Ever since I was 15 I’ve worked in a restaurant. It is a great job for students trying to get through school. It allows you to work for a few hours, and then leave with a substantial amount of cash. The thing that has always really bugged me about working in a restaurant is having to work holidays. While everyone else is spending time with their families, I had to work. After a few years of this I became numb to the holiday spirit. This reminds me of my grandfather’s birthday. Every year when his birthday would come around he’d say, “when you get to my age it’s just another day.” At the time I didn’t understand it, but I think he was right. Every day is just another day, and we have the option of what we want to do (or celebrate) on that particular day. After working more and more holidays, I decided that just because most people celebrated that holiday on a particular day didn’t, mean I can’t enjoy it on a different one. After trying this a few times I decided it’s actually better to go this route.

1) Holiday Items are 50% Off: This year my girlfriend and I celebrated Valentine’s day on February 15th. I waited until the day after V-day to go shopping for her gifts. Normally I wouldn’t want to buy her the normal cheesy gifts because I would feel like I was getting ripped off,  but this year I was able to buy her a lot of presents because they were all on sale. If you wait to buy holiday themed gifts until after the holiday, you’ll normally get at least 50% off. Who doesn’t like a good sale?

2) Going Out = Better Service: I’ve always been amazed with how many people actually go out and eat on a holiday. When I was growing up, we always had big family events that involved a home cooked meal. I guess some people just don’t like to cook. If you’re going to celebrate a holiday by eating out, go the day before or after. Every holiday I’ve worked has been a cram fest (how many people can we cram into this room without them complaining). Even if you have a reservation you’ll end up having to wait for a table. Once you finally get sat, your chance of having a problem with your food is higher due to the amount of orders coming out of the kitchen. Also, it’s a lot harder to get the proper amount of attention from your  server because they are busy. You’ll have a better dining experience if you don’t dine out on holidays. Also, if you have a family tradition that involves going out in public (like going to the movies), it will always be crowded on holidays. Increase your odds of having a pleasant experience by celebrating your holidays a little earlier or later.

3) Coupons/Discounts Aren’t Valid– Because of the poor economy, many establishments are giving out a ton of coupons and discounts. Most of these bargains won’t be valid on holidays (or any other busy day). If you plan your entertainment around these days you’ll be able to save money.

I think it’s important to remember that the best part of the holidays is spending time with the people you love. Working in a restaurant has shown me that it really doesn’t matter if it’s celebrated on the actual holiday or the next week. So why not try to save a little money and make your activities, whatever they may be, a little better.