I Refused to Work Christmas Eve—And My Boss Lost It

Holiday schedules are supposed to bring a little joy to the workplace — not divide it. Yet every year, stories pour in from employees who feel punished simply because they don’t have children. One of our readers sent us a letter describing exactly how that unfairness played out for her last Christmas, and why saying “no” turned her into the office villain.

Last year, I worked Christmas Eve and Christmas Day <strong>because “no one with kids could.” I don’t have kids, so apparently that makes me the designated holiday mule. I didn’t complain — I covered the shift, missed my family dinner, and came home to cold leftovers and an empty apartment.

This year, the schedule came out and—surprise—I was assigned Christmas Eve again. No discussion. No rotation. Just my name slapped on the holiday like it belonged to me.

I told my boss, politely, “I can’t do Christmas Eve again. I already covered last year. Someone else needs to take a turn.”

He stared at me like I’d personally ruined the holiday season. He said, “Well... employees with families need that time. Maybe this job isn’t for you if you’re not willing to be flexible.”

Flexible = sacrifice your life, so others don’t have to.

I asked him why child-free employees are expected to give up every holiday. He said, “Because it impacts parents more.” I said, “It impacts me too.”

The next day, HR called me in and asked why I was “refusing critical shifts.” I explained everything — the pattern, the unfairness, the assumption that my time doesn’t matter.

They didn’t care.

They said, “Holiday priorities are different for parents. You need to be understanding.”
I asked, “Understanding... or available to be exploited?”

HR didn’t flinch. They said, “If you can’t support the team during peak season, maybe this isn’t the right environment for you.”

Translation: Work Christmas Eve, or we’ll make your life miserable enough that you quit.

When I left the room, two child-free coworkers quietly told me they’d been given the same threat before — just never dared to say no.

So now I’m the problem employee.

Not because I did anything wrong...but because I finally said I wanted one holiday to myself.

Who Actually Has to Work on Christmas Day?

A lot of people get Christmas Day off — but not everyone. And despite what many assume, it isn’t automatically guaranteed. It all comes down to your job, your contract, and whether your workplace shuts down for the holiday.

If your contract says you get bank holidays off, you’re safe. But many businesses — restaurants, pubs, hotels, transport, emergency services — stay open on Christmas because it’s one of their busiest days. If your workplace normally operates on bank holidays, you’ll probably be scheduled too.

Can You Refuse to Work on Christmas Day?

Usually, no. If your contract requires holiday shifts, and you refuse, your employer could claim you breached your agreement — and yes, that could risk your job.

What you can try:

• Ask for annual leave
• Swap shifts with a coworker

Just remember: during the holiday rush, employers aren’t always eager to approve time off.

There are rare cases where refusing might be protected — like if you’re a single parent with zero childcare options because everything is closed, or if coworkers have been accommodated before. But these situations are complicated, and they don’t guarantee success.

The Pressure Child-Free Employees Feel Around Christmas.

Many people without children say they’re expected to pick up the slack during the holidays — and research backs up that feeling. A report by PwC and Business in the Community found that two-thirds of women without kids feel pushed to work extra hours, far more than women who have children.

But according to workplace researchers, the picture isn’t simple.

Lisa Heap, a senior researcher at the Centre for Future Work, says frustrations from child-free employees are real, but the broader data shows something else too: parents and caregivers often face discrimination of their own. A 2023 study from the University of South Australia found that returning parents were monitored more closely at work, given fewer opportunities, and often excluded after coming back from parental leave.

Heap says tension between child-free and parenting employees usually happens when a workplace lacks transparency and doesn’t manage leave fairly. “When there isn’t open communication or clear processes, that’s when pressure and conflict show up,” she explains.

In the end, holidays aren’t about who works more — they’re about workplaces learning to treat everyone’s time as equally human.

What’s your experience with work and holiday scheduling? Tell us your story below.

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