Walgreen's Should Close on Christmas Day

We live in America, just because your religious beliefs make Christmas
a sacred holiday doesn't mean others have the same beliefs.
Last year I need a last minute gift on Christmas day, so I did a Yahoo
search for stores open on Christmas and found a great site that had a
link to Travel Centers truck stops with a nice retail store open just
on the other side of town. Everyone wins, I was able to improve my
Christmas holiday and the TA made a profit, long live capitalism!

For everyone who thinks that there are enough employees who dont
celebrate christmas to keep the stores open you are wrong. I work for
walgreens and out of the dozens of pharmacy and store employees only
one who didnt mind working. You have all the rest of the days of the
year to plan your shopping why does everyone make it so last minute?
It isnt so much that we are open its that every store is open, I live
in a place where there is 10 stores within 20-30 minutes of each other
and we were all open. Thats at minimum 120 people that do not get to
celebrate the holiday with their families. It isnt about the few that
dont celebrate the holiday it should be about the majority of us who
do. Instead of us all being open why cant there be a few who are. And
those of you who do decide to come in please dont antagonize those of
us who do have to work with your aplogies, they dont make us feel any
better- only much worse!

They don't sell Paczki's and King Cake so they shouldnt be open!

Dear Walgreens.

I was very disappointed to see that Walgreens is open on Superbowl
Sunday. I realize you are in business to make money, but can't there
be one day a year you let all of your employees watch the most
important television event of the year? There are 364 other days a
year for people to shop at Walgreens, must you be open on Superbowl
Sunday too? I was about to stop in for some last minute purchases
yesterday, but when I saw that you are open on Superbown Sunday, I
elected to do my shopping elsewhere. The money you make on Superbowl
Sunday is nothing compared to the regard you would be displaying for
your employees by being closed on Superbowl Sunday.

Next year, I would like Walgreens to close on Superbowl Sunday.

One of the main reasons that drug stores are open on major holidays
is that there are MANY people who need medication no matter what day
it is. Imagine you are a diabetic who looses or breaks their last
bottle of insulin, or you are a mom with a new born who spikes a
fever. You would be so very greatful and thanking your higher power
for having someplace to go to get what you need so you dont end up in
a diabetic coma. Or so you can get through the night with a child that
has an ear infection and only needs to have a bit of relief from the
excruciating pain.
It means a great deal to the community to have a pharmacy open on
those days when most other stores are closed.
I also worked in retail and a store much like this one. My manager
always made sure that we wanted to work that day. Not to mention a ton
of employees are more than happy to work at some point on Christmas or
any other holiday due to the raise in the pay on that day.
So, until you have had a friend with diabetes or little one with a
fever or pain that need their medication NOW, you should not complain
that they are good enough to provide this service to the people who
need it. Someday you may need them to be open on days like this.

What about the shoppers - or employees - who aren't Christian?

Besides... when you really DO need something on Christmas day, it's
nice to find at least one store open.

Why is this letter on the Top 25 again??

I somewhat agree. I think though that there are people who don't
celebrate Christmas who wouldn't mind if they worked on that day or
not. I don't celebrate some holidays so if I worked on those days I
wouldn't mind.

If they close for Christmas they should also close for Hanukah

I work at Walgreens, luckily, i got it off. But i agree with you
completely! People have families and should be able to spend Christmas
day with them, especially when they have little kids!!!

This may have already been asked, but did you also write a letter of
protest to the business that you chose over Walgreens? Because in
order to "do your shopping elsewhere," the selected establishment
would also have to be open on Christmas Day. I just wondered why the
problem was exclusive to Walgreens.

Are you serious? I mean honestly? If you are going to fight of this
one, you might as well fight to have all religious holidays of all
religions honored at every store in America! Guess what? Then no one
would ever be open! Stop being a selfish Christian and respect the
world. Besides, if those people weren't willing to work on Christmas,
they would not seek employment with a company that does not honor that
holiday as a business holiday.

what do you base this on? not everyone celebrates christmas. Not
everyone has a family or likes their family enough to have them
darkening their door. some people like working holidays, because they
make time and a half. i worked every christmas for eight years when i
worked at holiday inn. hotels don't close. the police station
doesn't close, the hospital doesn't... well, lots of places are open
365/24/7. when a person takes the job, they know what they are
getting into. what the heck do you care when walgreens is closed?
there are a lot more important things to be concerned about.

