Many homeworkers say they will work on Christmas Day if a client wants to book, even though it’s one of the few days they are planning to take off during the festive season.
Around half who commented on a Travel Gossip Facebook post said they’d log in on Christmas Day itself to secure a booking.
They say they are ready in case this Christmas Day is as busy as last year. Jet2 holidays said ‘more people than ever’ booked on Christmas Day 2024, with CEO Steve Heapy saying Christmas Day 2024 saw a ‘bumper number of bookings’.
Agent Sarah White said: “I’m working all the way through this year mostly because I have a super quiet Christmas with no big plans.”
Another homeworker said: “A booking only takes a couple of minutes, so I’ll always take it then chill afterwards”, and another said: “I don’t aim to work but if someone wants to book, I’ll do it – hopefully before too much vino has been consumed. I’ve forgotten what time off is.”
Agent Craig Goodridge-Hurley said: “If someone wanted to book, I would do it as a secret in another room as family/husband would have a go at me. But I still would!”
And Kieran Miller said: “I’ve given up not trying to work [on days off]. My customers are all coming out for the woodwork so I’m taking it a day at a time. I’m planning to not work the bank holidays, but if someone comes to me ready to book, I will.”
Sara-Louise Drury said: “I will be checking clients in on Xmas day and nothing else. I will work from Boxing Day and try to capitalise on Peaks,” while Molly Spenceley said: “Literally just Xmas Day off for me. Saying that, if any of my existing quotes wanted to book on Xmas Day by some miracle, I would log on. Then straight back to it Boxing Day.”
Ailish Laughlin said: “Don’t aim to work but if someone wants to book, I’ll do it – hopefully before too much vino has been consumed. I’ve forgotten what time off is!”
Other agents are adamant they’re not interrupting Christmas Day for a booking. Jenny Draper: “I won’t answer any calls from Christmas Eve midday through to Boxing Day midday,” while Jayne Kerrigan said: “Christmas Day will be family time. I’m finishing today and starting back 5 January, but will be available if any of my good loyal clients can’t wait that long – though most will.”
Emma Summerhill said she is ‘100% not working on Christmas day’, while Jodie Brotherton is taking Christmas Day and Boxing Day off, ‘although if someone wanted to book Boxing Day, I’d login, but not Christmas Day. Apart from that I shall be plugging away’.
