# What in Christ's Name are you doing here? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 25, 2000, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-christs-name-are-you-doing-here/47165 "2000-12-25T07:54:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2000, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-christs-name-are-you-doing-here/47165/101 "2000-12-28T00:38:51Z")
> [@](#): > > My church doesn’t have a choir, or even an organ. The (recently retired) bishop of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Van Nuys, which includes most of the Western third of the United States, banned choirs and organs, because he felt, and I agree, that if you have such musical niceties, the congregation will just sit back and listen, rather than participate in the liturgy (which is chanted, or, if you will, sung from beginning to end, with the exception of the communion prayer.) > > So much for going to church to be entertained. Well, in that case, rather than backtrack and spin and otherwise try to justify my conclusion, I’ll just stand corrected, and apologize for posting unwarranted assumptions. What is it that makes Christmas Eve Vespers a BIG CELEBRATION, as distinguished from any other service? ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2000, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-christs-name-are-you-doing-here/47165/102 "2000-12-28T00:49:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pldennison \* > I would. I wouldn’t watch the Super Bowl even if “The Sound of Music” was on every other channel. 😕 Where did I write that I would _watch_ the Super Bowl? I said I would not _begrudge_ others their enjoyment of it, _even if it meant that they take a day off to do it._ > [@](#): > > Stores are closed all the time. I have a big problem with people who would **require them to be closed so they can do something religious**. One thing grownups learn is that the world does not bend to one’s will. I am not talking about “require”, I am talking about employers _having a heart_ and realizing that many of their employees want to have a “special” day with family. This may or may not be religious in nature. I know many atheists who celebrate Christmas. It’s a fun, “special” day. I am all for more people having the opportunity to celebrate “special” days, whether it be Christmas, or Super Bowl. But the trend is that more and more “special” days are becoming days that working schlubs are _expected_ to work. It wasn’t always this way. I think this new trend is a shame. That is the essence of my rant. > [@](#): > > Every day you spend with your family should be special. Holidays are extra days when I am not at work. That’s it. Well, bully for you. But not everyone shares your attitude. Super Bowl is just another day for me, but I actually do recognize that _many_ people enjoy it. And, softie that I am, I do not begrudge them that. I’m funny that way, I like to see people enjoy these things. And, in fact, I wouldn’t begrudge them a day off to enjoy it. I guess you would? OK. > [@](#): > > Because they would require the entire world to change to make it possible for them not to miss it. I don’t know who “they” are, but that is not my desire. And where does “the whole world” come into this? As I have said before, if an employer can gather together enough employees to work a holiday, that’s fabulous. But when an obvious majority of the staff is unhappy to work that single day, it seems hard-hearted to expect them to, when most everyone around them is getting the day off. > [@](#): > > They are engaging in a passive-aggressive attempt to control others’ behavior. Look at how many times Guinastasia and Thea have told complete strangers what they **should** be doing on Dec. 25. Arabs **should** be fasting. People **should** be with their families. Not me, I don’t care what people do. I have no illusions that I can change anyone’s behavior. All I would like is that people “have a heart” and appreciate that a few scant days a year are “special” days to _many other people_, even if you don’t give a damn about them. Just because YOU don’t give a shit, don’t rain on their parade. > [@](#): > > If people choose not to get out of that rut, it is **their choice**. I could’ve worked in retail forever, or low-paying radio jobs, but I chose to complete college and not do that. I don’t have any compassion for people who choose not to better themselves. I have compassion for people who are victims of circumstance. (Which Guinastasia arguably is, but Thea clearly is not.) So what about the vicitms of circumstance? They get screwed over in these dead-end jobs, just like the people who _“choose”_ to be stuck in dead-end jobs. How do you decide which is which? Do you know their life stories? Their background? Their cultural upbringing? > [@](#): > > How is requiring your employees to work on days when the business is open “screwing them over”? I mean, honestly. It’s not a major “screwing over”, but yeah, it’s showing no humanity. By “humanity”, I mean recognizing that these drone workers have LIVES, and maybe they want to spend a holiday with their family once in a while. It wouldn’t even have to be a _paid_ holiday (God Forbid I wish for that) but just the option of taking a very special holiday. > [@](#): > > Um, that’s a sentence fragment, Oh my gosh. How terrible. Well, what do you expect from a stupid working drone? (Well, I don’t work retail anymore…but I’ll always be a drone at heart! :D) How gracious and tactful of you to bring that up. > [@](#): > > but you’ll notice then when I do dine out on or near the holidays, as I mentioned, **I tip over a hundred fucking percent**. The rest of the year, I tip between 20-25%. So if you want to continue with stupid, groundless accusations, be my guest. 