Eight unexpected joys of working on Christmas Day revealed in new survey
The eight unexpected joys of working on Christmas Day have been revealed – and they’re not all about the money.A poll of 1,000 adults who’ve done a shift on December 25th saw the lack of pressure to have a perfect Christmas Day and not having to travel long distances rank highly among these perks.More than a quarter (27 percent) also value not having to worry about cooking their festive dinner or cleaning up afterwards (19 percent).Others cherish the peace, which comes from commuting on quieter roads (37 percent) and having some space from navigating family dynamics (15 percent).But for 37 percent, the main draw is the chance to make Christmas special for someone else, while 25 percent enjoy giving back to their community.For example, among healthcare workers, 45 percent cherish helping to make the day feel meaningful for those who can’t enjoy it with their loved ones.The research was commissioned by Greene King, whose second annual Big Christmas Shift offers Christmas Day workers a free meal from 2nd to 5th December; they have until 16th November to sign up or to be nominated by loved ones.Carried out through OnePoll, the research found that while they have worked a total of six shifts to date on average, the typical festive worker is now on their fourth Christmas in a row, with 21 percent having done 10 or more shifts during their career.The findings follow a separate study by ONS which found 1.2 million people worked on Christmas Day in 2025, up from 1.1 million in 2018.This latest study, however, identified the moments which stand out to those working in care or medical sectors specifically – these include comforting someone struggling and helping those who might otherwise have spent Christmas alone.Others have helped people take part in a Christmas tradition (16 percent) or connect with their family (20 percent) on the day.Among all workers polled, 30 percent cited how special it was to witness someone’s mood improve because of something they did or...