Time off from work is a luxury not everyone gets to enjoy as frequently as others.
Indeed, many people often have to bargain and finagle with their colleagues to get time off.
This can be particularly challenging when we want time off during a specific period.
It gets even harder when we don't have colleagues willing to compromise.
Redditor VintageDrax had a bit of good luck when they discovered they had some unexpected time off.
When this news got around, a colleague of the original poster (OP) implored them to trade.
Something the OP wasn't the least bit interested in doing, much to their colleague's fury.
After getting scolded by other co-workers, the OP took to the subReddit "Would I Be The A**Hole" (WIBTA), where they asked fellow Redditors:
"WIBTA if I don't let my co-worker with small children (mine are adults) take Christmas Day off when it's my turn?"
The OP explained why achieving some fairly coveted time off made them something of a pariah at their work:
"I work at a hospital."
"We have 2 groups of therapists and we alternate all holidays yearly. I'm on for Christmas along with half my co-workers."
"Our PRNs have picked up, and now 1 person in the Christmas work group can have the day off."
"Our boss keeps a rolling Excel sheet of how many holidays are worked in a year period."
"I have the most, so I can take it off."
"My co-worker (S) has came to me begging to take it."
"She wants to do Santa etc."
"With her little kids."
"I said I'd think about it, I would love to celebrate the day with all my family and kids too."
"She said it's not the same; they're adults, and I could do it any day."
"I'm getting SO much crap from other co-workers!"
"Get it, but I've obviously worked the majority of holidays and feel it's ok to take it off."
"WIBTA?"
Fellow Redditors weighed in on where they believed the OP fell in this particular situation by declaring:
- NTA - Not The A**hole
- YTA - You're The A**hole
- NAH - No A**holes Here
- ESH - Everyone Sucks Here
The Reddit community firmly agreed that the OP was not the a**Hole for refusing to give up Christmas.
Everyone agreed that everyone, including the OP, deserved to take Christmas off when they had the opportunity, whether or not they had any children:
"NTA."
"My kids are 5 and 8, and we’ve moved Christmas to accommodate my husband’s work schedule."
"It’s not a big deal, and especially not a big deal before they could read the calendar."- SilentCanopy
"NTA."
"If we’re being honest, if her kids are really young she can just flat out tell them Christmas is a day earlier or later and they won’t realize."- TopConclusion2668
"NTA."
"Even if you didn't have kids and planned to spend the day alone...you don't get special treatment because you have kids."- kpaxonite2
"NTA."
"My mom is a doctor, and when I was growing up she had to miss certain holidays, so we did Christmas on the 26th or whenever she had it off some years."
"Having small children isn't an excuse to have other people miss out on holidays with their families. My sister and I LOVED celebrating Christmas with our dad on the 25th, and as a whole family on the 26th."
"It was never an issue for us, and it made it feel like we had 2 Christmases."
"I don't care if the kids are adults or if you don't have kids, EVERYONE DESERVES A HOLIDAY WITH THEIR FAMILY ONCE IN AWHILE."
"The kids will survive."- distantsaturn
"NTA."
"I too am a nurse, and the same people always beg for the same time off because of their children."
"I have children also, but they are adults, and I only get to see them 2-3 times a year if I’m lucky."
"Understanding that family is important to everyone so rotating the holidays is important and equitable."- dhizbsizbsi
"NTA!"
"I'm single, childless, and my family on occasion sh*t me up the wall."
"But if it's my turn to take an extra couple days off over the Chrissy break?"
"You bet your sweet bippy I'm taking them."
"Christmas is just as special and fun for ANYONE that chooses to celebrate, not just those with young offspring."- FearTheMomerath
"NTA."
"You deserve Christmas off sometimes, too."- OurFeatherWings
"Take it off."
"Nta."- Suspicious-Grand9781
"NTA."
"There’s a fair system in place so everyone can get a turn to spend holidays with their family; you’re just as entitled to that as she is."- Sweet-Inspection6431
"NTA."
"You have a family and kids too."- Scary-Yak-1463
"As a single childless person who was the 'first call' for 'scheduling favors' at a former workplace... no you are NTA."
"There's always a reason why the holiday is special."
"For her, it's because the kids are small and that's exciting."
"For you, it's because your kids are grown, and you don't have them around all the time anymore, and that's exciting."
"Both of those are legitimate, and you know what else is legitimate?"
"You having worked multiple holidays and earned the time off."
"Make plans with your kids."
"Exciting plans."
"Tell her you've already made exciting family plans."
"End the conversation."- Brilliant_Contest273
"YWNBTA."
"You earned it."
"The whiners should STFU, seriously."
"Plenty of working people figure out how to 'do Santa without a day off, let alone without taking a day off from someone else."-ReadMeDrMemory
"NTA."
"But don’t think of it as who deserves Christmas more."
"Because that’s an argument no one really can win."
"Simply state you’d love to trade if you could, but already have family plans you’re excited about."
"Wish them a happy holiday and move on."
"If they keep pressuring you/making comments."
"I would draft up an email and send it to your supervisor about how it’s making you feel to have these holidays on/off shifts public knowledge they may have to change the what/why they make these schedules if people are getting harassed at work over them."- PistachioWindow
"The holidays are rotated because nobody wants to work Christmas, yet some have to be there because it’s essential; it’s not her turn to have it off, it’s yours."
"She can be mad all she wants; this is how the system works, and if she doesn’t like it, she can find a new line of work that allows Christmas off."
"NTA."- EclecticEvergreen
"NTA."
"I hate when parents with small kids think that anyone with bigger kids or without family don't deserve to have holidays off."
"If she's working in healthcare, then chances are she will have more Christmas' to work in the future."- the_greek_italian
"If a co-worker didn't want to work on Christmas Day, then they should have picked a job that doesn't require them to work that day."
"They knew when they signed up."
"NTA."- Hamsternoir
"NTA."
"You’re entitled to your holidays as much as they are, irrespective of your children’s ages or even whether you have any or not."
"They need to plan better or discuss with management."
"Just because someone has kids does not mean they can take away other people’s privileges or get special treatment."
"Your holidays are equally important."- Nothing_two
"NTA your adult kids will remember this forever but her young kids can be told Dec 27 is Christmas and will never know the difference."- emerg_remerg
"NTA."
"Closer to nah if she'd just asked, but she did more than just ask."
"But reality is just because you don't have small kids doesn't mean you don't have family."
"You both chose careers and employers that require working holidays, and it sounds like you've worked a bunch of them."
"Your coworker could have worked holidays too if getting Christmas off was that important."- Struggle_Usual
"NTA."
"Here's the thing."
"When you have a career that works holidays, you HAVE to raise your kids to be flexible."
"We are in healthcare."
"Sometimes Thanksgiving is a Saturday."
"Sometimes Christmas is 2 days early ke a day late."
"You know what?"
"They don't care!"
'They care we celebrate, and we've taught them it's not about a specific day/date."- Mean_Background7789
"I work on an oil rig, and we have to take PTO to be guaranteed not to work Christmas."
"We usually rotate every year who can do it so everyone is guaranteed every other year off."
"I’ve heard so many times that the boss should prioritize the people with kids or that I shouldn’t take PTO cause I don’t have kids."
"F*ck that, I like Christmas too."
"If they don’t like the working schedule, they can find another job, NTA."- sindremaster
One can't blame the OP's colleague for being disappointed that they might not get to spend Christmas with their family.
However, why she thinks the OP is any less worthy than her to have that privilege is more than a little confusing.
If the OP isn't in a situation where colleagues notice how much work she is putting in, she might want to consider looking for a new job.
Or, at the very least, have a conversation with H/R...
