Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Open for Christmas?

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Posted by Jason Black (Member # 684) on 12-13-2000, 09:23 PM:

How many of you indies out there (or chains for that fact) are open for Christmas? If you are open, do you run a full schedule or a shortened schedule? How do you manage to get employees to actually *show* up for work? Do you pay holiday pay or overtime?
Some states do not require o/t pay, nor holiday pay for the record, and I work for a chain who will not pay ANYTHING extra to the hourlies for working holidays, which I think it total shiite, but I'm only a lowly inept manager (for 12 years mind you) who has no voice nor ablility to make any changes...

What about the rest of you? And the real wonderful thing.. we just rec'd a memo from the home office reminding us that we do NOT shorten schedules and that we ARE open 365 days a year, but that wanted "our employees to enjoy the holidays" and that proper schdeuling NOW would insure that. Yeah, whatever! any of you managers out there know you can't force a 16/18 year old to come to work on a normal day, much less a holiday, ESPECIALLY when they have no real incintive (yeah, that minimum wage thing isn't a real boost for them) to show up....

IMO, Holidays are more a headache to me, personally, than anything. But I still stay in the business... imagine that...

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The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese!

Posted by Rachel Carter (Member # 693) on 12-13-2000, 10:25 PM:

We are open for Christmas with a shortened schedule...we open at 3:00PM. This is my first Christmas at this particular theater and I am not sure about holiday pay.

At my old theater they only showed the night movies and employees got paid time and a half. We never had a problem with employees showing up. It was a small theater with only one employee and the manager working together.

Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 12-13-2000, 11:20 PM:

Normally, the small theater chain I worked for closed for Christmas Eve. We only ran the 1:00 and 4:00 set.

Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 12-14-2000, 02:39 AM:

Per company policy - we drop the 9/10 round on Christmas Eve, and drop the first round on Christmas day. What this means is that we're open from 11am-8pm on Christmas Eve and from approx. 2pm-10:30pm on Christmas Day. Employees get 1.5 time for all hours worked after 4:30pm on Christmas Eve, and ALL DAY Christmas Day

Posted by Paul Cunningham (Member # 501) on 12-14-2000, 06:18 AM:

As far as I know it is ILLEGAL to open at all on Christmas day here in Melbourne. Staff get paid double time on Boxing Day and New Years Day. Good Friday we are open but need to receive special written permission from some high up person in the government (maybe the governor general I think).

Would anyone even show up on Christmas Day? Everything around here is shut including McDonalds, shops and restaurants.

Paul

Posted by Jerry Chase (Member # 660) on 12-14-2000, 09:26 AM:

Paul, Christmas day can pack-em in. Some families can only take so much of the relatives that come a-visiting, and have to get out of the house. Folks that don't celebrate the holiday want something to do as well. Christmas eve usually sucks attendence-wise.

Until I moved into a DM slot, I worked every Christmas. Even though one of the companies I worked for wouldn't pay time and a half for employees, while I was managing the workers always managed to find they had magically done an hour or two of extra unscheduled work that week.

If you get any celebrations out of the way in the morning, Christmas can actually be an OK day to work, rather than overstuffing yourself and bemoaning the fate of your stomach. You just have to get out of the herd instinct that because everyone else is doing an all day Christmas, you have to as well. Then you have to convince your girlfriend or wife,... which is a_teeny_ bit more difficult. (Hint - hide the cast iron frying pan and put cotton in your ears before breaking the news.)

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 12-14-2000, 12:57 PM:

We're always closed Christmas Eve, and always open Christmas Day with evening shows only. If we have a great kids-type show booked over Christmas, then we run a matinee on the 24th. (Last year it was Toy Story 2, which was packed!) This year we have 102 Dalmatians booked, but are going to run a Saturday matinee instead of Sunday.

Sometimes it's great to be a small indie!

Posted by Steve Scott (Member # 630) on 12-14-2000, 04:54 PM:

We're open every single day of the year, but on christmas eve, we're only open during the day. This lets the employees go home to their families. This year, we made it manditory for everybody to work on the 23rd and the 25th (unless they wrote an excuse to our scheduling manager: out of town, family objection, etc.). On christmas eve, we usually just get people buying gift certificates for last minute presents anyway.
And, everybody gets time & a half on the 24th & 25th.

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"Trying is the first step towards failure!"
-Homer Simpson

Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 12-14-2000, 07:35 PM:

Looks like we are going to drop the last rack on Christmas Eve and be open a full schedule on Christmas Day. I want to be closed for the evening shows on Christmas Ever but none of the other theatres will be closed so that screws us.

Posted by Sean McKinnon (Member # 612) on 12-15-2000, 12:05 AM:

Hey Rachel,
You work for Patriot Cinemas do you think they would pay time and a half ever

This is the theatre that didnt pay me for months of thursday night work...

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I love to smoke I smoke seventhousand packs a day and I'm never F*&ing quittin!-- Denis Leary

Posted by William Hooper (Member # 71) on 12-15-2000, 12:21 AM:

quote:
How many of you indies out there (or chains for that fact) are open for Christmas?

Theaters open for Christmas go ALL the way back. Although generally, more businesses in the US were open for Christmas for instance in the 1920's. I don't know any other way to describe this, but the Christmas season over the years in the US has undergone a sort of Mardi Gras -ization.

quote:
we just rec'd a memo from the home office reminding us that we do NOT shorten schedules and that we ARE open 365 days a year, but that wanted "our employees to enjoy the holidays" and that proper schdeuling NOW would insure that

If they say "enjoy the holidays, you get no holiday", they know that they're being jerks, & they're being jerks because they enjoy it.

You probably knew that already though...

Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 12-15-2000, 12:33 AM:

Jerry - maybe I should have added we ran full bore on Christmas day - for the reasons you cited.

OOPS! Hey Jerry .- I just discovered you were talking to another Paul. Sorry

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 12-15-2000, 02:32 AM:

Ours wants to open Christmas day and are offering 'at least double time and a half' to work it. They've put a note behind the concession stand asking those interested should put down their names.

So far, there are no projectionist's names but about ten floor/management staff on the list.

That should be interesting...

I absolutely refuse to work either the night of Christmas Eve (so I can do the Daddy thing which I love) nor on Christmas Day because...well...it's Christmas. Surely cinemas can go dark one day a year and not go broke.

Life's for living, isn't it?

Posted by Paul Konen (Member # 41) on 12-15-2000, 09:27 AM:

Cinemark

24th - drop last round
25th - drop first round

25 is paid 1.5x

Paul.

Posted by Jason Black (Member # 684) on 12-15-2000, 03:01 PM:

William,

You must know corporate mindset pretty well. I take it as adding injury to insult each time they send out a memo saying "we want our employee to enjoy the holidays with their families, yada yada..."

