Spending The Holidays At Work

This is my first year of being a doctor and as luck would have it I’m working on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve. This means, for the first time in my life I will be spending the holidays working.

My sister, who is also a medical doctor, warned me that holidays don’t mean much in medicine. Unless you have specifically requested the day off or you’re lucky enough to not be on call, be prepared to work on holidays at some point. At the hospital, holidays are treated like Sunday duties where only the duty team is at work and everyone else gets the day off.

Sunday duties are the worst… you’re basically doing the same work with less than half the staff.

Christmas Day won’t be my first holiday working, however, Christmas carries with it something more than other holidays. Everyone has different traditions on Christmas and it can be hard to miss out on the family time on that day.

For me, I will miss waking up to the smell of Christmas breakfast cooking, opening presents in my pyjamas then lounging around until its time for Christmas dinner.

Just because I’ll be working on Christmas doesn’t mean I have to miss out on Christmas cheer. Right?

However, I really only have two ways to make it better…

Reschedule

If your family is flexible- ask them if Christmas can be celebrated another day when you’re off. It really doesn’t matter when you celebrate it once your have all the mixings.

Bring Christmas to You

Since you’ll be at work on Christmas why not just bring Christmas with you? Coordinate with your team and wear Christmas inspired outfits and even bring food to share!

I am not sure how I feel about working this Christmas, I’m just happy that Boxing Day is a holiday. I am way more bummed about ringing in the new year at work!

Have a great holiday season everyone, I hope, no matter where you are that you have a joyful season!

Samantha C. Johnson