😕 What? When did I make personal accusations towards **you**? I was talking about employers, mostly, and the apathetic people who don’t see any reason to change the crappy way things are, and the current trends that are developing. I am sure the people who you tip so generously appreciate it, and I think it is a wonderful thing for you to do. > [@](#): > > I wasn’t “fortunate.” “Fortunate” implies that fate smiled upon you and rescued you. Fuck that weak-ass crap. I worked my **ass** off to finish college, my wife supporting both of us while I did, incurring a student loan debt load that would curl your hair. Fortune had **absolutely nothing** to do with it. It was good old-fashioned hard work. So do I have sympathy for people who aren’t willing to engage in the same work? Hell, no. And you are able to divine, just from looking at all these faceless drones who work all these dead-end jobs, which ones didn’t _work hard enough_ to get out of whatever rut? So you are able to determine which ones deserve no better, and are there because of their own laziness? So screw 'em? > [@](#): > > I sincerely hope that when Guinastasia finishes, she is able to find a better job, if for no other reason than it might be enlightening for her to see things from the perspective of the owner or decision-maker. I’ve been in her shoes; she hasn’t been in the owner’s. It’s really easy to say, “Well, if I owned the business, I’d do this, that and the other.” It’s different to actually need to make those decisions. I am sure you were a better boss than some of the ones I’ve worked for. Though - with some of the attitude you display here, maybe I shouldn’t be so sure. However - I am willing to believe that you have been a good boss/owner. But, there is an issue of bad morale. When a boss gets to have all the perks of days off, while they take away more and more of the few holidays the workers used to be able to count on, it cannot be a good thing for morale. But, oh well. Who cares? They deserve to have their crappy jobs, they didn’t work hard enough to do better. So screw 'em. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Asbestos_Mango)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2000, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-christs-name-are-you-doing-here/47165/103 "2000-12-28T01:00:42Z")
kylesdad88- OK, the difference is, Christmas Day, liturgy is basically the same as your average Sunday Liturgy, only with some of the usual hymns and prayers replaced by ones specifically honoring the Birth of Christ. Christmas Eve (I confess, this does have entertainment value), there is a HUGE procession, with the kids dressed as angels and shepherds, etc. (the three kings didn’t actually show until Theophany, I think…), liturgy is longer and noisier and generally more festive. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Asbestos_Mango)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2000, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-christs-name-are-you-doing-here/47165/104 "2000-12-28T01:05:35Z")
1. Sorry, I’m trying to post and get ready for work at he same time. I’m actually looking forward to work this week. Place should be packed, and, Christmas aside, I enjoy the job more when it’s mind-crushingly busy. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Asbestos_Mango)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2000, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-christs-name-are-you-doing-here/47165/105 "2000-12-28T01:09:58Z")
kaylasdad. I’m a mess. Wait a minute. Kayla has 98 other dads??? How does that happen? ---
**Author:** ![Palm\_Cove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bcef8e/32.png) [@Palm\_Cove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palm_Cove)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2000, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-christs-name-are-you-doing-here/47165/106 "2000-12-28T01:10:13Z")
Thea, Are not Casinos tools of the devil? You act all year as an agent of the devil, then complain that you can’t go worship god? Maybee it is your gods way of punishing you for your evil work. Perhaps you have sinned too well to be welcome in his house? I am not religous but I do see some irony in a “christian” working a casino, grumbling about greed in others. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2000, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-christs-name-are-you-doing-here/47165/107 "2000-12-28T01:26:33Z")
Bzzzt. Please try to stay on topic. From the [Catechism of the Catholic Church](http://www.christusrex.org/www1/CDHN/ccc.html) 2413 Games of chance (card games, etc.) or wagers are not in themselves contrary to justice. They become morally unacceptable when they deprive someone of what is necessary to provide for his needs and those of others. The passion for gambling risks becoming an enslavement. Unfair wagers and cheating at games constitute grave matter, unless the damage inflicted is so slight that the one who suffers it cannot reasonably consider it significant. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2000, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-christs-name-are-you-doing-here/47165/108 "2000-12-28T01:44:08Z")
[hijack] Robin, > [@](#): > > Finally, I would like to know on what you base your assertion that Jews have fewer options for services? We have just as many options for services as anyone else. Don’t get too upset at Thea here. If I recall correctly, she is a Byzantine Rite Catholic, which means she can attend services of either her Rite or the Latin Rite ( Roman Catholic to most people). It is not uncommon for a single well-staffed Latin Rite parish to have as many as six or seven Masses between Sat evening and Sunday evening (all of which count for the Sunday obligation). I live in a fairly Catholic part of NYC where parishes are close together and I can easily attend any of three Saturday evening Masses, at least six on Sunday morning and three more Sunday evening for a total of twelve ( all at different times- I left out the simultaneous ones) . It’s not so much that Jews have fewer options, it’s more that Catholics have more options than any other religion I know of. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Asbestos_Mango)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2000, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-christs-name-are-you-doing-here/47165/109 "2000-12-28T01:57:16Z")