If they truly menat it, they would pay them for it. I could care less about getting any more money for the day, but the hourlies should make 1.5 AT LEAST.

Oh well, we can all wish..

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The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese!

Posted by Paul Cunningham (Member # 501) on 12-15-2000, 06:59 PM:

John,

you'll probably go to work on the 23rd and they will ask you to give someone a crash course in projection. HaHa I know you wouldn't though.

I know cinemas are out there to make a profit but there is a difference between turning a profit and being downright greedy. Sometimes I think owners only see the $$$ and not the poor staff who make sacrifices for them.

Anyway Happy Xmas John.

Paul

Posted by Erik Schill (Member # 675) on 12-15-2000, 11:09 PM:

I will be working christmas day (for the 3rd year in a row) our first show is at 10:30am, and our last show is it 10:20pm, and the last show gets out at 12:35am, and hell no I won't be getting time and a half, but I have no other choice but to work, it's either christmas or NYE, and I want NYE off for once, last 2 years working both, plus thanksgiving 3 in a row and easter, I want a night to party for once

Posted by Bill Enos (Member # 440) on 12-16-2000, 08:10 AM:

We're a single screen independent. This year we are open Christmas eve for the 7:15 only, usually though we're closed that day. Christmas day we do the regular evening schedule. Our 16-20 year employees have usually had enough family by that time and seem to welcome the opportunity to get away.

Posted by Matt Gardner (Member # 572) on 12-16-2000, 11:09 AM:

Ahhh..The joys of being an Imax projectionist. We close at 6:00 on Christmas Eve and are closed ALL day on Christmas. Ill be thinking about you guys who have to work. I kind of wish we were open so I could make that double time pay.

Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 12-16-2000, 12:23 PM:

I have finaly convinced my business partner that one of the reasons that we are in business for ourselves is that we get to make the rules up as we go along.

We are now taking full evening Christmas Eve off and we are taking the last show of New Years Eve off as well.

I think when we looked at our last show figures for Thanksgiving and realized that we would be opening for 20 people, he decided that closing was Ok too.

Posted by Richard C. Wolfe (Member # 431) on 12-18-2000, 06:37 PM:

Ian:

I can't understand why you would have decided to stay open on Christmas eve just because the other theatres did. If they want to be miserable to themselves, and there employees, and waste money for 10 or 15 (if they are lucky) people...let them do it.
No one is going to hold it against you for closing that one night of the year.

I run one matinee show on Christmas eve and one evening show on Christmas day. New Years eve I have a matinee and 7 PM show only. New Years day...both matinee and evening.

Posted by Gracia L. Babbidge (Member # 582) on 12-23-2000, 12:41 AM:

The theater that I am at is open every day of the year... The only possible excpeption to that would be if the power got knocked out all day - for obvious reasons!
However, we aren't running any evening shows on Christmas Eve, last show starts at 5 o'clock-ish, yet we'll be open until about 7, for purposes of selling gift certificates!
Christmas day, our first show will start after 2PM (normally first show is noon-ish), and the rest of the schedule will run normally.

Christmas Eve I have to work open to close, no big deal, about an 8 hour shift...
*does a happy dance*
Then I have Christmas off!!!

As far as being paid extra - I'm on salary, so it doesn't happen. And I'm fairly sure that the hourly employees don't get paid time and a half for working on holidays. But hey, we all got a Christmas bonus.

~GLB

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In some cultures, what I do is considered normal.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 12-23-2000, 03:22 PM:

For the past 20 or so years I have been in the biz, we have been open on the 24th and 25th. As others have noted, generally there has been a reduced show schedule on those two days. I can't remember ever dropping more than the last show on the 24th or the first show on the 25th.

It wasn't so much greed as that on the 25, after all the presents have been opened and food eaten, those that don't care for football tend to want to get out and movies are a good place. I've been in the entertainment business just about all of my working life now (legit theatre before) and working the weekends and holidays is just normal for that sort of thing...entertainment works when others don't.

As to New Years, it depended on the location of the theatre...if it was downtown, the general rule was full schedule on both days. Suburbs generally dropped the last show on the 31st. Downtown, there seemed to be a lot more seemingly lonely, single people that went to the later shows.

Steve

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"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"

Posted by Charles Everett (Member # 889) on 12-09-2001, 07:16 PM:

Since it's that time of year let's bump this topic back to the top.

This year it isn't just "Open for Christmas?" There are 8 wide releases in 7 days between 12/19 and 12/25. Throw in "Oscar Bait" if you run arthouse product. Not only that, the 2 wide releases on 12/25 get shipped via Technicolor. Imagine the horror if Ali isn't delivered until 12/24 and you can't get replacements for defective reels until after Xmas Day!

Posted by Gerard S. Cohen (Member # 994) on 12-09-2001, 09:10 PM:

Holiday work in NYC for projectionists wasn't a problem, because Christmas and New Years were two of the ten holidays that paid the local IATSE contractual time-and-one-half.I used to work extra double shifts those days for an indy twin where the manager handed me my paycheck at the START of the day, and he and his patrons wore carnations and orchids as they sipped the gratis demi-tasse in holiday moods. At many booths projectionists would swap schedules with their partners, working each other's religious holidays; if all projectionists in a booth observed the same holidays, a call to the local would put the date on the "the list" to be picked up at the
(twice) weekly replacement roll call. There were always enough "unemployed" (many by choice) working the list to pick up days
when others for family or religious reasons wanted days off.

Posted by Jerry Chase (Member # 660) on 12-09-2001, 09:29 PM:

Gerard just mentioned one of the reasons I had mixed feelings about unions. There might be day to day problems that would have me grinding my teeth, but often they would come up with great ideas like this. Time and a half on Christmas is decent, no matter what your religion. Thanks for reminding me how good unions could be, Gerard.

Posted by James R. Hammonds, Jr (Member # 673) on 12-10-2001, 12:25 AM:

Charles, last year, prints for christmas day came a couple days early.
This year I would sespect them to be in no later than Friday, hopefully Thursday with the 12/21 movies.

Posted by Bernard Tonks (Member # 809) on 12-10-2001, 03:38 PM:

When I first took the cinema over I had a full time job in a television news station on Telecine and VT. I worked many Christmas day shifts when it fell on your normal roster day. This year we are just having a matinee only on Xmas eve, closing 25th, 26th and 27th. New Years eve matinee only. Seems sensible to me and popular by the staff.

Posted by Andy Muirhead (Member # 712) on 12-10-2001, 07:35 PM:

Xmas eve and New Years eve we do a matinee only, close by 4pm and that's us till boxing day or day after new years day. Usually i work all the xmas shifts so i get the new year off. I must be getting old because i'm not bothered this year. Time and a half? what the hell is that?

Double time?

visavi! We have two hourly rates - working or not working!

Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 12-11-2001, 01:23 PM:

First off, I really wish we had Boxing Day here in the states.

Now to business, We are a new theater, and corporate has not decided what hours to be open for xmas eve and day yet. However, we are a second run house, and in our previous location just seven miles away, we did only EIGHT people on christmas eve for the evening shows, and only six on new years eve. Christmas day, we did all of 100 people all day.

Now we are required to run each film at least once each day as per conract, and we run double features in some auditoriums. SO, IMHO we should definately close after 6 pm on XMAS eve and not open until evening on XMAS day. We have no brand new movies, so no real desire to come to my place on that day.

ANd our corporate policy as per the owner is as follows:

"We do not pay any extra money for anyone no matter what day it is, and if they dont want to work it, then they dont want the job and you go and hire new people now to compensate for the expected quits."

Why the hell would anyone want to be a manager for a company that makes him be open so the company can make an extra four hundred dollars at the expense of losing 85 percent of your staff?

Dave

PS, i am crazy! but i love the work.

I myself will not work eve or day, niether will my staff. Hell I will give him the four hundred dollars if thats all he wants. Why be greedy on this day of all days?

Posted by Jim Ziegler (Member # 86) on 12-11-2001, 02:04 PM:

Working on Christmas comes with the territory.. Although, Dave, it sounds like you work for a real prick...

Posted by Michael Hunt (Member # 772) on 12-11-2001, 02:07 PM:

Well, for the last fourteen years we've run our last show on the day before Christmas Eve, and then have been closed until 2nd January. This year we heard that we would be open for three days during the holiday period, starting the day after Boxing Day...

Guess what, myself the rest of the projection staff, and most of the front of house management and staff had already made arrangements, as this has been the one week of the year that we've always been shut...

So, today I've started training one of my lighting technicians in the art of film done right...

I've a second nephew due over Christmas, and as I'm expected at my brother's on Boxing Day, I'm sure to get babysitting duties for nephew #1...

------------------
Uncle to JEDI Hunt,
honest!

Posted by Bob Maar (Member # 763) on 12-11-2001, 02:27 PM:

Dave, Jim was being kind when he said your boss was a "prick".

If that is truly how he put it to you...the man or woman is an asshole....and I will gladly pay for the sign to be put on his/her door.

Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 12-12-2001, 01:36 PM:

I am in agreement on the assessment of my employer.

I can respect that its his business and his rules, but come on! Its christmas day! He doesnt work it! He doesnt even seem to understand the economics of how much money we lose by bieng open when no one shows up! And to sacrifice your staff? The ones who bring you to this point? All for a few hundred dollars?

SO why do I bitch about it and not leave? LIke i say, crazy I am, but love the work. Plus it works into my schedule with my daughter and her school.

BUT.. every string has a breaking point, its when he trys to break into my daughters time with me and her school is where I draw the line, so if his policy of treating his staff the way he does around the holidays makes them leave, I have to work harder, and lose time with the girl... END OF DISCUSSION.. family takes precedent over pricks with no earned respect.

Dave

Posted by Joel Pantoja (Member # 1045) on 12-12-2001, 04:32 PM:

Only one of the movie theater companies that I have worked for paid 1.5X on holidays and maybe dropped the 1st show on Xmas. To the others it was just another day. I think one of the employee handbooks started with the phrase, "The show must go on..." when it came to discussing the holidays. The sad thing is that we were always busy on Xmas and there were always people for Xmas & New Yrs eve shows.

Actually last year I actually missed working at the theater during the holidays. I was sitting there at the "in-laws" thinking that if I still was working at the theater I could have eaten and then said I had to go!

This year I'm working again part-time...

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 12-12-2001, 06:22 PM:

We always have a pretty good crowd on Christmas, and Thanksgiving too.

If some of you have bad crowds on holidays, maybe the marketing dept needs to get involved!

Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 12-13-2001, 10:03 AM:

As for our marketing department? Sorry, never heard of em before. Besides, who the hell wants to spend christmas at the discount house? our best picture is Rush Hour 2. Not exactly hollywoods best.

Dave

Posted by James Holliger (Member # 944) on 12-13-2001, 02:39 PM:

Never will forget my first sold out house as a manager on Christmas. We had been having a snow storm for three days and attendance was near zero. The owners reduced the show times but said to open and run regardless. The roads were so bad I called my crew off and decided to handle the few brave soles my self. Big mistake... 5 pm show I had a lot full of snow mobiles. I drafted friends in the group to pop corn and wound up just 15 seats short of a complete sell out. This was for Superman!! guess cabin fever does strange things.

I've never questioned the holiday schedule again... reduced hours yes but open 365 days a year!! I always did Holiday crew schedules from turkey day thu Christmas and made sure nobody worked both unless they wanted it. As for New Years... doors locked and everybody out by 9. If they didn't go to a party that was ok I didn't want them on the roads later with all the people that did.

Posted by Dave Bird (Member # 490) on 12-13-2001, 05:24 PM:

In Ontario, the Employment Standards Act dictates "Statuatory" Holidays. Those days you have off (unless you agree to work them). The rule goes that IF you would be normally scheduled to work either the day before or after the Stat. Holiday, then you receive 8 hours regular pay for it. So I guess if you did agree to also work it, that'd be "double-time" (however most employers will add a premium as well, IF the business is even allowed to be open). Theatres can open as far as I know... Many businesses will add a day or two "non-stat" holidays as a perk.

Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 12-13-2001, 11:44 PM:

Christmas at the discount house, huh?

I'm dreading mine already. First, Christmas just happens to fall on "Ghetto Tuesday" this year ($.50 admissions all day). Second, I am opening "The Grinch" on December 21. Should be interesting ...

Posted by Jim Ziegler (Member # 86) on 12-14-2001, 06:22 AM:

Ghetto Tuesday? Lol...

Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 12-16-2001, 02:00 PM:

Well I wouldn't mind bieng open on Christmas if it meant we had a decent film to run. If I want to run a classic show, I have to have eight weeks of adavance preparation, with all the detailed marketing work to back up why it would be successful. I just dont have the time ever to explain to these people that films such as "the sound of music" just sell out!

Dave

Posted by Charles Everett (Member # 889) on 12-16-2001, 04:13 PM:

Now we only have 7 wide releases in 7 days. 1 movie that was to open Xmas Day got moved back into January.

After New Year's Day it'll be a pretty busy winter -- at least 2-3 wide releases each week!

Posted by Charles Everett (Member # 889) on 12-18-2001, 04:58 PM:

2nd update: Miramax has moved Kate & Leopold from 12/21 to 12/25. Didn't even announce it until today!

Kate & Leopold was gonna get Gandalf'd by The Lord of the Rings. Now it's gonna lose to Ali in a 1st-round KO.

