People that are in the service industry hate Christmas. There. I said it.
Why do they hate Christmas? Because customers are assholes.
I say this with confidence as, when young(er), I had the dubious privilege of working in the hospitality industry. For 8 Christmases. And 8 New Years’.
It is hell. For many (many!!) hours a day you listen to the same music on repeat. Long days on your feet that are stretched longer because, inevitably, someone doesn’t arrive for work. People are miserable (and that’s just the customers).
I have been watching people in malls* this past week and just shake my head. The amount of women that have aggressively pushed other trolleys/people out of their way, often accompanied by some choice words, astounds me. Couples with children that grumble and bitch at each other and their kids. Little wars in parking lots. People that drive like assholes. Moaning on Social Media.Oh, the moaning on Social Media!
It’s really very unnecessary. Could everyone please just calm the fuck down? Think before you lose your temper WITH ANYONE. Don’t take your kids to the shops unless you absolutely, absolutely have to. It’s really just not worth the anger or accompanying exhaustion.
When you address a brand in Social Media to complain CHECK before you hit the send button and look like a doos. (Yup, still my favourite word)
People that are providing a service to you are not your punching bags, they often work for very little money just to have to suck up your crap.
Try smiling at that cashier/packer/waitress/petrol attendant and ask them how they are doing, you will be amazed at their response. It gives me great satisfaction to see their faces light up when I ask them how they are holding up. Be a human and think about the next person. Go on, try it.
Isn’t that, after all, what Christmas is all about? Where is all the friggin joy?
Failing that, try watching this as a reminder. (It was shared in my FB stream by someone yesterday, but I can’t find who, so apologies for not crediting. If it was you, thank you, it’s all kinds of awesome.)
* I spent very little time in malls this Christmas by the way. Online shopping FTW.
PS. I’m blogging in the middle of the day at work because my computer is borked
PPS. One more sleep before I’m on holiday. (well, after all the Christmas prep, the Big Eat, followe by The Big Clean)
PPPS. Our gifts are ALL wrapped. We win at Christmas.