Heck, if they did not want to work holidays, they would have got a
skilled UNION job. Or a government job. However, it is wrong in my
opinion to force employees to work on holidays if the store was closed
on that day a year ago. Myself, I would join a religion that prohibits
me from working on Christmas, and if they forced me, or fired me, I'd
sue for religious discrimination.

Rite-Aid is open on Christmas too. And not everyone celebrates
Christmas, genius.

I am actually a manager for Walgreens and I had worked Christmas Day
and I tend to make the joke of "greed doessn't sleep." We had so many
shoppers in that day that when my store closed at 6 I prectically had
to kick custoemr our of my store cause it was already 6:15. We get so
many thank you's for being open from the last minute shoppers. Oddly
enough is it is actually one of our more busier days of the year, and
not just for last minute shoppers. Some people are just there for
normal everyday things that can be gotten any other day. A lot of
people don't celebrate Christmas Day like I am use to when growing up
as a kid. More people tend to celebrate Christmas Eve out by us.
Some of the employees at my store chose to work Christmas Day cause
they do nothing for it but celebrate Christmas Eve instead. I didn't
really enjoy that I had to work but you would be surprised by the
results.

While it is nice to have Walgreens open for the convienence on
Christmas day, I do not believe that their employees should be forced
to work it. It has been about 5 years, but my aunt used to work there
and if they didn't have enough volunteers (and they never did) than
she was forced to work. That was really disappointing for her kids to
not be able to spend the whole day with thier mom I totally understand
the need for medication is 365 days a year, so why not just have the
drive-thru pharmacies open on Christmas or use the hospital pharmacy?
Chances are if you have an unexpected medical emergency you would be
there anyway.

They may also get some kind of incentive. I worked in a store that
gave us a 50 dollar gift card if we worked on easter, christmas,
thanksgiving etc... Believe it or not alot of people like myself who
live away from their family, dont care about working holidays.

In addition to what everyone else has said, I'm sure Walgreen's lets
its employees know ahead of time that they may be expected to work on
Xmas day.

Well this year my ds woke on Christmas morning at 2am. Screaming in
pain and running a fever. After motrin and finally getting him back to
sleep for a little while we went to the ER poor kid didn't even care
about presents. If it weren't for Walgreens being open my ds would
have had to wait to start the antibotics for his ear infection. This
is the second time we have had to go to Walgreens on Christmas day for
a Rx and I am grateful they were open so we could get him the meds he
needed.

Just like a few years ago before my ds was born I worked in a nursing
home and the residents and families were grateful to us for being
their for their family members even though we were missing time with
our own families.

I think it's wonderful that they are open. I'm one that purposely
doesn't shop stores like Kmart that choose to be open Thanksgiving
Day. But, in this case, you are talking about a pharmacy choosing to
be open. This is something that is quite necessary for some people.
As others have pointed out, trips to the ER and after hours clinics
are inevitable at times. If prescriptions are handed out, where do
you expect people to go to get them filled?

I bet a lot of employees are given a choice of what holiday days to
work. I believe it's illegal to force someone to work on a religious
holiday if they don't want to, isn't it? They probably have many
Jewish or Muslim employees who don't celebrate Christmas.

When my son was 2, he got very ill Christmas eve. We took him to the
E.R. and were given a prescription for an antibiotic. Thank God
Wal-greens was open at 1:00 am Christmas morning!

My, Rachel, aren't you the self-centered one. As has been pointed out
here not everyone celebrates Christmas.This is probably news in your
little Universe.

I used to work for an AllState Drive-In Center that advertised being
open 24/7 365 days a year. I VOLUNTEERED to work Christmas so people
who didn't want to didn't have to and to receive double time pay.

Who the heck are you to dictate when people can and can't work? Mind
your own business.

and I wanted an alien for Christmas.

I would like to say thank You to Walgreens for being open on Christmas
Day. I am a chef and am used to not having any time off during the
holidays. When Christmas Eve night rolled around and I found I was
missing a few odds and ends I was relieved to find just one store
open, as were the other 50 poeople I saw in there with me. Nothing
else in town was open past six, which I didn't get off work until
after then either. I understand why people would be offended by a
store being open on Christmas, but they have to look at the other side
of the coin! What if THEY had an EMERGENCY!? What would THEY do?
Where would THEY go!? I am used to working on every holiday and make
arrangements with my family to celebrate on the days after or
before... as I am sure the people at Walgreens do the same. Or maybe
those people aren't even Christan?! Maybe its just another day to
them? Either way, thank you Walgreens, you helped make my holidays
complete this year!

