Happy Holidays

Time flies when you are not necessarily having fun. The holidays are not particularly fun when you work in retail. Stores are open longer and longer hours in pursuit of that last 'holiday' dollar. The Christmas 'season', that is, the one that started around Oct.1. Where I work, we have been essentially dead, considering it is only one day until the Big One. We have had some moments of 'busy-ness', but yesterday one employee was sent home early due to the lack of interest. And you can't blame it on the weather, since the streets are dry.

While the holidays can be filled with merriment if you work in a typical office, where people downshift into a more relaxed modus operandi, what with the office potluck lunch, the cheap gift grab, the more formal office party, the chocolates, cookies, year end bonuses and the gift for the boss, life is far different when you are in retail. When you are in retail, you might as well call them the 'hellidays'. Retail outlets respond with staying open LONGER anticipating a last minute deluge of stressed out consumers just itching to buy our stuff.

We did well in some ways. We completely cleaned out a stock room and there were quite a few empty pegs throughout the store, but our store did not get the 'must have' items for 2005. I love Apple, but if I hear 'do you have an Ipod" just ONE MORE TIME....

And I've HAD it with Christmas carols, too. I have hummed 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas' for hopefully the last time, I've sold enough batteries to create my own nuclear program and I am tired of asking everybody if they've done all their Christmas shopping yet.

While all of these additional hours are great for the rest of you, how about US? Tomorrow attendance is MANDATORY and we close at 7. When are WE supposed to go food shopping and make plans with OUR friends? No bonuses or cookies in the back room either. Bah Humbug. And for all its lunacy, many of us may not keep our jobs come the middle of January. The only good thing is I have HEALTH CARE effective December 28, the day I go to the doctors to find out what is wrong with my aching feet!

I never thought I'd say this, but going back to a life in a fabric covered box looks more and more appealing.

So, in an attempt at avoiding all controversy, have yourself a merry little CHRISTmas, a happy Hannukkah and a happy Kwaanzaa, too.