The holidays mean different things to different people.
For some, it’s about family. For others, it’s about giving. For those who don’t wanna admit it… the holidays are about PRESENTS!
Then, to a certain group of people, the holidays mean working.
You probably forget about the ones who are stuck working on Thanksgiving and Christmas, especially if you’ve never had to do it yourself.
You’re reminded when you need something that day, and most of the stores are closed. But boy, are you grateful to find those convenience or grocery stores that are open. You wonder if the employees are there because they wanna be, or if they had no choice.
Actually, it’s both.
I was one of those who was glad to work on Thanksgiving.
Harbourtowne, the resort where I worked in St. Michaels, had a huge Thanksgiving buffet spread every year, as well as for Easter and Mother’s Day.
The first two years of my employment, I worked as a server. The last three, I ended up being a buffet stocker/busgirl.
I didn’t mind. I’ve never been that fond of Thanksgiving anyway. Growing up, it always seemed to be the most boring day of the year. You’d wait around to eat, with my mom cooking in the kitchen, us watching TV. We’d offer to help her, but she wanted to do it herself. So my sisters and I would feel guilty, because we weren’t doing anything.
Then, the dinner usually stirred up a fight from somebody, creating a tense atmosphere. I was happy to hide in the kitchen, doing the dishes.
Years later, when I had my own apartment, a few Thanksgivings I was by myself, and I couldn’t be happier. I’d make some kind of casserole and watch a bunch of movies. It was great. No fights, no guilt. Just quiet.
So, when I discovered that Harbourtowne was open on Thanksgiving, I quickly said, “Sure, I’ll be there!”
For me, it was a pretty long day, starting at 6 am to cook the regular breakfast buffet for the few guests who were staying at the resort. Then, assisting the rest of the crew when they clocked on to prepare the holiday grub. Then, setting up the buffet, loading up all the food, and waiting for the guests to arrive. Doing whatever job(s) I was given that day, taking down the buffet, cleaning up, then finally getting home around 7 pm.
I was always impressed with how the managers arranged the seating for all the parties. They figured that the average table would take 1 1/2 hours for their meal, then they would schedule the next one, and so on. It was like putting a big puzzle together.
Of course, there were those parties who stayed longer, cutting into the next reservation. Which usually, would get moved to another server’s section, ticking off the original server for losing that table.
The managers did their best to give each server an equal amount of business, and balance it so they were never overwhelmed with more than they could handle.
The holidays when I worked as a server were always a bit stressful for me. Even though the buffet was a pretty easy gig, the hassle for me was taking care of all the beverages, especially at a big table. These were usually filled with combined families and friends, adults and children. The grown-ups all wanted booze, the kids wanted something like hot chocolate, which took extra time to make.
So I’d run around like an idiot putting all their orders together, meanwhile, forgetting about the smaller tables I had to take of as well. Then, trying to navigate in between other servers, running around themselves.
I was happy when I was asked if I could be busgirl. The servers were supposed to do a lot of their own cleaning up, but it always helped when someone else would do the main clearing and changing of linens and silverware.
For me, it was great. I didn’t have to worry about the table, other than clearing plates and getting something the server might need. I was glad to be helping everyone else, and I wasn’t stressed. Plus, I was getting a lot of exercise!
The managers made sure all the servers tipped me at the end of the day. If one of them had avoided it, the bosses saw to it that I got something. I knew, from being a server myself, that they didn’t always like to do that. But, I always made sure I’d gone overboard to earn my gratuities. The managers saw that, so I appreciated that they looked after me in that sense.
One Thanksgiving, I was busgirl and buffet runner. Double-duty. Going back and forth between the dining room and the buffet tables. Clearing plates one moment, then running back to the kitchen to get another pan of stuffing and more turkey for the carvers. My muscles were twitching the end of that day!
I could have made more money if I’d waited on the tables, but I didn’t mind. It was a good time, and I still pocketed a decent amount of cash.
For those of you who end up working on a holiday, maybe because everyone else had already asked off, or you don’t have a family, or perhaps, you don’t celebrate Thanksgiving or Christmas, still, make the most of it.
At least you’re getting paid, usually time and a half. You’re not dealing with family crap. And, you probably scored a few brownie points with the boss, if you care about that sort of thing.
Hopefully, when you clock out, you can still spend some time with family or friends, if you want to and you’re not too tired.
Just always be appreciative of the folks who you encounter working on the holidays, when you’re off to your own family or party. Whatever reason they have for being on duty, they may be happy, or they may be bummed. Smile and be friendly. They might need that.
You may just make their day.