Candyse

i work at Walgreens. Walgreens publishes a magazine called Walgreens
World for the employees. the last one was focused on why we are open
on Christmas.

1. not everybody celebrates Christmas. to many people, it is just
another day. there were stories about employees expierences about
working on Christmas eve. they expressed how many people actually came
in solely for the company.

2. people get sick and hurt on Christmas just like they do every day.
a father goes out to the shed to grab his little boys new bike, slips
on ice and hurts his back. he goes to the hospital, who prescribes
pain medication. where can he go to get that? Walgreens.

and in my opinion, if we are to close on christmas, why not Hanukkah,
or Kwanaza? they are important holidays to others. we have employees
who celebrate those holidays, why not let them have that time off?

there was a time where nothing was open on Christmas. We have moved
on from that time, and realized that we can't stop life for one
holiday, no matter how important somebody believes it is.

i actually get paid extra for holidays, so im not sure what that
person who was an Assistant Manager was talking about....

typically, the employees who work on holidays, get little perks, like
a brunch, where people bring in food, or if anything is open, they
order out.

I can guarentee you that Walgreens will be open on Christmas day, and
every other holiday next year, and every year the company is around.
and i really dont think that is a bad thing. think about it, if you
need medicine extremely bad, and all the stores are closed, what are
you going to do?

I was pleasantly surprised to see that Walgreen's was open on
Christmas. After all they are a pharmacy and people do get sick, even
on Christmas.
I am a Registered Nurse and I also had to work on Christmas Day,
because people need medical care even on holidays.
In a perfect world we would all be off on all holidays and we would
only get sick Monday through Friday 9am to 5pm.

I wish someone would write a letter to my place of business to get
them to close early today. Because man, am I ever tired of being here.

I think your sentiment is misdirected. Walgreen's exists to make
money, as you said. Obviously, for religious reasons, you don't
believe they should be open on Christmas Day. You do realize that the
Xmas shopping season is when they make the most money, right?
However, you don't seem to have a problem with them being open in the
weeks leading up to Dec 25th mainly for the purpose of exploiting this
particular holiday, in order for them to rake in the sales.

If your main issue is from a religious standpoint, you should be more
concerned with how 12/25 is exploited so much, not only by Walgreens,
but by every retail operation. You should not concern yourself with
people who VOLUNTEER to work on that day.

you know, maybe I should whine to my boss about having to work
Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and here in a few days New Years' Eve and
New Year's Day. Guess what Rachel, even you EXPECT businesses to be
open to SERVE YOU. as an EMT-B I work holidays, I don't get paid
extra- I don't expect it. It is my JOB and I understood that being a
24/7/365 operation it was expected of me. No one forces me to do it
either. I bet you never noticed Walgreen's parking lots are PACKED on
holidays. You would not believe the money the pharmacy makes. Think
about it Rachel. We're busy on holidays too. After you get plastered
from egg nog and vomit all over your red reindeer sweater and we take
you to the hospital, where do you go to get your script for your
Prozac filled on Christmas Day? Please don't hate on them because they
are providing a service to their customers.
Some people actually like working holidays. I sure do.

As a former Walgreen's assistant manager I can say that I agree. The
company doesn't even pay managers extra for working. It is a complete
joke. The only thing I got was a "thank you" phone call from the
district manager. I was not impressed.

When I worked for CVS we got time and a half plus a day of holiday
pay. We were also allowed to order food (usually chinese since
choices were limited) or eat whatever we wanted in the store and the
store paid.

Walgreens is just a horrible company all around. I won't step foot in
one ever again.

I think it's very nice and considerate of you, but many companies have
a sign-up of who works Christmas. My company does. Nobody has to
work that doesn't want to. Plus the double-time pay is a good
incentive.

However, thank you for not being that person who says, "Oh, I'm SO
sorry you have to work today!" while patronizing the business. I
can't STAND those people!