Thanks, manhattan and doreen. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2000, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-christs-name-are-you-doing-here/47165/110 "2000-12-28T02:22:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by doreen \* > \*\*[hijack] > Robin, > > > [@](#): > > > > Finally, I would like to know on what you base your assertion that Jews have fewer options for services? We have just as many options for services as anyone else. > > Don’t get too upset at Thea here. If I recall correctly, she is a Byzantine Rite Catholic, which means she can attend services of either her Rite or the Latin Rite ( Roman Catholic to most people). It is not uncommon for a single well-staffed Latin Rite parish to have as many as six or seven Masses between Sat evening and Sunday evening (all of which count for the Sunday obligation). I live in a fairly Catholic part of NYC where parishes are close together and I can easily attend any of three Saturday evening Masses, at least six on Sunday morning and three more Sunday evening for a total of twelve ( all at different times- I left out the simultaneous ones) . It’s not so much that Jews have fewer options, it’s more that Catholics have more options than any other religion I know of. > > \*\* I have the same options. I can go to Reform, Conservative or Orthodox services. The one exception is High Holiday services, but even then, I can still find a synagogue or somewhere I can attend, even if it’s a college Hillel group. Robin ---
**Author:** ![kevja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@kevja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevja)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2000, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-christs-name-are-you-doing-here/47165/111 "2000-12-28T02:35:45Z")
Casnio worker turns into Christmas Judge Judy. People can celebrate Christmas or any other holiday anyway they want. If you’re so bothered, get another job. Then you’ve got it all covered. You can celebrate Christmas anyway you want, and you won’t have to look at the people who are not celebrating correctly. ---
**Author:** ![Nacho4Sara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Nacho4Sara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nacho4Sara)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2000, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-christs-name-are-you-doing-here/47165/112 "2000-12-28T04:20:25Z")
> [@](#): > > Now, to make your situation more similar to someone in retail (and other service industries), imagine that you also never get both Saturday and Sunday {if you get either)except when you’re on vacation, never get a three day weekend, almost never get any holiday off and don’t get home from work until 11 pm a couple of days a week. You can make plans to go away for the weekend closest to your anniversary.They can’t.You presumably can at least go out to dinner on your anniversary. They may not be able to.If you wanted to throw yourself an anniversary party (closer to the situation at Christmas,although not exactly the same), you would probably have it Friday or Saturday night,even if your anniversary was Wednesday, because that would be when most of your guests were off. This whole thread is really fucking overdramatic. I have worked four retail jobs in the past five years. All of those jobs gave me Thankgiving and Christmas off. That’s it. In the past five years, I have worked **every** Black Friday, **every** Christmas Eve, **every** December 26th (pure retail hell), **every** New Year’e Eve, **every** New Year’s Day, **every** Easter, **every** Memorial Day, **every** Fourth of July, and **every** Labor Day. I am not exaggerating - I have not had one of those days to myself EVER. I worked this Christmas Eve 9-5:30. I’m at work at 6:00 am January 1st. Am I complaining? NO, because I need the money. I need the overtime. Honestly, I volunteered to be in at 6am New Year’s Day, because I will make double time-and-a-half. When my birthday comes around, I request off; same with other important holidays. Like Phil said, that’s the adult thing to do. Come on people, it’s the nature of retail. Most people have off, so I work. I am putting myself through college and need the money, so I work when I can. And I understand that people need and want to shop on their days off, so I’m at work. I don’t see what’s so hard about it. And I seriously question the concept that retail employees will **never** have a long weekend, or can **never** request a Saturday off, or can **never** take a sick day. None of my jobs were that strict. The job I have now has a rotating schedule so everyone gets at least one weekend off a month. I can schedule personal days (with pay) or days off (without pay) as long as the schedule is not yet made. If it is, I can switch with someone. I work 40-50 hour weeks (and have since June) and can find no reason to complain about my schedule. If I have the foresight to request off, I do; if not, I make an effort to switch; when push comes to shove, I call out. I did the 9-5 rigamarole, currently I’m working way too may 1-9:30 shifts, sometimes I’m late one day, early the next. It’s what I do; it’s what they pay me for. :rolleyes: Judging from my varied experiance (I worked at a