It is that holly jolly season coming upon us, and as a retail worker, I can tell you it is not so "holly jolly" and "season's greetings" for us. From running around to making sure every single spot it filled with product, having customers be upset with out of stock items to having to clean up the mess that is left behind from the customers. Let's take a look at why retail workers just aren't in the holiday spirit anymore.
1. Let's be honest, the holiday season starts right after Halloween. At the start of November, some stores already receive their holiday items to put out on shelves. Retail workers find it obnoxious and tiresome to have our stores decked out with cardboard presents and holiday colors in November.
2. Christmas shopping now starts on Thanksgiving (some stores thankfully still don't do this), the one day where you should be with family. Unfortunately, most of us are stuck at work helping people who are out shopping on Thanksgiving instead of staying at home with their family.
3. Christmas music starts on Thanksgiving! I used to love Christmas music, but the minute I started working retail it was over. The same songs are on loop but just by different artists and if you work for more than a four hour shift, you start to feel yourself go a little crazy.
4. Holiday hours are that fun time of the year when you need do your own shopping and getting ready for the holidays you are stuck at work. Longer hours to get set up for the holidays and to work the holiday rush that happens once December comes around and panic sets in for customers.
5. Christmas Eve is a time where you are open and there is a very big influx of customers in the store buying last minute items. They are rude and obnoxious not understanding why so many products are out of stock and why they can't have them right then and there. It takes crazy customer to a whole new level.
6. Let's not forget that as a human being, you have to do all your own shopping, and lets face it, you just aren't in the mood and you are way too exhausted to do your own after dealing with your own store's holiday wishes.
7. Last but not least is the truck-- freight comes in more often than any other time when it comes to holiday season! Too top off the customers and the regular freight coming in there is also holiday freight that shows up. Have fun with that.
Let's be honest when it comes to holidays as a retail worker it's just not a fun time. Between truckloads of product to customers being overly demanding it is just not enjoyable. On the other hand it is life and we deal with it the best way we can. So this holiday season if you are out and about please be nice to the retail workers-- we would really appreciate it!