I don't particulary like Walgreens, but in this era someone is going
to be open on one holiday or another whether is Walgreens, 7-11 or the
movies. Not everyone celebrates or even recognizes Christmas as a
holiday. And there are those out there that have no family and/or want
to work or go somewhere for the day espically if they are forced to
take off for a holiday they don't or can't celebrate becuase their
employer closes.

Newsflash--Not everyone keeps Xmas. I sure don't. And it's not up to
you to determine Walgreen's hours of operation. If they don't mind
working December 25, what do you care?

Why are you trying to push your religion off on everyone else? Who
are you to tell businesses when they can or can't be open?

BTW I am a Christian (no, not JW or SDA) and I say please get over
yourself.

Walgreen's is a business and if they choose to stay open it is not
your business why they do.

Walgreen's is open on Christmas and other major Christian holidays
because not everyone celebrates Christmas. What's next, do you want
every business to close on Christmas?

I for one am glad Walgreen's is open on Christmas. There are times
when you need something in a jiffy or forgot something that was needed
in order to make Christmas dinner. Guess what Walgreen's is the only
place open.

I bet you would be complaining that no stores are open on Christmas
when you realize you dont have batteries for a certain toy that you
got for your kid and your kid is screaming his Christmas is ruined
because Santa didnt bring batteries for his toys.

Grown up. Christmas doesn't revolve around your schedule.

We when were driving home from the in laws, we counted 5 (that we
could see) places that were open in our small town. NOT counting the
Hospital or the gas stations that were open. Three that I really
remember were, Walgreen, Shari's Restaurant, and Safeway. There were
also a few little "corner store" places that were open. OH! I
forgot, Blockbuster was open too. And you know what? ALL those places
had a LOT of cars there. Way too many to just be employees. So if
you are going to write to ONE you should write to ALL. Don't pick and
choose.

What next? You want hospitals to be closed on Christmas? What would
happen if someone had a heart attack, car accident, or some other
calamity?

I wish Targetworld were open on Christmas so I can get a gun and shoot
the Grinch who stole Christmas!

By the way you are responding to just about EVERY comment in here, one
may think that you had nothing better to do on Christmas day than to
drive around and see what stores were open. You just happened to make
Walgreen's your store of attack.
I did not see you complaining about the Jewish owned stores being open
on Hannakah, or a black owned business open on Kwanza.

I am sure Walgreen's is not going to miss your business because they
probably made up for it two fold on Christmas anyway.

But I have a feeling we are not done having to read your responses on
each and every comment made in here.

Movie theaters are open on Christmas and I bet you were one that got
bored with your family and went to the movies.

Hey, at least the employees are getting time and a half.

But, you didnt write letters to wawa, 711 and gas stations? Gamestop
is open on easter, why not write them a letter? I just think its weird
that you pick walgreens out of many other stores that were also open
on xmas.

I apologize in advance if I'm rehashing other comments below, but
would the OP feel the same if the store was located in a predominantly
Jewish community? Or Muslim? Or any other non-Christian community?
Should they close down to respect another religon's holy day? Should
Walgreens close for other religious holidays, too, or just for yours?
This nation holds people with many different religions and businesses
owned by those people....should they all close down too?

It's nice when a business closes to allow its employees to share a
holiday with their family, but when they don't it's up to the employee
to request it off or to find a job that does close. Have you ever
seen the number of people at gas stations and convenience stores on
Christmas? Are you writing to them, too? At least this store has
something (medications) that may be the difference between life and
death to someone.

I have not read through all the previous posts, so I apologize if this
has already been said.

I guess by your logic then we should give the day off all the police
and emergency personnel so they can have time with their families,
too. Let's just hope that yoru Uncle Bobby doesn't have a heart
attack while opening his gifts.
I guess that all those nurses that are taking care of your grandmother
while she recovers from her stroke should have the day off, too.
That's not to mention all the people who choose for whatever reason
not to celebrate Christmas. I remember when I worked retail, there
were a few people who either because of religious or personal
preference didn't much care if they worked on Christmas Eve or Easter
Sunday. They made it much easier for those for whom the days with
their families were more important.
That doesn't mean that the people who worked didn't care about their
families. One year my family and I had plans to celebrate Christmas
on 12/26. My dad was a police officer and he had to work on 12/24 and
12/25. I opted to work on 12/24 so my friend could have the day off
to spend with her family who was visiting from out of town.
It's about the time that's spent with your family. Not the day on
which it's spent.

