You make me hate Christmas

[erin9mmm]

I live in a small town I find it totally opposite to years ago when I was in a large city. The pace for everyday life (including Christmas) is far more relaxed and friendly. Here you'll find your self waiting longer in line because the person in front is chatting with the cashier, BUT instead of getting angry and frustrated you end up joining into the conversation!
Love it here, and love Christmas!

[newb]

I have a new appreciation for front line workers in retail !!

[Shwa Girl]

I live in a small town I find it totally opposite to years ago when I was in a large city. The pace for everyday life (including Christmas) is far more relaxed and friendly. Here you'll find your self waiting longer in line because the person in front is chatting with the cashier, BUT instead of getting angry and frustrated you end up joining into the conversation!
Love it here, and love Christmas!

I know what you mean. I see it as I am on the road for work. And if the staff sees you a few times, and then away for a while, they ask why you haven't been around -- like they missed you.

Small town Rexall cashier let me get more 10% off postage stamps when I asked about getting more than the limit. She said, "For you, hon, I'll do it." Never met her before.

[hollyquaiscer]

It's very sad that so many have forgotten the true meaning of Christmas. Who really cares about the gifts, I feel they just get in the way of a celebration of family and friends. I love having everyone around me when we are home at Christmas. Cooking for the ones I love and just catching up on life with everyone. It's one of the only days that I see my kids relaxed. All the panic is over, their children are happy, and they are happy they don't have to work (or cook) for just one day. We have great conversations and everyone is happy.

Instead of stressing about the season, it would be so nice to see people go back to basics. Make something with your own hands, a gift from the heart for your loved ones. Knit or crochet your kids a wonderful stuffed animal, or clothes. Make great jars of ingredients to make those favorite cookies for family and friends.

Enjoy the reason for the season, and DON'T let gifts, stress about money and hurriedness get in the way.

[rachel1496]

I did Christmas retail one year at Old Navy and never went back. I'm pretty sure another year would have killed my love of Christmas for good. There was one night I was folding a table of t-shirts and instead of picking up t-shirts from the messy pile beside me this woman kept picking up the ones I had just folded and unfolding them to see the front. When she was done looking at every single shirt on the table off she went leaving me with another pile of unfolded shirts. I don't care if you need to unfold them but at least make the effort of refolding them when you're done. Even if you don't do it right and it has to be redone the thought is appreciated. And if there are shirts already unfolded please just use those instead of making a bigger mess. We also had 2 women who would come in every other night right before close and take piles of stuff into the change room. We were allowed to remind them that we were closing but you couldn't ask them to leave so we would all be stuck there an hour later than we were supposed to be because these two would take their sweet time trying on/deciding and then everything they didn't want (which was most of it) had to be put back.

[nessa23]

worked in retail for many years. At the mall, at Staples, at the liquor store.... the liquor store was probably the best as far as customers 'being happy' goes...hmmm obvious reasons??

I haven't got all my Christmas shopping done, but that's my own fault, and I ALWAYS ask the cashiers how they are doing, and tell them to have a good night. I also hate crowds, and the malls in December. But I just remember, there are people there EVERY day!!! I couldn't do retail now-a-days... way too impatient lol. Thank goodness for those great cashiers out there who ARE very patient and pleasant!

[IRefuseToPayFullPrice]

I can totally relate to that CrazyQT. Here`s my retail horror contribution: I don`t think I`ve encountered more verbally abusive customers til the days leading up to Christmas at the BANK. On the bright side, have a great time on your vacation!

[barginb]

They should have a sign any people who are rude or mean will be automatically charged 10% MORE. lol hang in there!

