Tag Archives: working christmas

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A Shift Working Christmas: How To Make The Most Of It!

Doctors ChristmasIf you are one of the ‘lucky ones’ rostered to work Christmas day this year then it can be pretty tough, particularly for those with young families, as everyone wants to witness the unwrapping frenzy of all of those goodies left under the tree by Santa the night before.

But remember Christmas day is what you make of it – it really is.

Whilst you may not be home for Christmas, spending time with others is not really a bad thing.  In fact for some, Christmas can be a lonely time and coming into work can actually be a good distraction.

I for one enjoyed spending many years with my “Airline Family” on Christmas day – it just comes with the territory when you sign up to work irregular hours.

But is it really the end of the world? Are you really missing out on all of the fun and festivities of Christmas day?

Not a chance!  Because the day is what you make of it.

If you bring your Christmas spirit into work (along with some of those naughty Christmas treats to share) – you can actually have lots of fun joking around with your work mates. After all, when everyone is in the same boat there’s no point whining and complaining about it!

In fact sometimes being a shift worker is a really good thing because you can arrive at a Christmas function after work, and just sit down and eat. You didn’t have to spend all of the morning cooking and preparing everything because you were quite literally – at work.  If you don’t like cooking (but you love eating) – then this is a huge bonus!

So if you’re working Christmas day this year, try and bring a bit of Christmas spirit into work.

The holiday season is all about catching up with friends, family and loved ones, but when you work 24/7 there are going to be times when you will have to be at work, so you may as well make the most of it.

Just grab a Santa hat, eat lots of cake and you’ll be getting into the spirit of Christmas in next to no time.

P.S. – And remember, the diet can start next week!

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Are You Suffering From Post Christmas Bulge?

Now I don’t know about you, but having just finished celebrating ‘Christmas Lunch Number 3’ – I’m starting to feel the affects of having a post Christmas bulge!

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Why did I have 3 Christmas lunches you ask? Well as a shift worker I had to work on Christmas day, as did my hubby (and on opposite shifts might I add) – so we celebrated the day a week before, the day after and 4 days later with friends and family.

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A bit disjointed I know but hey – we got to enjoy an entire week full of Christmas festivities!

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So as you are slowly clearing out your fridge of left overs, and more than likely stocking up again for New Year’s celebrations, I thought now might be an appropriate time to give you some tips to help you beat the Post-Christmas bulge.

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1. Drink more water – As we tend to drink larger quantities of alcohol and soft drinks this time of year, make an effort to drink more water by having a glass of water inbetween the other drinks. Not only will the added water fill you up and stop you from eating so much, but it’s also going to keep you hydrated which in turn will help boost your energy levels.

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2. Have a juice or a smoothie instead of a full meal – Give your stomach a break by having a fresh juice or smoothie as a meal once a day. This smoothie that I had today had banana, mango and home grown organic passionfruit courtesy of a friend from work and it was scrumptious! Juices and smoothies are great because they are easy to digest and your body can absorb the nutrients from the food so much more easily.
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So don’t feel guilty about how much food and ‘alcoholic beverages’ that you’re enjoying over the Christmas and New Year period.
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You can still enjoy the festive season and eat and drink all that naughty stuff that we’re not supposed too, but just incorporate these 2 tips over the holidays and you’ll be feeling a lot less bloated and a lot more energized so that you can really make the most of the festive season!
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Happy New Year!
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How Bright Lights and Dancing Penguins Reminded Me It’s Christmas

It was 2 days before Christmas and I was relaxing on my comfy lounge when my sister rang to ask if I wanted to come for a drive to see some of the Christmas lights around the neighbourhood. As a shift worker, we can sometimes forget it’s actually Christmas because more often than not – we are working throughout the festive season.

But that being said, I jumped in the car with two other friends and noticed that my sister had constructed a well thought out plan. She had printed out all of the winning entries in the annual Christmas Lights Competition and with a map of the streets in one hand, we headed off in hot pursuit to find these prize winning lights.

As we approached the street which had won ‘The Best Street in the Neighbourhood Category’ there were cars, people and children everywhere. I imagine that this is how Halloween must feel if you live in the United States. (We don’t really celebrate it here in Australia).

As we could only get so close in the car, my sister cleverly found a car park and we began our walk towards this normally quiet suburban street to see what all the fuss was about. As we approached the corner and turned to walk up the path (whilst trying to avoid tripping over any children and pets in tow), we were gob smacked. Quite literally the entire street was lit up as if there was a shining light directly above us.

The attention to detail and creativity was truly eye opening.

From the bright lights to the dancing penguins it certainly stimulated all of our senses – sight, sound and even smell (the aroma of the Aussie BBQ filled the air). There was even a couple of ‘stand in’ Santa Clauses wandering up the street – sure to confuse the child that just saw him 5 minutes earlier in front of another house.

But as were walked slowly up the street you could hear the giggles and laughter from the children and watching their faces light up as they watched all of the displays was truly priceless.

Now as shift workers we can sometimes forget its Christmas. As many of us work during this holiday season, Christmas day can sometimes feel like ‘just another day’.

But our journey across the neighbourhood last night to see the bright lights and dancing penguins certainly reminded me that it is indeed Christmas, and to be thankful and grateful for everything that I have in my life. From my friends and family, to the wonderful home that I now live in, and for our pet cat ‘Misty’ who is stretched out on the front deck watching me as I write this – I feel truly abundant and grateful to be alive.

So as a shift worker even though you might be working this Christmas, be grateful for everyone and everything that is in your life right now – and don’t forget to eat, drink and be merry!!

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Have a wonderful and safe Christmas as we head towards an exciting and fun-filled year in 2010!