How do you celebrate when you work a Holiday?

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Specializes in Critical Care, LTAC, Post-Partum.

Hello all! I graduated with my RN in December and have had the good fortune to be hired in February. I love my new job- 3 12 hour shifts/days with working a weekend every 3 weeks and rotating holidays. Of course this year, I'm on: Christmas, Thanksgiving and Fourth of July!!!! I have 3 kids- 14, 12 and a 9 year old. I'm looking for creative ways to make the holidays fun, even if we can't celebrate in the "traditional" way. anyone care to share your ideas/new traditions? Thanks!!!

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Specializes in being a Credible Source.

We just celebrate the holiday the day before or after the shift...

And *I* celebrate the fact that I'm getting the holiday differential!!!!

I'll suck up any holiday shift available... my family understands the pay differential.

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Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.

santa (for the little ones) takes requests...... he will visit either prior to christmas or after christmas. i remind them that not only are there mommies and daddies like me who work holidays, but there are also mommies and daddies who serve overseas during the holidays. for us santa will come early by a few days. for the service men and women overseas, he can visit a few weeks to a few months before or after christmas. thus it is no big deal that it christmas is not celebrated on the 25th of december.

as for the other holidays, like thanksgiving, we celebrate a few days early (i always seem to work that day and christmas). as for the fourth of july, i usually do not have to work that day but if i do, i take my kids to the fire works a day or two before and we have our bbq then too. they can choose to celebrate on the holiday eating the leftovers. the other holidays are the same. bbqs or meals are early or later with plenty of leftovers.

similar to the above poster, my kids have learned not to care that a holiday celebration is on the exact day any more. they are happy to celebrate with family whenever.

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Specializes in Critical Care, LTAC, Post-Partum.

Thank you for your replies! I have been home with my kids for almost 15 years so this is a big transition for me and my family. Fortunately, my family has been very supportive of my going back to school and getting my nursing degree. To be totally honest, I think my husband is having a harder time with the Holiday thing than my kids. His family was big in to traditions and making everything special ON THE DAY- I told him: "What if you have a heart attack on Christmas? You want people to be at the hospital ready to treat you, right?". He's slowly coming around.....:)

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