The 8 unexpected joys of working on Christmas Day include a peaceful drive & giving back to the community, poll finds

THE EIGHT unexpected joys of working on Christmas Day have been revealed and they are not all about the money.

A poll of 1,000 adults who have worked a shift on December 25 saw a lack of pressure to have a “perfect” day and avoiding long distance travel to see relatives ranked high on the list.

Meanwhile, 27 per cent of festive workers value not having to worry about cooking Dinner, while 19 per cent love escaping the mountain of washing up afterwards.

Others cherish the peace and quiet of traffic-free roads on their morning commute (37 per cent) and having a space from tricky family dynamics (15 per cent).

For 37 per cent, the biggest draw is making Christmas special for someone else, while a quarter enjoy giving back to their local community.

Among healthcare staff, 45 per cent said they cherish helping making the day meaningful for patients who cannot be with their families.

The research was commissioned by pub chain , whose Big Christmas Shift scheme is offering 30,000 free meals to Christmas Day workers between December 2 and December 5.

Carried out by OnePoll, the study found the typical festive worker is now on their fourth Christmas shift in a row, with 21 per cent having worked 10 or more during their career.

Official data from the Office for National Statistics showed 1.2million worked on Christmas Day last year, up from 1.1million in 2018.

Key moments for medical and care staff included comforting someone struggling and helping those who would otherwise spend the day alone.

Others have helped people take part in the festive tradition (16 per cent) or connect with loved ones (20 per cent).

Among all workers polled, 30 per cent said their highlight was watching someone’s mood improve because of their help, while 27 per cent loved receiving an unexpected thank you.

Many have even received a card, a gift or festive treats on the day.

To make their shifts work, 79 per cent tweak their own traditions, with some moving their family celebrations before (25 per cent) or after (8 per cent) December 25.

Others simply move key moments to different times; including their roast dinner (45 per cent), seeing extended family (37 per cent), opening presents (31 per cent) or taking a festive walk (18 per cent).

Andrew Gallagher, from Greene King, said: “Behind so many special moments that the rest of us enjoy, there are people giving up time with their loved ones to make Christmas special for somebody else.

“Offering 30,000 free meals is our way of saying thank you to every person behind the scenes and giving them a chance to enjoy some well-earned festive of their own.”