Posted by James R. Hammonds, Jr (Member # 673) on 12-19-2001, 06:58 AM:

Apparently they decided to make some last minute changes which will affect 4 different reels.
So the prints that were run for sneak previews are actually not final versions and everyone has to send it back and get the new ones.
It was also said that the new prints may not even be in until christmas morning.

Posted by Carl King (Member # 398) on 12-20-2001, 08:33 AM:

My cinema is open Chritmas Eve for double matinees. With Lord of the Rings we will be in the building until about 7:15. Christmas Day we will open for evening shows only.....BUT....guess who won't there this year for the first time in 5 years. Yup..that's right..l'il ol' me..

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!!!!!

Posted by Charles Everett (Member # 889) on 12-18-2002, 11:16 AM:

Bumping it up top 'cause it's that time of year again.

This year I'll add: If you're outside NYC/LA do you get any Oscar Bait?

Posted by Bud Shepard (Member # 357) on 12-18-2002, 11:55 AM:

Least we forget the lonely [Frown]

service technicians. We have to work Christmas Day also, although we'll be responding to emergencies only. I get nothing extra (manager, so I'm salary)in my paycheck. If you're running, then so are we.

Posted by Jason Black (Member # 684) on 12-18-2002, 12:39 PM:

Lest we also not forget all the salaried/hourly employees of the major chains who do not get to participate in any type of organized Holiday party like the folks at the home office(s) do when they CLOSE FOR THE DAY [Mad]

OH, and it also makes you feel great to know that while the folks who actually help keep the companies operating are working the folks who "helm the ship" are out of the office(s) for 3-4 days....

This job.... [Frown]

I'm not in it for the money or the peers... that's for sure.. [Eek!]

Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 12-18-2002, 01:15 PM:

Ky's leaving town to go visit his parents in Palm Desert. My family is staying in Denver to support a recent widow. My Brother and Sister will be at our Father's house in Washington DC. Uncle Larry is going to Alexandria to visit Aimee's new house. So I'm holding down the fort here in Santa Rosa.

Actually I enjoy opening the theatre on Christmas Day. I own the streets in the morning and people are usually in a good mood.

What I will miss is a convivial family dinner on Christmas Eve. My mother is prone to doing a Christmas Goose. Once again it may be a vegetarian Indian meal at the Doctor's home, where I went for Thanksgiving, if they invite me back.

We will be closing after the 4:15 PM show on Christmas Eve, but will be open the full day on Christmas Day.

Posted by Jim Alexander (Member # 226) on 12-18-2002, 03:45 PM:

As long as I've run my theate, I have been closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve and New Years day. I know there are some that would want to see a movie, but hey, Christmas is for family and who want to work during this time.

Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 12-18-2002, 04:08 PM:

Greenwood is located across the Annapolis River, south of the Village of Kingston adjacent to the Annapolis County line. Greenwood is the fastest growing community in Nova Scotia due to consolidation and restructuring of the Canadian military. English Planters and United Empire Loyalists settled in the area from 1770 to 1790. Primarily a farming community, the establishment of Royal Canadian Air Force Base Greenwood in the early 1940's brought a large influx of people to the community. Today, CFB Greenwood is home to 14 Wing, having lodger units flying the Aurora, Hercules, Labrador, Challenger and T-33 aircraft. Today CFB Greenwood is one of the largest airforce bases in the Canadian Forces.

Greenwood has the advantage of having the largest mall west of Halifax.

The Village of Greenwood and 14 Wing Personnel Married Quarter's together have a combined population of approximately 4,500 people.

The Village also features numerous dining out experiences including KFC/Taco Bell, McDonalds, Pizza Delight etc. and the convenience of 24 Hour grocery shopping, banking and gas outlets and recreational swimming, bowling etc.

Yea, I'd be closed too.

Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 12-18-2002, 04:58 PM:

Drop all shows after 8:25pm Christmas Eve.
Drop all shows before 3:00pm Christmas Day.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 12-18-2002, 05:12 PM:

Greenwood was also Denver's first 12 plex that was worth half a damn. The Tivoli has always sucked and it still does to this day. If you like the smell and look of a rotting building, then the Tivoli is for you!

The question should be:

Who ISN'T open for Christmas

Posted by Ken McFall (Member # 845) on 12-18-2002, 06:31 PM:

Now I can't say which cinema it is or which independant circuit.... but...

It closes at 6.00 on Christmas Eve, closed on Christmas Day and normal operation on Boxing Day. Pays Double time on Boxing Day.

Closes 6.00 pm on New Years Eve and normal operation on New Years Day. Pays Double time on NYD.

Wish I worked for them :0).... oh shit I do!!

Posted by Nate Lehrke (Member # 1460) on 12-18-2002, 07:24 PM:

X-Mas eve, last show at 5:30
X-Mas day, first show at 3:00

No extra pay, but they do feed us a nice asortment of food.

Posted by Barry Martin (Member # 1376) on 12-18-2002, 07:48 PM:

My theater, being a chain, also is open 365/year. No reduced schedules as far as I can recall in the past. The best instance of this mind-set was two years ago we had a bad winter storm, bad enough to declare a state of emergency in Mass., but my theater stayed open and fully staffed. We had no more than 10 people in the entire 20-plex. Everyone was begging to go home but the Regional Director said no. Interesting, no? [Roll Eyes]

This year's Christmas festivities should be a lot easier than last year's as I am working overnights in retail so it shouldn't interfere with dinners, family visiting, or present opening. I believe my store is open till 6pm or so on Christmas Eve but definitely closed all day Christmas. Time and a half is great for working a holidy, but the one retail aspect I would love to see theaters adopt is getting paid 8 hours of regular pay for holidays you don't even work. Some union contracts were able to finagle this in, but mostly it's something I've only seen in retail stores and rarely there too. That'll be the day, eh?

Posted by Brad Haven (Member # 954) on 12-18-2002, 11:14 PM:

We are closed xmas day, by law i believe?
This is the only day of the year we close!

Posted by Paul Rich (Member # 243) on 12-18-2002, 11:46 PM:

Last show Christmas Eve - 8:15

First show Christmas Day - 1:30

No other schedule reductions. But I don't work either. [Smile]

Posted by Mathew Molloy (Member # 666) on 12-19-2002, 02:03 AM:

We're closing after our 7:00 show on Christmas Eve and we're open all day Christmas day. Same goes for New Years Eve & day. Everyone gets time and a half those days. Also each theatre on Christmas (and Thanksgiving) receives $30 (+$5 per additional screen) for food or party. Usually I throw in another $70 and cook a real nice meal.

A large percentage of the staff I've ever worked with the past ten years are happy to be working because they're usually college kids and aren't going anywhere/too far from home. Their coworkers are the closest thing to family some of them have.

New Year's Eve is always the tuffie.

Posted by Michael Brown (Member # 890) on 12-19-2002, 08:33 AM:

I always fancied going to see a film on Christmas Day.