[xox2010]

I did Christmas retail one year at Old Navy and never went back. I'm pretty sure another year would have killed my love of Christmas for good. There was one night I was folding a table of t-shirts and instead of picking up t-shirts from the messy pile beside me this woman kept picking up the ones I had just folded and unfolding them to see the front. When she was done looking at every single shirt on the table off she went leaving me with another pile of unfolded shirts. I don't care if you need to unfold them but at least make the effort of refolding them when you're done. Even if you don't do it right and it has to be redone the thought is appreciated. And if there are shirts already unfolded please just use those instead of making a bigger mess. We also had 2 women who would come in every other night right before close and take piles of stuff into the change room. We were allowed to remind them that we were closing but you couldn't ask them to leave so we would all be stuck there an hour later than we were supposed to be because these two would take their sweet time trying on/deciding and then everything they didn't want (which was most of it) had to be put back.

I work in the fashion part of a box store, and this drives me nuts. Retail is the reason I'm in post-secondary school. I work with people who have been doing this for 20+ years.

I find that for all of the rude, inconsiderate people, there are always the very friendly people who talk politely. I apologized to a customer today because we didn't have a size in a shirt he wanted, and he told me not to be sorry and that it wasn't my fault.
It's customers like him that make my days slightly more bearable.

[SassyAshley]

I agree how hard it can be at times to work in customer service, Christmas or not Christmas. For us we shut down for Christmas, our company is closed for the same two weeks the schools are closed to give everyone vacation with their family. Leading up to Christmas is always fun as we have to prepare to be closed and it will never fail we send out letters to every account customer (yes every customer we did over 1200) we also post this in various places in all of our locations and print it on all of our packing slips, receipts, invoices. But it never fails there are going to be those customers who are going to call and going to yell at us because we are closed. We usually want to yell YOU KNOW THIS and NO IT IS NOT MY FAULT YOU MIS ORDERED OR DID NOT ORDER but we are not allowed so now we just rant at each other and smile and remember at the end of this will be 2 whole weeks where the whole company is off, no phone calls, no emails, no failing behind, just 2 weeks of work free fun

[Granger]

OP I feel your pain. I have never worked in retail. I love Christmas time and want to enjoy it...the mall and stores ARE NOT the place to do that. This is why all my Christmas shopping is done...I don't want to be around those people either.

Tonight we did bedtime stories around our tree. All the other lights were off. My girls won't remember the gifts I got them 10 years from now. They will remember tree snuggles.

I don't think you are a scrooge, I think you are a purist.

[amommy]

On Saturday I knew it was the first of December as I walked out of the store .... everyone was honking their horns in the parking lot.

I work in retail and yes sometimes it can be very frustrating dealing with customers. Somethings I have come accross:

Customer all shouty and waving arms around "Hey don't you think you can get more registers open!!!???" .... "Ummm sir .... they are all open."

I've had customers ask me to call other locations to find an item they are looking for and get pissed at me when I can't make the other store answer their phone.

Its crazy when customers think its alright to yell at you. I've seen grown men yelling at little teenagers and belittling them untill they make them cry. WTF is wrong with you? Or they demand to know your last name ... I don't think so.

Today was really good as I went to the little coffee place in our mall to grab a coffee on my break. There was this lady ahead of me and she was kinda just looking at me (I later realize I left my name tag on so she knew I worked in the mall and figured I was on a break.) She said I could go ahead of her in line so I didn't have to waste my break time waiting. I thanked her but said it was okay, but she offered again so I went ahead as I didn't want to make a big issue out of it. I thanked her again. She started to chat me up saying how she appercaited the hard word we do at our store and wanted me to enjoy as much of my break as I can relaxing. She even talked to me about her kids haha. Very nice lady.

There are regular customers who come into the store and even make it a point to come find you and say hello and sometimes chat for a bit. LOVE LOVE LOVE these customers.

[kokobear666]

I gotcha there. Retail, even though I've only worked for 2 years has made me lose all hope and trust in humanity most days.

Just remember, it's a job. You go, do your job, come home and just let it go. Tomorrow's a new day. Also, I know this part's hard, but don't go to work with the expectation that the day's gunna suck. This puts you in a bad mood before you even get there. Give each day a chance, they might even surprise you.

[barginb]

How many sleeps? Hope you have a fab vacation!!!!

[Midnightly]

I've always said .. The crazies come out at Christmas time.... Its almost like people save it up all year then let it all fly