...however, I have worked in hospitality, leisure and retail for the last....jaysus....19yrs! A few thoughts.
I have a certain perspective on the silly season...you may know it as the "Holiday Season" or Christmas or some other nonsense...it is THE SILLY SEASON!!!
Not for nothing is a third of the year's retail revenue transacted in one twelth of the time...and likewise one third of the stress, debt, hassle and crap inflicted on the entire population.
Add to this, the "social" aspect of the season.
People who drink rarely, if at all ,suddenly rush out to race/compete with their colleagues to down as much alchohol (and or other..ahem...stimulants) as possible in the trendiest (busiest) spots in town. Having no idea, or tolerance, of the effects they have on them.
More congestion, more bumping into, more spilling of drinks, more vomiting, more sexual politics, less clothes, less patience, less manners. More people with less street sense and more ready cash. More people with more street sense and less ready cash. More crime.
Longer hours, more work load per hour, more difficult customers for the people in the service industry. In your 100th hour of an 110 hour week...one more person telling you "to smile, it was only a joke" after they knock one of their friends drinks to the floor....expecting you or your equally belaboured staff to clean it up....well it doesn't make you feel like smiling.
You're frustrated because you never use taxis, and now when you click your fingers at 1, 2, 3am and you are told you'll need to wait over an hour......
...how frustrated is the member of service staff who has to listen to your whining as if it's his fault? When he can't clean up and get his six hours sleep before his next 19/20 hou shift till you get out of his face and out the door? Incidently....he made an announcement over the PA 3 hours ago to remind you to book early for taxis...
But hey...it's ok they all make tips.....well no. Management do not accept tips....and they also get paid a salary instead of by the hour. And at Xmas - most office parties run a kitty....no tips.
So in conclusion - yes people get cranky at this time of year...but they don't want to bring a downer on their friends....so they save it up for the servers.
Bear this in mind when you are shopping or partying in this "season of good will to all men".
Yup...this has been a rough week....but it'll be rougher before Monday. And rougher again before 2nd January!
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Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable. -- Sidney J. Harris
I feel sort of the same way. Having worked the last 4 years for the holidays, and working both the eve and the day for both Christmas and New Years, it's just another work day for me.
I'm with you...I've got 20+ years in retail (Circuit City, Sears, Wolf/Ritz Camera). It's always been the time of year when I would see some of the worst in people and corporate mentality. I am very glad I am out of that for the most part. I used to say goodbye to my family on Thanksgiving and hardly talk to them until mid January. Beautiful freakin' time of year! Can't wait for Spring!!!!
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Today's mighty oak was once just some nut who held his ground!
You sure sound like him. lol Aren't you used to this after 19 years? Why put up with it? Or, was this just a vent? There was a thread recently about start over doing something else in life.
Sorry guys - just a rant. I'm my normal bubly self again...for the moment...
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Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable. -- Sidney J. Harris
19 years is a long time in retail. I take my hat off to you, Irish. I've worked retail and was always flabbergasted that some customers could be so rude. Even though this time of the year is busy, oftentimes stressful, etc., I try to have fun and go out of my way to wish all the great service people 'happy holidays'.
Thanks for all your efforts. Hope you have yourself a nice holiday!
__________________ “I have always done my duty. I am ready to die. My only regret is for the friends I leave behind me.”
-- Zachary Taylor, 12th U.S. President, 1849-1850
I have worked my whole adult life in Mall's and I still look forward to Christmas. Unlike the actual retailers I work for the Mall and I think it is great watching people run around doing the craziest things. My favorite is the stressed out parents yelling at their children because they are crying when they see Santa. Or the last minute shoppers who walk into the mall on Christmas Eve 30 minutes before we close and are bitching about the fact that they don't have enough time to shop. Like Christmas snuck up on them or something. Then again I have always looked at life from a more humorous side. If I didn't look at the season that way I would have most likely cracked and gone on a killing spree by now.
__________________ -50# by 4/1/10 2 down 48 to go.
Everything is to busy and faced paced for me. I hate shopping, its not really the spending money part, I just hate busy malls that are always to hot, never being able to find parking anywhere, and the whole hassle of buying everyone including my great aunt anne who if I saw on the street, I would not even reconize.
Maybe this year is just worse because im trying to diet over christmas.
Am finding a church tower near where you live and practicing my Steve Buscemi from "Billy Madison" as we speak!
lol tm's rough and sat/sun, but it gets quite quiet till xmas - then I just need to worry about NY's!
Thank guys...it helps to laugh at myself....I'm normally that guy! Just a couple of rough days on top of a rough year - am cushty now!
Just be sure to share the love with every hospitality/retail worker you meet(a smile and a thank you is enough, I'm not even talking about money!)...or there'll be unexpected dumbell dropping in a gym near you!!!
Be safe.
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Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable. -- Sidney J. Harris
I am not the Grinch...
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