8 perks of working Christmas Day as 1.2 million Brits took on festive shift last year

8 perks of working Christmas Day as 1.2 million Brits took on festive shift last year While many people dread working on Christmas Day, a new survey has highlighted several unexpected perks of taking on the festive shift The eight surprising benefits of working on Christmas Day have been revealed. Based on Office for National Statistics data, approximately 1.2 million people worked on Christmas Day in 2025, a slight increase from 1.1 million in 2018. However, it's not entirely gloomy - a recent survey of 1,000 adults who have worked on 25th December reveals several positive elements of taking on the festive shift. In the recent survey, 27% of those working on Christmas Day appreciate avoiding the stress of cooking or tidying up afterwards and the expectation to have a flawless day. Meanwhile, others relish not having to make lengthy journeys to visit relatives - and enjoy the space away from family, and potential squabbles. Yet for 37%, the primary appeal is the opportunity to make Christmas memorable for someone else, while 25% appreciate contributing to their community. For instance, amongst healthcare workers, 45% treasure helping to make the day feel significant for those unable to celebrate it with their loved ones. Conducted through OnePoll, the survey discovered the average festive worker is now on their fourth consecutive Christmas, with 21% having completed 10 or more shifts throughout their career. The research was commissioned by Greene King, whose second annual Big Christmas Shift offers Christmas Day workers a free meal from 2nd to 5th December - they have until 16th November to sign up or to be nominated by loved ones. Amongst all workers surveyed, 30% highlighted how meaningful it was to witness someone's spirits lift as a direct result of their actions, while 27% cherished receiving an unexpected expression of gratitude. Many have even been given a card (28%), a gift (25%) or a tasty token of appreciation (33%) on 25th December. Those on shift on Christmas Day find ways to adapt their own festivities. Some choose to reschedule the entire day so they can spend it fully with their loved ones. Others opt to set aside a handful of cherished traditions, such as sitting down for Christmas dinner (45%), visiting extended family (37%), unwrapping presents (31%), or heading out for a festive stroll (18%). 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. "So, this year, we are giving Santa a little less of the credit and putting the spotlight on Britain's real Christmas shift workers. "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 cheer of their own." THE EIGHT UNEXPECTED PERKS OF WORKING CHRISTMAS: - Quieter roads/commute. - Not having to worry about cooking Christmas dinner. - Having another day off instead. - Less pressure to have the "perfect" Christmas. - Celebrating Christmas on my own terms. - Escaping the Christmas Day clean up. - Not having to travel long distances to see relatives. - Navigating family dynamics.