One of these days...

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 12-19-2002, 09:11 AM:

The independents I know usually just close on Christmas eve and are open for evening shows on Christmas day. No extra pay, but we're talking about single screens where the entire place can be run by only three people (tickets, concession, projection). Pretty much everyone is open on New Years' day, though some close early or do special programming (like free cartoons or something) on New Years' eve.

For the gigaplexes which stay do 7:00pm shows on Christmas eve: does anyone come to these shows? I realize that not everyone celebrates Christmas, but it seems like it would be a pretty dead time.

Posted by Tony Ratcliff (Member # 1196) on 12-19-2002, 11:41 AM:

My theatre being an independent, I do what I want [Smile]

. And I want myself and my staff to have time to spend the holidays with family and friends.
So I will have a 2pm matinee only on Christmas Eve, closed Christmas.
7pm show only on New Year's Eve. No matinee on New Years Day, but open for 7pm show.

Posted by Jim Alexander (Member # 226) on 12-19-2002, 03:21 PM:

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Quote Ian Price:
Greenwood is located across the Annapolis River, south of the Village of Kingston adjacent to the Annapolis County line. Greenwood is the fastest growing community...
---------------------------------------------------------------------

COOL!!! Someone who knows where this place is. You must have done a bit a research to get the info you mentioned. It is a little dated and not quite as mundain as it may seem. Yes, there is a military base, which is known as 14 Wing Greenwood, located within the village. It's population, and that of the village, is approximately 4000 people. As a matter of fact, the base is where my theatre is located. Although no longer a military facility, we do cater to the base as well as surrounding communitees. Our customer base ranges from the town of Berwick, 20 Kilometer to the east, to Digby, 100 Kilometers to the west. Our primary customers are within 20 Kilometers (appr 15-20,000 people).

The Wing no longer flys the T-33 or Challenger aircraft. They were retired last year and the Labrador will soon follow. We still fly the Aurora (similar to the USN Orion) and the Hercules and we will soon have the Cormorant online to replace the Labrador.

Although no longer the fastest growing communitee, it is a beautiful spot where people still leave their doors unlocked at night. When I first moved to this area 11 years ago, they used to roll up the sidewalks at 6:00pm daily... nothing was opened after that. You couldn't even find a gas bar that allowed self-serve! It took me a bit to get use to the "slower" life style, and the unique business techniques, but I have come to really enjoy it and the area has restarted its growth after the declines of the '90s.

Although, from the description you provided, the area appears mundain, the choice to remain closed for Christmas, is ours alone. We have received many requests to be open, but I can't in all good conscience, ask my staff to work, when I would prefer not to.

Posted by William Leland III (Member # 1400) on 12-20-2002, 03:22 PM:

The Charleston IMAX is open. Our first show is at 4 p.m. We open "Lion King" and run it all day long. The last show is at 8p.m.

We get time and a half for working any holiday. The employees show up and hour before we open.

Scott, when i worked at the Palmetto Grand 16 Dec.24th, I closed because where opening "Ali" on Christmas day. I had to build up that piece of crap. The last show started at 8 p.m. I think we had maybe 50 people that night.

Posted by Daniel Boisson (Member # 1027) on 12-20-2002, 11:39 PM:

my theatre is kinda doing the same as Tony Ratcliff's.....we're not having shows christmas eve, or christmas day until 7. Good thing, nobody would work anyhow.... [Big Grin]

Posted by John T. Hendrickson, Jr (Member # 849) on 12-21-2002, 09:40 PM:

Our independent 13 screen operation will be open Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, New Years Eve and New Years Day. Only schedule change is on Christmas Day, when we open at 11:50AM instead of 11AM. Otherwise, last show of LOTR will be geting out at 1:30AM every night thru the holiday period.

Employees get time and a half on Christmas Day and New Years Day.

Most of our area competition is open even earlier on Christmas Day! And, yes, we always do good business on these dates.

By the way, we will have 20 prints in the booth on Christmas day, thanks to Christmas Day releases.

Happy Holidays to all!

Posted by Bill Enos (Member # 440) on 12-22-2002, 08:50 AM:

We're open Christmas eve for the 7:15 only showing of Wonderful Life. Christmas day 7:15 and 9:30 for Wonderful Life. Many expenses continue whether the doors are open or not. We can't afford the lost cash flow of being closed. Christmas evening is usually very good. We have been running this film on these nights for years to about 200 on eve and 400 for each Christmas night show, with a organ sing along before each. Don't fool with success.

Posted by Jason Black (Member # 684) on 12-22-2002, 10:32 AM:

I highly doubt that anyone who has been in this business for more than a few years would argue the fact that Christmas Day business is normally always brisk, to say the least.
I guess the combination of folks out spending money for the holidays, schools being out, and many in the workforce off for a couple days, oh and let's not forget the distributors who push the fact that Christmas is a HUGE opening day for films, have helped build our Holiday business.
This marks my 15th year watching people shuffle in and out and Christmas Eve/Day. While I enjoy having the business (there's no better indication of continued employment than good attendance) it bumfuddles me the amount of people out looking for something to do... [Confused]

Anyway, Happy Holidays to you and yours from Myrtle Beach, SC!

Posted by Lance C. McFetridge (Member # 95) on 12-22-2002, 01:16 PM:

We are open Christmas Eve for matinees only and on Christmas for evening shows only. We find we have good father/kids turnouts on Christmas Eve....getting them out of the house for Mom I think,
and great Christmas night turnouts.
lance

Posted by Charles Everett (Member # 889) on 12-22-2002, 07:03 PM:

John T: Your theater lets out The Two Towers at 1:30 AM on Xmas Eve? [Roll Eyes]

Even the big Manhattan theaters close before midnight!

I can vouch for the extra-early opening on Xmas Day. Reading Cinemas in Manville starts seven movies at 10 AM, including Catch Me if You Can, Pinocchio, The Two Towers and (appropriately) The Santa Clause 2. Harry Potter 2 follows at 10:05 and Maid in Manhattan at 10:15.

Arthouses seem to be more eclectic. The Cinema Arts Centre on Long Island runs all sets Xmas Eve (last show 9:30) and drops the 2:00 round Xmas Day. The County Theater in Doylestown PA has no shows Xmas Eve and evening shows only Xmas Day; the box office is open both days for gift certificates/memberships. Upstate Films in Rhinebeck NY is closed from 12/20-24 and open for all shows Xmas Day.