Then I have a suggestion - get yourself on the Board of Directors.
That way you will be able to participate in an intelligent discussion
of the pros and cons, and be part of a vote on the matter.

I was very upset when a local drugstore that was over 50 years old
closed down. The reason is that it was open every day of the year.
You need medicine or medical supplies, you knew exactly where you
could get it.

Employees rotate the days off in retail. And they end up working a
LOT of days they would rather not. Christmas is just one more. I was
on the road this Christmas. Every single establishment was closed
down at 9pm. There was a Sheetz open, and not knowing what I would
find, I went in. Lo and behold they serve hot food to order via an
advanced computer ordering system. I was able to have a dinner of
sorts because employees agreed to work for this company, knowing they
would have to work some holidays. Just a sacrifice people make. If
they don't want to work there, they can go somewhere else.

Just wondering. Because its a MAJOR holiday in terms of sales and
such. My family has been in the floral business for well over 40 years
and not only do we work full time through the week before and after
and the entire day before and of. No one seems to care about us!

I know its not as important and special as Christmas is supposed to
be. I also know its not a national holiday and therefore we dont
qualify for time and a half.

But its an important day to MANY people regardless of age, race,
religion, etc. But my entire family, we get to miss it EVERY SINGLE
YEAR! If we celebrate it its the day after. Sometimes several days
later after we rest up from the insanity. Children born into the
family, spouses that marry into my family, they all have to accept
that Valentine's Day is celebrated on the 15th. Which, by the way, is
my mother's birthday as well. We dont close on Valentine's day
either.

Those who CHOOSE to work in retail understand going in that you are
required to work at least a couple of the holidays every year. I dont
mind working any day of the year except Christmas day. Even in my job
now, working in a group home for disabled people, I dont mind working
any day. And the only reason I put in for Christmas eve off this year
is because I got divorced last year and last Christmas my son went to
his dad's for Christmas eve. He was with me this year and I wasnt
going to miss it. I put in for it back in MAY! Other than that I have
asked for ONE other day off this year and usually I just re-arrange my
schedule so I can get all my hours in.

But I was raised that your job comes second only to family. And if
possible, you schedule your family around your job. Because without
the money, there isnt much you can do for your family. So birthdays or
whatever else we plan to do, is always scheduled around our jobs. We
dont ask off for birthdays.

Somehow, we always manage to be together at some point. We have a
meal, we open presents, we have fun, we make memories. And its not a
big deal. Christmas, Valentine's Day...whatever...can be celebrated
ANY day of the year.

I used to work at a movie theatre and we were open 365 days of the
year. Sure not all of the staff worked on Christmas, just those that
wanted to, after all we were pulling in double time and a half.
We were fairly busy with those that either celebrated with a christmas
movie with the whole family or those that don't celebrate christmas
and want to not have to watch a christmas movies all day and night.
Even though in the 5 years I worked there, I only worked Christmas day
once, there were always people that would volunteer to work happily.
If I were sick and in need of a pharmacy on Christmas day, I would be
greatful.
Just so you know, our major drugstore here, Shoppers Drugmart, was
also open on Christmas day.

If Walgreens wants to be open on Christmas, they s hould be. Either
schedule ahead your Christmas day off or find a job where you don't
have to work on christmas.

I've had jobs that needed to be staffed every single day of the year
and round the clock, and in a major city too. They very frequently
had fewer people willing to work Christmas (and Thanksgiving and
Easter) than they needed. (I didn't have anyone to celebrate with, so
I always volunteered for those days and saw the consequences of people
being forced to work.) So I do think that in a nation with as high a
proportion of Christians as we have in the US, it makes sense to
consider the fact that more people may want Christmas off than can
have Christmas off if the store is open. Even in areas with large
non-Christian populations. I'd feel the same way about any other
holiday celebrated by a significant number of a given store's
employees. (Although I've got to say, when I worked retail we got
Christmas off, and then the 26th was always a really quiet relaxing
day. I suspect I would like working retail on Christmas as the
frantic pace slows down. But I'm not going to go try to get hired by
Walgreens.)

I agree that it is possible to need something on Christmas that could
not have been planned for, and it's probably fairly common to need
something that could have been planned for and wasn't, and I think
that the fact that it appears to be cost-effective to keep at least
some Walgreens stores open for Christmas is relevant.

