I recently had a conversation with a sweet girl who works at a local fast food place. She told me that they are open 24 hours a day, all year, including Thanksgiving and Christmas.
She said that people drive through, at 6 am, to pick up breakfast for their entire family on Christmas mornings. She wasn’t jaded or bitter. But she was sad. She said wished she could be at home on these holidays. As she should be.
Now, I am concerned about the general lack of work ethic in our country. But working on holidays isn’t about a healthy work ethic.
There is value in rest. There is value in taking a break. It renews the body, mind, and soul.
More and more companies are pushing or requiring their employees to work on holidays.
Why?
Because we demand it.
Because we can’t go one day without consuming.
Because we don’t plan ahead and buy our groceries the day before the holiday.
Because we can’t do without whipped-cream for our pie. Because we can’t brew our own pot of coffee on Christmas…
We are the problem.
Corporate greed doesn’t help, but if we, the consumer, will stop shopping on holidays, these companies will stop being open on holidays.
So this year, please, take a stand for folks who don’t get the choice. Who are forced (yes, forced) to work when they should be at home with their families. The people who are required to come into work at 2am on a HOLIDAY so that we can get a deal on a freaking plasma TV.
If these companies stop turning a profit on holidays, they will stop being open.
Take a stand by staying home. By making your own breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
By living without that canned cranberry sauce, coffee creamer, marshmallows…whatever it is that might “require” a last-minute run to the store on a holiday.
We are the problem, but we can also be the solution.
live well. be well.
