Are you suffering in this silly season?

Posted by Other_Exercise@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 21 comments

Now that Christmas is over, I’m finding this time of year a bit frustrating. I’m on annual leave right now, which sounds great in theory, but in practice? It’s a bit chaotic. For one, it’s got the NY bank holiday, so I can’t send my kid to nursery then like I normally would. And when I try to take advantage of the time off to do something nice, like treating myself to a lunch out, it’s an absolute nightmare. The other day, I went out, and the restaurant had queues around the door. I couldn’t even find a free table in Wetherspoons, which is unheard of where I live. The roads being empty is nice, but then you try to pop to the supermarket or run errands, and it’s like everyone in the area had the same idea at the same time. It feels like every single place is absolutely heaving - or deserted. This isn’t a rant, just an observation. For me, being out of routine is hard, especially when everyone else seems to be out of routine too. It feels like a weird limbo where you’re off, but so is the rest of the world, and it’s not as relaxing as it should be. Does anyone else feel like this? Is this just “the silly season experience,” or am I not alone in looking forward to the normality of everyday life again?

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21 Comments

Guilty_Hour4451@reddit

My whole house except me has come down with flu so the time id planned to have me time us spent cooking, cleaning and wiping snotty noses lol

Agreeable_Fig_3713@reddit

No. Been loving it. Me and the wee one have been out with my pals and their younger kids or grandkids. My older two are old enough to do what they like with pals. We’ve been visiting folk, been to loads of house parties and get togethers and had a bonfire up the field

S4mb741@reddit

It seems weird to me especially after COVID how many people just seem to have no ability to entertain themselves for a week or so. like don't you have any hobbies or interests or want to spend time with your young children or friends you want to catch up with?

Other_Exercise@reddit (OP)

Because we've already seen them loads on Christmas week :)

DimensionTiny8725@reddit

Oooo nice so this "observation" is really about wanting to finally get back to work?

Yes but much better than being at work, by a country mile....

MrNippyNippy@reddit

You’re not alone. I work IT and we’ve got to maintain on call cover as normal plus a minimum level over coverage during the non-bank holidays. I’m not a massive fan of Christmas (before some plum comments - not religious, family at least 4 hours away, traditionally where I grew up in north west Scotland it’s not a big thing etc etc) and all my friends and family are geographically spread out to be able to do anything meaningful over Hogmanay. I’m bored at work cause nothing is happening - I only took the 4 b/hs partially as it feels like a waste to take any leave and partially cause it allows folk with kids etc to have time off, I was bored last week on the Christmas and Boxing Day as I was on call (15 min response 24hrs a day for a week at a time). I suspect I’ll be bored tomorrow and Thursdays bank hols as the weather is looking shite so won’t be able to go hiking etc. Will be glad to get back to normal.

Life_Put1070@reddit

Enjoy the time while the tide is out, I think.

Pretty much the best option - I’ve been in IT for a very long time and you’d think I’d be better with inactivity but I prefer being busy as the day goes quickly and I feel like I’ve achieved something. Although I’m aware it’s a “first world” type complaint being paid to watch YouTube lol.

Being bored at work is certainly a complaint that doesn't win you many sympathisers, but I get it. I much prefer a day where I can churn through tasks. I'm currently looking to leave a job that I find quite boring, and I have encounted people who just don't get how mind melting a boring job can be.

Drath101@reddit

I work at one of those ridiculously heaving supermarkets where we often get one day for Christmas. Trust me when I assure you it can get alot worse than a load of time off with family for the season

Jlaw118@reddit

I’m self employed and usually between sat at my computer doing admin or being out on the road. It’s been hectic in the run up to Christmas that I’ve pretty much ended up spending the Christmas week glued to a computer screen. I did take Christmas Day itself off but Boxing Day was spent catching up on some accounts, ended up back on the road on Friday, back at my screen all weekend trying to re-build our website due to some essential maintenance that I couldn’t complete during the mad rush. Spent yesterday packing orders, trying to stock check, then out on the road, then on my laptop till bed. Then today trying to juggle screen work, my partners laid up with stomach bug and trying to entertain our nearly 2 year old at the same time. I have achieved a fair bit but also seriously far behind all the same, as I know from January 2nd I’ll be back away from my desk. I’ll get there 😅

DaveBeBad@reddit

Since finishing work on the 20th, we’ve had 3 day trips to the coast. The weather might not be fantastic, but it was fresh air and exercise and didn’t rain on us once - although it was foggy in Scarborough and windy in Blackpool. We get a day out and I’ll start back work on the 2nd refreshed and ready to go.

MysteriousTelephone@reddit

As a single person, it’s been torture. I spent 7 straight days without seeing or speaking to anyone, as all of my friends are doing happy family stuff.

Username_LOLZ@reddit

The last 2-3 days have been boring. I only left the house to go to Asda to get a few bits. We did a fair bit across Christmas so we don't want to go spending a load of money to do something for the sake of doing something and going anywhere near shops would just be a nightmare. I had a full 2 weeks off but the last few days seem like a waste of paid time off.

Scarred_fish@reddit

You're experiencing what I feel like over Christmas. It's just a really drawn out time building up to today! So to answer the question, no, not now, as the festive is finally true kicking off at last!

spectrumero@reddit

Honestly, my days off this time of year are to stay at home and outside of family stuff - do nothing more than play some video games.

filipinafifer@reddit

I definitely feel this, and I know at least one of my friends is as well. I appreciate getting time off but at the same time I hate taking it when I have nothing to do and nowhere to go. I end up being in my own head too much and I don’t think that’s good for me. I’m actually looking forward to starting work again and getting back into my routine.

ChanceStunning8314@reddit

Yeah same here. I have an enforced 2 weeks off as I’m a contractor (and they don’t like paying us to sit around and tidy the desktop up..fair enough..). However it’s not the best time to have a slug of ‘annual leave’. Weather is pants, nowhere open that I’d like to go, everywhere else busy. Oh and we have family staying so I can’t even sit around in my pjs! So am thinking next year I’ll go away for a week somewhere on the coast.

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