But I would like to see chains with stores all over the place keeping
only *some* stores open, posting signs on the doors of other stores
with the addresses of open stores nearby, and looking into having
people who ordinarily work at the closed stores work at the other
sites on that day. And again, that's for any holiday that more
employees want to celebrate than can be given the day off and
especially religious ones. There are jobs that cannot be left undone
for a day, but while I understand the urge to keep retail stores open
I think it would be a nice benefit to employees.

It's just a day, a day like any other. I've worked xmas day, I've
worked thanksgiving day, new years, fourth of july, etc etc. They are
just days, with no intrinsic value except that which we give them.

My family tends to celebrate on any day OTHER than the 25th, for
various reasons. My friends and I put together xmas parties according
to family and work obligations. This year, one of those parties won't
be until the middle of January. Xmas parties, for all intents and
purposes, because we say so and wish it so, not because the calendar
or walgreens or the federal governments says so.

Quite honestly, if you don't like that Walgreens is open on xmas,
don't shop there. If the employees don't like working on the hols,
find a job that doesn't require it of them.

I agree with you. Your a real pleasant surprise. Most people could
careless if others have to work or not and they will complain if they
can't find a store open on Christmas Day!

Some of these posts mention being paid overtime. There is no overtime
unless you work over 40hrs -- whether or not there is a holiday during
the week. What Walgreens does is pay every employee who has worked
for Walgreens at least 90 days a paid holiday (whether or not the
employee actually works that holiday). So if an employee averages 35
hours for one week's work they would get paid for 7 hours (35hrs
divided by 5 day work week = 7hrs). If an employee works 5 days on a
week where there is a holiday it's like getting paid for 6 days.

I disagree with you on this one. For regular retailers, yes close on
Christmas, but having a major pharmacy open 365 days a year and 24/7
just makes good sense.

I used to work at Walgreens.. and all I can say is.. they do NOT care
about their employees.

You know, I feel bad for the people who have to work on Christmas, but
it sure is convenient to have something open when nothing else is.

You know what is really funny about this post? Is that the OP wouldn't
be griping had they needed someonething ON Christmas and Walgreen's
saved them *OR* they would be griping if they had needed something and
they were closed.People will bich and moan about anything and
everything.

Hmmm....
Thats right, they're in in for the profit. If you owned Walgreens, and
saw that most other places were closed, it is a perfect reason to be
open. Its the only place to go if you need something.

I think that you need to think about it in a more broad perspective.
They most likely scheduled people around their own preference. Did you
ever think that employees could have been given the option to not work
Christmas day? Many places have a time off request book that is
considered when making schedules for labor.
In addition, consider that many people aren't of the same religion as
you. Maybe they had a few Jews and a Muslim working...

You need to not judge, just because you are christian doesn't mean
everybody else is too. Both their Employees and Customers are of
diverse backgrounds and they cater to all, not just one!

Personally, I'm glad that Walgreens is open on Christmas. It's the
only place near my house that is open. I didn't need to go anywhere
yesterday, but I'm glad that their was an option in case my family
destroyed Christmas dinner. :-)

However, you are free obviously to spend your money where you want and
make a point not to shop there.

However, there are many good reasons to be open on Christmas. People
who happen to work there do not work all day and can make appropriate
plans with their family.

Likewise, many may use it as a chance to get some nice OT in a season
where cash is generally stretched thin for many of us.

When I worked at AMC theaters? I paid my way through college selling
movie tickets and working every Christmas Day for five years. Lots of
places are open on Christmas Day and if the employees don't like it
they are free to seek employment with a business that is not open on
Christmas Day.

Maybe the people working don't celebrate Christmas. Maybe they don't
have families nearby or families at all. Maybe they don't want to
spend Christmas with their families. Maybe they need the time and a
half more than they need to spend an afternoon with the people they
just saw yesterday and will see tomorrow.

It's pretty presumptuous of you to conclude that everyone wants to or
should spend the day the way you would. There is no rule that you can
only celebrate and be with your family on December 25.

Is this because you feel that Christmas is a day so special that it
deserves special rules?

I believe that people should be able to request a day-off from work on
whatever day is important to them. Be that Christmas, Yom Kippur,
your birthday, or Martin Luther King Day.

If someone has a strong religious conviction, then they should raise
this issue to their employer BEFORE the day.