Posted by Mark Maxwell (Member # 1355) on 12-29-2002, 03:26 AM:

There cannot be a law against being open on a religious holiday, or that anyone who works that day should be paid overtime. Laws like that get in the way of the separation of church and state. I hate having to work every Christmas. Two years ago I had to work 14 hours on my birthday which was also Easter Sunday. The law cannot favor a single religion, because it would force itself to answer to all of the other religions. We work long hours and have to know alot. A producer spends 50 million on a movie paying the actors, writors, directors, and so many more people. It's up to us to make each patron feel like they spent their money well. The whole movie industry depends on us. EMS and fire Dept. get paid about the same as we do. I can tell you right now I would rather run upstiars to several brain wraps than to run up to a fire. They save lives. They are open 24/7 and they see alot of bad things. I know becuase i rode with a crew 3 years ago. Don't complain about working on Chrismas when other people work it to save a life, or bring somone in to rest. I got out of social work and got back in to projection as an escape.

Posted by Charles Everett (Member # 889) on 12-09-2003, 06:56 PM:

Bumping it up 'cause it's that time again!

Want aggravation? DreamWorks takes House of Sand and Fog limited on -- get this -- Friday the 26th. [Mad]

At least Big Fish will have its national arthouse/megaplex break Xmas Day.

Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 12-09-2003, 11:35 PM:

Geez, Charles... you did the bump last year, too.

Give someone else a chance, will ya? [Big Grin]

Posted by Gary Crawford (Member # 2038) on 12-09-2003, 11:56 PM:

Our theatre, single-screen, single indie house, is closed for a few days before Christmas (depending on calendar). We reopen Dec 26. I like it myself, a few days off.

I do remember working continous Christmas days when my father brought me turkey dinner. Most of the management of Walter Reade, who were Jewish, had the day off, but we grunts had to work. For all the business we did we could have run one or two evening shows instead, if that.

We chose this life so sometimes we have to put up with holidays the rest of the world has off.

Posted by Rachel Gilardi (Member # 1016) on 12-10-2003, 12:58 AM:

We're open...although I'll be in SC! [Big Grin]

Posted by Gunnar Johansson (Member # 1661) on 12-10-2003, 02:35 AM:

Being a student Cinema we are so closed you wouldn't believe... But on the other hand many of the shall we say commercial cinemas in Sweden are open. X-mas, New years and the days in between (also off in Sweden) are the biggest moviegoing days in all year, though I never go at that time.
We're closed whenever school is out, which includes New Years too.

God Jul och Gott Nytt År till er alla från Sverige!!

Posted by Jason Black (Member # 684) on 12-10-2003, 06:18 PM:

Rachel,

Where in SC?

Posted by John T. Hendrickson, Jr (Member # 849) on 12-10-2003, 07:13 PM:

Yep- Going full tilt again this Christmas. Don't have our schedule or bookings yet. I will not be running that day, but enjoying Christmas at home and praying that the phone doesn't ring. [uhoh]

Hey Gary- Speaking of Walter Reade, I remember working relief at the old Lyric in Asbury Park, running "I Never Sang For My Father" on Christmas Day. Think that was 1970 if my memory serves me correctly. Someone had burned out the changeover pedals and I had to make the changeovers on the Peerless Magnarcs standing between the two machines, using the dowsers. Such fun!! We had Christmas dinner late that night. [Mad]

Happy Holidays to all. [Smile]

Posted by Bryan Fournier (Member # 264) on 12-10-2003, 11:47 PM:

The theatre I work at part-time in Fairfield, CT is closed for Christmas day. The theatre is a not-for-profit sub run/art house and has two paid managers and an entirely volunteer floor staff. This theatre would probably do well on Christmas, especially at night, but the owner has decided to put $$$ second to giving the staff the day off.

Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 12-11-2003, 01:26 AM:

We usually close Christmas Eve...then run "Full Bore" Christmas Day.

Posted by Tony Ratcliff (Member # 1196) on 12-11-2003, 11:29 AM:

As usual I'll have just a matinee on Christmas Eve, then closed on Christmas Day.
I still think Christmas Day should be spent with family and friends, and that I and my staff deserve the chance to do that.

There is more to life than money.
But I'm lucky enough to be able to do that since I'm mid-run.

I always found it a little discouraging that at the first-run theatres, they usually HAVE to be open.

I'll bet the film bookers, distributors, district managers, VPs and CEOs will all be home enjoying the day while the people who are the backbone of the organization are stuck working. [Frown]

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 12-11-2003, 11:33 AM:

...kind of like they (film bookers, district managers, VPs and CEOs) do on weekends and Friday's. [scream]

Posted by Mark Ogden (Member # 43) on 12-11-2003, 11:40 AM:

See, what you have to understand is that December 25th is actually two different holidays: it is both Christmas Day and All Good Jews Go To The Movies Day. So on behalf of the Sons of Israel, I thank you for your professionalism on this most holiest of days. Also, you should thank your mothers for the chicken soup [Big Grin]

Posted by Rachel Gilardi (Member # 1016) on 12-11-2003, 12:00 PM:

quote:
Rachel,

Where in SC?

Kershaw county, Don and I will be there for a week - maybe we'll come visit you. He thinks its about and hour away...maybe?

Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 12-11-2003, 12:07 PM:

We have matinees and one evening set of shows on Christmas eve and first show starts at 3:00 on Christmas day. We get paid overtime from 4:30pm to close on Christmas eve and all day Christmas day.

Posted by Richard Greco (Member # 2032) on 12-11-2003, 12:30 PM:

we run a full schedule for christmas.

Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 12-11-2003, 01:15 PM:

During the Christmas season we are closed, but because of the Academy screeners ban and a need for extra screen time. Miramax has us running 2 extra days during this time for Academy/Guild screenings. But they are paying Golden Time pay for those screenings for me.

When I worked the Local's extra board in Los Angeles during Christmas season. I would get calls from operators that I would only hear from once a year. That would always say if you work for me Christmas Eve, I will give you afew extra shifts in the coming months. That always amounted to a Big bucket of [bs]

But a few did live up to their word on the shifts.

Posted by Charles Everett (Member # 889) on 12-11-2003, 04:13 PM:

Haven't you heard, Bill G? The screener ban was lifted by a federal judge last week at the behest of -- get this -- Miramax! That's so the Weinstein Family can buy nominations for Cold Mountain. Methinks that 9-reeler is gonna end up like The Postman. [Big Grin]

More Xmas booking nightmares: 21 Grams had its national break delayed to 12/26, when it goes semi-wide. Why do studios have to expand arthouse fare on Boxing Day instead of Xmas Day?

Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 12-11-2003, 05:25 PM:

Yes, Charles I know the screener ban was lifted last week. But Miramax has had the screening times booked since July of this year. We started running academy/guild screenings back in August here in New York. Even before any screener ban was in place. All it means is Double Time on both days for a 8 hour call.

Posted by Jason Black (Member # 684) on 12-12-2003, 03:30 PM:

This year, as in recent years (the last three IIRC) we are showing the last show at 8:15pm on the 24th and the first show hits the screen 12/25 at 1:30pm. This gives most of the floor staff several additional hours to spend with family/friends.

