs (outpatient, college nurse, etc). Love it! :) (everyone fights over Xmas eve when you don't need to work the day, tho - especially this year!).

bsartor · Dec 21, 2013

I would gladly work every other holiday of the year just to have Christmas off. So far I have only worked on Christmas day once. When my daughter is much older, I hope to pick up Christmas shifts so that other moms can spend that special day with their kids. Bless all of you who have worked so many Christmas shifts so that others can have that day off!

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Dec 21, 2013

36 years of nursing, I've probably worked 25 of them.

I would much rather have Thanksgiving off- it is a more meaningful holiday to me. (Yes, I have four kids- but they've always understood.)

ktwlpn, LPN · Dec 21, 2013

I have willingly worked my fair share.Everyone should, it's what we do. My co-workers are always in good spirits. We are busier then usual escorting multiple visitors on and off our locked unit and dealing with the family members who only come once a year and flip out over the condition of their loved ones. As long as the flu and norovirus stay away for another week or two we'll all have a nice holiday.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Dec 21, 2013

All of them since I was 18 years old really except my 40th birthday (they kidnapped me from work and had a birthday party for me) and my 50th birthday (I pouted shamelessly). I always volunteered for them when I didn't have kids and when I did have kids I had moved and was low man on the totem pole so I either worked the night shift til that morning or went out that night.

Merry Christmas to me and a Happy Birthday!!!!

allnurses Guide · Dec 21, 2013

None, but have worked every NYE and NYD

TiffyRN, BSN, PhD · Dec 22, 2013

When my daughter is much older, I hope to pick up Christmas shifts so that other moms can spend that special day with their kids.

But what about when you have grandkids? Just saying.

I've worked either Christmas Eve or Day every year since I became a nurse until last year (that would be 19 years at that time). For now, under my weekend plan I don't have to work holidays that don't fall on a weekend. I'm sure they will change their minds when it suits them. Years ago though, my nuclear family (and to some extent my extended family) celebrated holidays on alternate days much of the time. I believe this is the key, especially when it comes to small kids. Do they really know the difference if Santa comes on the 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 25th or 26th?

Lennonninja, MSN, APRN, NP · Dec 22, 2013

This is my 4th Christmas as a hospital employee and my first one to have Christmas OFF completely! I started listening to Christmas music the day after Halloween just to celebrate