Yes, people hate working Christmas. But if there are enough people to
shop, then SOMEONE should be there to provide.

Instead of complaining to Walgreens, why not stand outside of the
store and scream at anyone that goes in inside and blame THEM to
ruining Christmas for...

Wait. This isn't about YOU, is it? You're speaking for other people.
Very nice of you, but...

My point remains. Scream at the people who buy.

Walgreens saved our Christmas dinner! I realized when I was about to
put a ham in the oven that we were out of foil, so I sent my husband
to the only place that I knew would be open. Otherwise, we would have
had a very dry ham!

Hate Christmas and don't celebrate it because of past childhood
traumas and the like! So having Walgreens open is a good thing.
There are plenty of people who do want to work the Holiday and get
time and a half or double time as we all dash in for medicines and
last minute things.

Did you also have a problem when grocery stores started staying open
24 hours a day too?

I talked with someone at Best Buy and they are open too. I feel bad
for them as well, I have been in retail and believe me, it is not a
bunch of people that don't celebrate Christmas and cherish working
when 80% of the other stores are closed, that will be working.
Most people who worked in retail know that most holidays are forced on
them and the 'bonus' is not enough to make anything worth it.
Either they work Christmas or they work New Years, or they work both.

Some people pointed out that there are sign up lists but all the lists
I remember were left blank of volunteers until a manager came by and
said, "You're working the holiday because no one signed up". If I
chose to work one holiday and not the other I usually got the, "You
have to work the holiday you didn't want to because no one else
would." The best part was that none of the managers ever seemed to
work and corporate would be closed as well as customer service.

It's not always about the money...did you also write to CVS and other
drug stores that may have also been opened on Christmas Day?

I actually stopped in because I needed something for my sinus
headache. My son got a card he forgot to get and many others were
picking up milk, pop and other items they needed for the day.

So my guess is that you will not be putting an application in to work
at Walgreen's any time soon?

I'm sorry, Rachel, but I disagree. First, illnesses and injuries
don't care what day it is or whether medical or pharmaceutical care is
available. Like another poster said, had you needed an emergency
prescription filled, you would feel very differently.

Second, not everyone celebrates Christmas. Not only that, there are
those who get extra pay for working on Christmas and may need that
pay.

Some people actually WANT to work on Christmas day....taking a day off
can be a hardship for people that live paycheck to paycheck.

I think it's nice that you are concerened about the employees working
Christmas Day. Heaven knows in my time in retail precious few people
spared a thought for whether I'd like to be there on any day, holiday
or not. So that's very nice of you.

But you're coming at this from an incorrect premise. You're assuming
that everyone who works for or patronizes Walgreen's celebrates
Christmas, and that just isn't the case. I know when I worked retail,
as long as I got the Solstice off, I'd work all day on Christmas. And
I had a part-time guy who could care less where he was on the 25th as
long as he had some time off for Hanukkah. In fact, we loved working
Christmas because we always got time and a half for holiday pay!

Also, I have to ask where you'd like the non-Christians to shop on the
25th?

I think this letter is motivated by honest concern for others, which
is nice. I just think there are some flaws in your logic.

How about we take your logic a step further and just kick all the
patients to the curb and close all the hospitals for Christmas too.
Or maybe you would view that as somehow being different. Sometimes
people need quick access to a drugstore to keep them out of the
hospital or an ER visit they can scarcely afford.

If you were suddenly struck very ill Christmas Day, your Dr. called in
a prescription how would you feel if there was no way to pick it up?
I cannot help but believe you would then feel that it was unfaaaiiiir
that there was no place for you to get your medication.

You are also making a massive assumption in that everyone has families
to spend Christmas Day with. I generally work Christmas in the
hospital because I have no family at all and I get double time so why
NOT work.

The main reason the drugstore is open is so that people with probably
a 30 mile radius (or more) can actually get drugs on Christmas, they
are not staying open to allow people "more shopping time". It is
considered a community service for them to be open.

Some places like drug stores will split up the shift among many
employees so that each employee may only work 2-4 hours of the day and
not the entire day.

Please use more logic in your thinking.

Some of those people may have chosen to work on Christmas. As another
poster said, most places have a sign up sheet. I myself have spent
several Christmas days all alone and would have preferred to work and
stay busy. I respect your sentiment, it just seems you are pushing
your own beliefs and feelings onto others.
Also, people do not stay healthy and without need of medicine just
because of a holiday. We live in a society of many needs and
lifestyles. Christmas is important to you (and me), however some of
the employees may not be Christian. So it was just another day to
them.
Live and let live is important or we become dictators of others
lives.