I'd much rather see the last show on the 24th at 5:00 and the first shows on the 25th at 4:00, but I'll take what I'm getting... and quite Thankfully, might I add.. [Smile]

Posted by Michael Harlow (Member # 1353) on 12-12-2003, 03:55 PM:

We are off all day 24th, 25th, 26th & 31st Dec with a late start on New Years Day! [Smile]

Posted by Michael Brown (Member # 890) on 12-12-2003, 07:29 PM:

Closed on the 25th. Not sure if it's a full or reduced programme on the surrounding days.

Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 12-15-2003, 02:20 PM:

Early close on Xmas eve... everything around here is locked up by 6PM.

Late start on Christmas... we'll give 'em somewhere to go, once the batteries all wear down.

Posted by Richard Greco (Member # 2032) on 12-15-2003, 02:24 PM:

I was wrong on my eariler post.

On the 24th, we close at 8:30 pm
25th, we open at 1:30 pm

Posted by Shane Hoffmann (Member # 1620) on 12-15-2003, 04:56 PM:

Usually we are closed on Christmas Eve, but this year we are having one matinee for some reason. We run normal showtimes on Christmas Day. I think that in a town of 42,000 people, we don't need to be open all day Christmas. It would be better to only show evening shows.

One issue that came up is that several people in concessions are scheduled to work 10 hours on Christmas. I remember reading in a post a while back that if you want to work in the entertainment industry, you must be willing to give up your holidays. When you've got high school kids scheduled to work all day on Christmas instead of being with their families, I think that is not logical. It's just a part-time job, and it's not worth the just above minimum wage we are getting paid (no extra on Christmas).

Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 12-15-2003, 05:29 PM:

Shane, that's just not right.

Jason, I've been told by someone who managed for Carmike the early 90's that they used to shut down at 5 on Christmas Eve and open at 5 on Christmas Day. Would be nice if they still did that. Oh well.

Posted by Dennis Benjamin (Member # 1137) on 12-15-2003, 07:40 PM:

I have not had a holiday off in 14 years....

Anyways.....

We are cutting are last evening show Christmas Eve and cutting the first matinee on Christmas Day.
Like Usual........................

Posted by Jason Black (Member # 684) on 12-15-2003, 10:46 PM:

Dustin,

I've worked for Carmike since '89 and we've NEVER shut down at 5 and opened at 5 for those two days. It'd be WONDERFUL but it won't happen anytime soon... [Smile]

Posted by Sean M. Grimes (Member # 445) on 12-16-2003, 12:33 AM:

When I worked for Hoyts a few years ago, we would cut the last eve. on Christmas Eve and the first mat on Christmas morn. Well for the last two years we did, anyway. I personally believe that it is just plain silly for most theaters to be open for those times. [Roll Eyes]

I also preferred to not be opened the last eve show before New Years Eve. Really kind of silly. ehhh.

Posted by Steve Anderson (Member # 364) on 12-17-2003, 08:44 PM:

We drop the last showings on Christmas Eve and the fist showing on Christmas Day.

Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 12-17-2003, 08:56 PM:

Hey Shane, welcome to the real world... There is always McDonalds....

>>> Phil

Posted by Kyle Watkins (Member # 986) on 12-17-2003, 09:30 PM:

just found out today we are not droping the first show for christmas day. Dam lord of rings starting at 11am. and we have to be at work 2 hours before the moive starts, so 9am. that really sucks.

Posted by Shane Hoffmann (Member # 1620) on 12-18-2003, 01:27 AM:

Thanks Phil, I'll keep that in mind. Although, I was complaining for my co-workers, not for myself. I only have to work 4 hours.

Posted by Beth Smith (Member # 1505) on 12-21-2003, 10:17 PM:

Our last show on the 24 is around 8:00.

We usually open late on Christmas Day but this year we will be open for a full schedule. I just hope I have more business than Thanksgiving...I've never been so bored in all of my life...

Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 12-22-2003, 12:11 AM:

Don't feel bad. McDonalds just called and wants me to work xmas morning 6AM 'til 4PM.

I LUV flipping burgers!

>>> Phil

Posted by Jeff Taylor (Member # 443) on 12-22-2003, 08:21 AM:

Hey, film exhibition is a 24/7/365 business,well close to it. Open for Christmas, yes.

Posted by Gerard S. Cohen (Member # 994) on 12-23-2003, 05:43 PM:

In an earlier post--maybe last year about this time-- I wrote that in IATSE Local 306 Projectionists it has always been the custom for Christian and Jewish operators to work each other's holy days, and where the composition of a theatre's staff didn't allow this to work out easily among boothmates,
the union's Replacement List would furnish the personnel needed.

Now it seems this practice in NYC is also common in hospitals, newsrooms, police stations, law offices, and even in sewage treatment plants; and among Hindus, Buddhists, and Christian groups such as Jehova's Witnesses, as revealed in a newspaper article of Dec. 22, 2003:
Source

Off on Yom Kippur? It's Probably Time to Work a Holiday
By DANIEL J. WAKIN [c. The New York Times]

From the towns of central Europe to the streets of Lower Manhattan, the "Shabbos goy" is a well-known figure, switching on the lights or turning up the heat for observant Jews, who are barred from such work on the Sabbath.

Now invert the picture. Could there be something called the Christmas Jew? He or she would be the Jewish surgeon or magistrate or police officer or reporter or bus driver who works on Christmas.

With jobs to be filled on Dec. 24 and 25, Jews are volunteering and, in some cases, being volunteered for duty. Under a silent bargain, Christians will fill in for them on their holidays.

The topic is not often discussed openly. But it is part of the social grease that keeps society working smoothly in New York, a city of hurly-burly diversity, where Jews account for roughly 12 percent of the population. The practice keeps people away from arguments over crèches, crosses and menorahs in public places and puts some meat in the bland ecumenical phrase "happy holidays."

Many Jews speak of working on Christmas as obeying an "unwritten rule," or upholding a "social contract," or, in the words of Mayer Fertig, the managing editor of WCBS-AM, just being a mensch.

"Unless it's Saturday, it would never occur to me not to work on Christmas Day," said Mr. Fertig, who describes himself as an Orthodox Jew. And he will be on duty so that a gentile colleague can be off. "There's no earthly reason why I wouldn't hope to accommodate them," he said.

This year, most of the staff members working Christmas in the newsroom, where Jews are a minority, will be Jewish. "We've joked about it: `WCBS, All-Jews Radio,' " Mr. Fertig said.

For many Jews, working on Christmas is payback to gentile colleagues who fill in on Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashana. Other Jews view working on Christmas as a way to fulfill tenets of the faith.

But beneath the surface, seldom acknowledged, are tricky issues.

