The most famous employees during the festive season are the North Pole elves and their sleigh-riding couriers, and there are more who keep things running in the final weeks of the year.
For some people living in Europe, blessings come in the form of paid public holidays. Others may be given additional holidays throughout the year in exchange for fewer days off during the festive period.
Of course, there are still people who need to keep the wheels turning, with important roles across the sector.
These include those in emergency services as well as hospitality and retail workers, many of whom experience the most demanding times of the year.
Logistics personnel are also required to deliver Christmas cards and gifts to their destination.
Who’s stepping up on Christmas?
Europeans have two to five public holidays at this time of year, ranging from Christmas Eve on December 24 to Epiphany on January 6.
For example, Malta has 14 national holidays during the year, two of which fall in the Christmas–New Year period.
Compare this to Cyprus, Slovakia and Romania, which have 15 national holidays, a third of which fall during this festive period.
There is no doubt that it is the Lithuanians who have the most generous public holidays – 16 in total, including four holidays between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day.
Of course, it’s not always that simple
A Study The Hans Böckler Foundation in Germany found that approximately 1 in 10 German workers will work at their tools after 2:00 pm on Christmas Eve, which is not a public holiday in Germany.
There are also regional differences – East Germans were more likely to be called to duty during this period of the year, and often the same employees work after 2:00 pm each year.
Residents in states that require doors to close at 2:00 pm on December 24 will have to scramble to ensure all of their supplies last until December 27.
A Christmas Sweetener
Some employees will open their bank balance to find the “thirteenth month” of salary added to their bank balance.
Typically calculated based on the number of hours an employee works, Southern European countries such as Portugal, Spain, Greece and Italy have statutory bonuses depending on their industry and employer.
Other European nations may offer bonuses as a custom rather than as a legal requirement.
While some nations offer these added sweeteners, others have recently considered banning them to the public. For Germany and France, holiday time over Christmas may be even more valuable, as their governments have recently cut back on public holidays in the hope it will boost their weak economies.
Edited by: Andreas Illmer