Rachel,
I guess I see your point.
You have your beliefs.
As opposed to writing a letter maybe you should vote with your feet
and your wallet next Christmas.
Only 364 days to go.
BillR.

I'll bet if you needed an emergency prescription filled on Christmas
Day, you'd be singing a different carol.

As Purpink mentioned employees usually have a sheet that they use to
sign up for working the holidays. You might be surprised at how many
employees would rather work Christmas day than New Years Eve/Day.

Walgreens has been open Christmas day since the 1920's. I doubt that
will ever change. When employees are interviewed they are told that
they will be working holidays. When they fill out an application on
the computer, if they don't click on the working holiday box they
usually don't even get interviewed.

Someone has to be open and it makes since that a drug store would be
the one to be open on Christmas if for nothing else but minor medical
needs.

As a former employee of Walgreen's - stores are open roughly 9am to
5pm so there is only 1 shift needed to work. Pharmacy is not open.
24 hour stores are open 24 hours no matter what as is their pharmacy
(where else is the hospital suppose to send patients to get their
scripts?). Where eles are you to go to get the batteries you forgot,
more film, and OTC medications you need?

Yes, usually after Halloween, the store manager will put up a sign up
sheet for Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve
and New Year's Day. This way people who want to work around the plans
or have their plans work abour their work schedules can.

Unless you are a Walgreen's employee (by the way, every employee does
get a holiday bonus - not much but they do get one) don't complain.

Can you tell me how likely it is that someone is going to need Pepto
Bismal or Zantac on Christmas day? How do you know all the employees
there even celebrate Christmas (we did not open Christmas, but I
worked Christmas Eve because our holiday was over at the beginning of
the month).

You're free to shop wherever you want, whenever you want. Walgreen's
is free to open whenever is legal. Case closed.

I appreciate your sentiment and that you're just looking out for the
employees.

But in my opinion, it depends on where you live. I'm from
small-town/rural Iowa. Where I'm from, everything should be closed on
Christmas--heck, everyone there is Christian (or started out that
way). But in a big city/metropolitan area, you get people of other
religions -- Muslim, Jewish, etc. -- or just more people who are
Christian but who don't mind working Christmas for the hours/extra
pay, because of their life circumstances. Heck, here in the Twin
Cities, we have the largest Hmong and Somali populations in the U.S.
-- they're non-Christian, often immigrants, and often working those
kind of low-level retail jobs.

I would hope that a store such as Walgreen's staying open on Christmas
was determined after first polling the employees to find out the
resistance level to working on Christmas Day. Perhaps they had more
than enough willing employees to cover the day, in which case, I'm
kind of glad *something* is open, other than convenience stores.

Again, I appreciate what you're saying -- that you hope the employees
who'd rather be home celebrating Christmas can do so -- and I agree
with you. I just think that's a risk many/most people take when they
choose to work retail.

One of my fondest Christmas memories is walking around Walgreens with
my Dad on Christmas day when nothing else was open. It was the year
that I turned 10 and my very best friend had moved across the country.
Every year prior I had spent Christmas with them since my family does
not celebrate it. Walgreens saved me that year.

My husband and I took my now annual stoll through Wags today. I
bought something just because I could and as my way of saying Thank
You!

Oh please!

Walgreens has been open on Christmas day for years now. If it wasnt a
positive thing for the company they wouldnt keep doing it. I bet they
pay extra to employees who work and probably only take volunteers.

Winn-Dixie is also open for awhile on Christmas day and thats what
they do. They take volunteers and they pay extra.

Not everyone gets the day off. What about hospitals, nursing homes,
ect? I work in a group home for disabled people. I took last night off
but if I hadnt of I would have been working Christmas eve night
through Chrismas morning and again Christmas night. I leave for work
in about 30 minutes.

Besides all that, I am GLAD that some stores are open on Christmas
day! Even though we had been to the store 1000 times in the last few
days and even though both my parents work in retail stores...we ALL
forgot to buy toilet paper! What a yucky Christmas that would have
been! ROFL!

Not everyone celebrates Christmas.
Good for Walgreens!
YAY!