restaurant, a clothing store, a used record store, and now I work at a home furnishings store), I seriously question the melodramatic assertation that you HAVE to work every day, that you are being dragged kicking and screaming to work by the evil boss while your daughter cries, “Mommy! Wait!” because it’s her tenth birthday and you couldn’t get off. Guinistasia - I understand. I really do. We’re in the same boat. I was treated like shit five times over on Christmas Eve - I almost got written up because I called a very rude customer a “misogynistic prick” under my breath and he heard. But I don’t have a choice, so I deal with it. As for the actual OP - yeah right. Get your head out of your ass. Everyone has to observe **your** religious holidays exactly the way **you** want so **you** can go to church. Sure thing. BTW, the Orthodox Jews called and they’re really upset that you aren’t open December 25th. So did the atheists, the Muslims, the Pagans, the Wiccans, and those that worship ancestral African deities. They’re pissed about that whole Easter thing too. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2000, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-christs-name-are-you-doing-here/47165/113 "2000-12-28T04:52:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nacho4Sara \* > I am not exaggerating - I have not had one of those days to myself EVER. I worked this Christmas Eve 9-5:30. I’m at work at 6:00 am January 1st. When I worked retail, I don’t believe I had any of these days off either. I cannot speak for everyone, but I am specifically (at least part of the time) talking about _Christmas_ - not every holiday of the year. And you admit that you get Christmas and Thanksgiving off, right? Well, Thea didn’t get Christmas off, and it looks like more and more people are no longer going to be able to count on having this holiday off. > [@](#): > > When my birthday comes around, I request off; same with other important holidays. Like Phil said, that’s the adult thing to do. Asking for the day off is the right route to take - the problem is, it doesn’t always work. Especially not when everyone else wants the same day off as well. > [@](#): > > And I seriously question the concept that retail employees will **never** have a long weekend, or can **never** request a Saturday off, or can **never** take a sick day. Not all retail hell is created equal. I’ve already related my experience with having Sundays off. Calling in sick was a bitch at my old retail job as well. My supervisor cracked a fit when I wanted to stay home with my disabled sister, _the day of the Northridge Earthquake._ (I stayed home anyway.) Once when I was sick at work and wanted to go home, I was told to suck it up, and take more aspirin. Oh, I did manage to call in sick once in a while, but never without a lot of grief. > [@](#): > > None of my jobs were that strict. The job I have now has a rotating schedule so everyone gets at least one weekend off a month. I can schedule personal days (with pay) or days off (without pay) as long as the schedule is not yet made. It’s true, there were other times when I could actually get some time off. It all depended on how busy the schedule was. But the point is, on certain very popular holidays (like Christmas) many retail/dead-end jobs will not let their employees off. And it wasn’t always this way. > [@](#): > > Judging from my varied experiance (I worked at a restaurant, a clothing store, a used record store, and now I work at a home furnishings store), I seriously question the melodramatic assertation that you HAVE to work every day, that you are being dragged kicking and screaming to work by the evil boss while your daughter cries, “Mommy! Wait!” because it’s her tenth birthday and you couldn’t get off. Once again, we’re not talking about getting off on some random day that (perhaps) no one else wants off. We are talking about a very popular holiday that a lot of people usually don’t work, and a lot of people want off. And, as far as the “melodramatic assertion” that some bosses are evil enough to expect you to leave your family during important times, read my reference above about the Northridge quake. Stuff like that does happen. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2000, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-christs-name-are-you-doing-here/47165/114 "2000-12-28T05:21:45Z")
originally posted by Doreen > [@](#): > > Now, to make your situation more similar to someone in retail (and other service industries), imagine that you also never get both Saturday and Sunday {if you get either)except when you’re on vacation, never get a three day weekend, almost never get any holiday off and don’t get home from work until 11 pm a couple of days a week. You can make plans to go away for the weekend closest to your anniversary.They can’t.You presumably can at least go out to dinner on your anniversary. They may not be able to.If you wanted to throw yourself an anniversary party (closer to the situation at Christmas,although not exactly the same), you would probably have it Friday or Saturday night,even if your anniversary was Wednesday, because that would be when most of your guests were off. originally posted by Nacho4Sara [quote] And I seriously question the concept that retail employees will never have a long weekend, or can never request a Saturday off, or can never take a sick day. None of my jobs were that strict [quote/] The only thing I said was never have a three-day weekend,and perhaps I should have specified three day holiday weekend. I didn’t say never have Saturday off, I said never get both Sat and Sun off unless you’re on vacation. You say every employee at your job gets one weekend off a month.That’s great.I would imagine to make up for it you probably end up working both Sat and Sun sometimes. It’s also not the norm.And