Observations from behind the counter – Working Christmas

I work at a store that is open every day of the year. Which means, unless it falls on a regularly scheduled day off, I work every holiday. Thanksgiving and Christmas are especially busy. And Christmas Eve and Day, when almost everyone else is closed, is crazy. What follows are just a few observations about working on Christmas.

I confess, for some reason, I had a hard time this year getting into the Christmas spirit. And the week leading up to Christmas day was terrible. People were out all night long. The crowds and busyness and rush-rush just suck the spirit of the season right out of you. I can’t imagine working in a retail store or restaurant that is non-stop busy. I’m sure you have heard the saying, Working with the public wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the public. I will Amen that.

Saturday night, Christmas Eve, about 12:10 am. A woman is in the store on the phone, wandering around looking for something. Finally, she asks me, “Do you sell wine?” I tell her we do but I can’t sell it to her now. She asks why and I tell her it is after midnight. (In South Carolina you can buy beer 24 hours a day except between midnight Saturday night and 7 am Monday.) She murmurs, “South Carolina!” Then she comes to the register and once again mutters, “South Carolina! Why is everything closed on Christmas here?” (For the record, I’m glad nearly everyone closes on Christmas.) I tell her, “Everywhere I’ve lived as an adult, everybody always closes on Christmas. Where are you from?” “D.C.” And I gathered they aren’t so backward up there. But you know what, I’m pretty sure she got off for Christmas and would be mighty upset if she had to work Christmas Eve and Day. She just wants stuff available for her. Which led me to this conclusion:

People in America are more concerned about convenience than they are motivated by conviction.

Which ties in to another observation:

America is a consumer culture, not a contemplative one.

There was a mild uproar over some stores opening on Thanksgiving night for the Black Friday sales. Yet every store open was packed out. I had people wandering around Christmas night waiting for Wal-Mart to open back up at 5 am! Kohl’s (an area department store) ran a big TV ad announcing they were opening at 5 am on the 26th. And I bet there were people there at 5 am, too. If a store will open people will shop. Americans are consumer mad, they just have to get out and buy something. I had people all night just coming in to buy chips or soft drinks or candy or cigarettes or to get $5 worth of gas. Just to get out of the house and buy something. I told a police officer last night, “If every store in Rock Hill would close for 2 days, we would have riots!” In fact, I have finally figured out why there was such a mad rush West in early America – stores were not open long enough back East!

So many people live day to day, they could not plan ahead for two whole days. I’m sure of it. They get enough gas or beer or tobacco for right now. And plan to do the same thing tomorrow. I know, I see a lot of people every single day, getting the same thing each time. There are people who come in 2,3,4 times a night and buy one can of beer each time! I have a guy who comes in every week day morning and buys one 35¢ pack of gum. And he brings exactly 35¢ each time!

One of the biggest fears in America is to have “nothing to do.” People are so stimulated these days they don’t know what to do with themselves. Contemplate? I’ll tell what I’m thinking about, Where can I go? What can I do? and Who sells what I wanna buy? !!