I’d love to work a Christmas shift just to get out of travelling to boring family gatherings.

I am sick of the shit show that goes on at work about working Christmas. Work knows I am a single parent and I told them from the get go that I can’t work Christmas and Easter’s.
4 years into the job they expect me to have my parents look after them even though I have told them my parents plan to go interstate?!?
My father works for the same company in a management role and co workers discussed this with him before me!!!

Guess who will resign if rostered on?

You get 18 Christmas’s with your little ones. Cherish them!

Oh plus my parents believe they would dictate what presents Santa brings if I am not there

From the sounds of it, you don't want to change your plans you've already made, so just run with what you've organised

I think it matters if it matters to you guys. Is Christmas a big deal or is deliberately avoiding family? These things are the relevant parts I feel

Fuck working xmas. If I'm expected to work this Xmas I'll chuck it in. Fuck that.

No, my Christmas is hardly ever actual Christmas because I work every Xmas unless it falls on my RDO, and every second year my kids spent it at their dad's in another town.
We still have big Christmas dinner and go to dinners at extended family etc and have presents under the tree "from Santa". But it's never on Christmas day lol

Do what makes you guys happy... We have the same issues, both hubby and I work for an emergency service, rotating shift work, we often miss special events and family get annoyed/don't try to accommodate our (very reasonable) requests... Last special event, I had to work night shift so asked, since I 'had' to be there, if lunch could please be served at midday instead of 1,2pm etc so I had time to get a bit of sleep before going to work, got told "yeah, no worries" Day of said celebration, lunch was nowhere near close to being served at 12:30 so I politely excused myself to go home and sleep to choruses of "but we haven't had lunch yet" etc... Sorry, but by the time I got home, I had about 3hrs sleep before having to work a 12hr overnight shift...

Can’t you do something 8 pm on one of those nights?

Lots of families split their festivities over the Xmas days due to all sorts of reasons. Either work, distance, extended family etc. We swap the two days, one year Xmas day my family, next year Xmas day is with the inlaws. It becomes even more difficult once your kids get partners.

I've never understood why people get so upset if you can't celebrate Christmas on Christmas day. I have no issues with celebrating it the day after, or even a week before or after, or whenever, it really doesn't matter. I would think what matters is getting together and enjoying each other's company.

Tell your family extra money on Xmas day

I did many years of shift work and most christmases I was working. It did annoy my family but really, if it were up to me I’d be enjoying the day and not be at work. But, I always had an early or late celebration depending on my shifts. So I didn’t feel like I missed out completely.