I never said anything about not being able to take sick days. > [@](#): > > I can schedule personal days (with pay) or days off (without pay) as long as the schedule is not yet made. If it is, I can switch with someone. I work 40-50 hour weeks (and have since June) and can find no reason to complain about my schedule. If I have the foresight to request off, I do; if not, I make an effort to switch; when push comes to shove, I call out. You can indeed do all those things _except_ when too many people want off to give them all the day off ( and remember, we’re talking about employers, who unlike yours don’t give Thanksgiving and Christmas off-two days when a lot of people would request off) and still have the store staffed.If you need 10 employees and only 2 want to work, people are going to be scheduled who doesn’t want to be and they won’t have anyone to switch with. Look, my post wasn’t really a “retail sucks” post, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable for those whose employers are open on Christmas and Thankgiving to wish that things were otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2000, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-christs-name-are-you-doing-here/47165/115 "2000-12-28T14:25:10Z")
I see what part of the problem is. Guinastasia thinks (typical of many Dopers) that because I do no not agree, I do not understand. yosemitebabe thinks that I am the boss/owner, which I am not. I guess if people are going to stubbornly refuse to read what I write rather than what they think I wrote, I’m done. BTW, just because I work in an office at a desk, have regular 8:30-5:30 hours, and get holidays off doesn’t meaning I’m not a “working shlub.” **Poly** , nothing wrong in general with what you say. My point throughout the thread is that some businesses are going to stay open on the holidays as they have every right to, and that means some employees who would rather be elsewhere are going to have to be at work sometimes, and that’s life. I would much rather be off on July 20 every year to celebrate my anniversary, but as long as I work for this company, I never will be. That’s life. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2000, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-christs-name-are-you-doing-here/47165/116 "2000-12-28T14:30:45Z")
Hehehe…has no one heard that the Catholics LOVE to gamble? I just wish our former pastor was better at it. (He stole millions from the Parish for himself…ever hear of Walter Benz? Jackass). But seriously, we have raffles, Bingo Night, casino night, etc etc… ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2000, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-christs-name-are-you-doing-here/47165/117 "2000-12-28T14:35:35Z")
And you continually think I try to tell people how they should spend their holiday. I’m not-I’m just saying it’s not going to kill anyone to not shop one day. (And yes, you’ll say it won’t kill me to work-but I think missing Xmas would be more of a bummer to than to miss shopping.) ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2000, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-christs-name-are-you-doing-here/47165/118 "2000-12-28T14:50:48Z")
Oh, BTW, **yosemitebabe** , if the World Series is _really important_ to me and millions of other Americans, should businesses close or drastically readjust their schedules for 4-7 nights to accommodate me? How about if the playoffs are equally important? That’s as many as 19 days, total. More, if I follow a team in both leagues and the games aren’t all on the same days. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2000, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-christs-name-are-you-doing-here/47165/119 "2000-12-28T15:31:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yosemitebabe \* > > I can’t speak for Thea, but all I want is for people who don’t give a damn about the holiday to be mindful that many of us DO give a damn. It isn’t just another long weekend, a weekend that we’d like to blow with having fun. It’s an _important_ and **special** day. And if that means that stores are a little more sparsely manned, and some places aren’t open, well, it is just once a year. Other peoples’ lives are important to them, and on this ONCE A YEAR thing, they want to spend it at home with their families. Not working at a job, making sure you have fresh citrus. Sorry, **babe** , but you’re gonna have to look elsewhere than me to find someone who is willing to inconvenience himself in the slightest to encourage your practice of a belief system I strongly disagree with. I will not interefere with your practicing it, but neither will I subsidize it. Want x-mas off? Get another job. Take some responsibility for your own choices instead of whining about others’ lack of understanding and support for your personal choices. As was stated very well above, your employer is in the business to make money, not to support his employees’ religious preferences. You can pick any day of the year to get together with your family. You could choose to have your family celebration the week before or after Christmas. Surely you don’t believe anything actually happened on Dec 25 2000 years ago, do you? Hey, as long as you have decided to believe in some mythical mystical bullshit, its a short hop over to Eastern Orthodoxy. You probably won’t have too much competition for taking off the orthodox x-mas! ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2000, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-christs-name-are-you-doing-here/47165/120 "2000-12-28T15:40:43Z")
Gee, dinsdale, tell us how you REALLY feel… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-christs-name-are-you-doing-here/47165.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-christs-name-are-you-doing-here/47165.md?page=7)