A system of religion-based job substitutions can breed subtle resentments, said William B. Helmreich, a professor of the sociology of religion at the City University of New York Graduate Center. "People look for hypocrisies," he said, like the Jew who takes off Yom Kippur but eats pork, or the Catholic who leaves work early on Good Friday but does not go to church on Easter.

For Professor Helmreich, working on one another's holidays is a matter of basic respect. "Freedom of religion is not just to practice the religion of your own, but the freedom and decency to respect someone else's desire," he said. And that is why he worked on Christmas as a waiter at a Catskills resort decades ago. "By the way," he said, "the tips were pretty good."

The workers at the Wards Island sewage treatment facility, run by the city's Department of Environmental Protection, have it worked out. Louis Rabinowitz, who is Jewish, said his bosses and co-workers know that he is willing to work on Christmas. "That's respecting someone else's religion," he said.

A Catholic co-worker, Nick Tamburrino, sounded the same note of harmony. "We understand you have your religion, we have our religion, and you work it out," he said.

The contrast between how society treats Christmas and how it treats the Jewish High Holy Days is apparent to some. Jewish law requires a halt to work on Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashana, which are not legal days off. Religious strictures on working are generally looser for Christians on Christmas. Yet Christmas is a legal holiday.

For some Jews, particularly those with roots in Europe, Christmas can be a time of ambivalence because of memories of anti-Semitic exhortations during sermons, said Rabbi Yaakov Y. Horowitz, a member of the Bostoner Hasidic branch and founder of American Jewish Legacy, a nonprofit organization that promotes Jewish heritage in the United States. "Christmas and New Year's and Easter were times when many Jews would hide in basements," he said.

None of a dozen Jews interviewed for this article said they objected to being asked to work on Christmas. At the same time, Marc Stern, a lawyer for the American Jewish Committee, said that in his 27 years on the job, he had never heard of Jews being forced to work the holiday.

Under federal law, employers in businesses of more than 15 workers must "reasonably accommodate" religious needs unless they can demonstrate "undue hardship." A religious need includes taking a holiday off. An accommodation can include allowing a holiday swap.

Others who help accommodate are Muslims, Hindus, other non-Christians and Jehovah's Witnesses, who do not celebrate holidays.

Carmelo Cruz, a Jehovah's Witness, said he and a Chinese Buddhist co-worker often fill in for other technicians on Christmas at a Con Edison steam plant at 74th Street near the East River. "They know I don't observe, so they ask me, `Can you come fill in?' " Mr. Cruz said. "I oblige."

At the city's Bowery Bay sewage plant in Astoria, Queens, three Hindu engineers of Indian origin and a Muslim from Bangladesh were often available to work on Christmas, said Vincent Rubbo, an engineer for the city's Department of Environmental Protection and a Catholic. He now works at the Wards Island plant, where all 10 engineers in his department are Catholic.

Hospitals are a major locale where Christmas schedules are worked out. Dr. Eugene Ornstein, an anesthesiologist at the Columbia-Presbyterian Center of New York Presbyterian Hospital, makes the schedule for anesthesiologists at the main operating rooms and has a simple system for Christmas: "I go through the list of the people that are Jewish and put them on."

There have been few complaints, he said. Most doctors understand, although there have been problems with Jewish doctors married to Christians who want to be home with the family. They are accommodated, Dr. Ornstein said.

Dr. Robert van Amerongen is an observant Jew who is director of pediatric emergency service at New York Methodist Hospital. Although he is senior enough to be able to take Christmas off, he said, he always works. "That just infuses good will," he said. But he said his motives were suffused with Jewish principles, one being that it is "man's purpose to fix the world." Another principle, he said, is an obligation for Jews to act in a way that reflects well on the faith.

Like hospitals, the legal system must stay open, too. Judge Laura A. Ward, an acting State Supreme Court justice in Manhattan who is Jewish, said she always volunteered to handle arraignments on Christmas. She volunteered this year and was scheduled to work but in the end was not needed. Her volunteering for Christmas duty is practical, not altruistic. She expects judges to cover for her and others on Jewish holidays. "When you're a professional, you do for your colleagues," she said.

Judge Eileen Koretz of Criminal Court in Manhattan cited an unwritten rule: "If you're Jewish, you're going to take off your holidays, and you appreciate the fact that other judges are going to cover for you, and you cover the Christian holidays," she said. "It makes you feel good that you're all working together toward an end."

At the 112th Precinct in Forest Hills, Queens, Detectives David Shapiro and Kieran O'Halloran have been partners for five years. Detective O'Halloran, a Catholic, makes sure to work on the Jewish holidays so that his partner can be off, and he receives the same courtesy. "It's a nice gesture by Dave, and we like it," he said.

Detective Shapiro will be working both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. "It's more important for me," he said, "to know that these guys are able to be home with their family and kids for the holiday."

[ 12-23-2003, 07:05 PM: Message edited by: Gerard S. Cohen ]

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 12-23-2003, 07:37 PM:

I saw that in the Times. Wonderful holiday sentiment.

A friend of mine is joining the military and for religion put down "Pagan." Guess she will ask for solstice and equinox off.

Did the "Church of Maximum Occupancy" have any members besides Homer J. Simpson?

Posted by Charles Everett (Member # 889) on 12-24-2003, 12:26 PM:

Phil, don't feel bad. Mickey D's wants your customers to have Super-Size Meals before they see "Super-Size Comedy" (Cheaper by the Dozen).

This year many of the Manhattan theaters have a full schedule Xmas Eve and Xmas Day. You can welcome the Bad Santa after midnight at the AMC Empire, then wake up to Return of the King across the street at the Loews E-Walk.

Empire Theatres in eastern Canada has an ideal holiday schedule: Matinees only on Xmas Eve, evening shows only on Xmas Day, full schedule from Boxing Day.

Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 12-25-2003, 12:15 PM:

10:14 AM Pacific Standard Time, Thursday, December 25th 2003.

I arrived at 9:15 AM, threaded up all my shows and am getting some time in on the forum before I have to leave the theatre a pick up an employee. She may or may not be able to work as she has been sick most of the week.

Normaly I enjoy working Chirstmas day. But this year I feel less than enthusiastic.

Hopefully the patrons will be polite and appriciative and the employees on time and enthusiastic. May the films stay on the platters and run through the projectors smoothly. May the lamps burn strong and bright. May the percap excede $1.80. Can I get an Amen?! [thumbsup]

Happy Christmas everyone.

Posted by Per Hauberg (Member # 529) on 12-25-2003, 06:38 PM:

2412 closed - same new years eve
2512 opening 1600 hrs instead of 1200 - same new years day

earlier - that is until about 20 years ago, our laws forbid cinemas to be open during church time, meaning all closed on christmas day, good friday, easter sunday and withsunday.
I do miss those days off ! This year, cinemas closing christmas day and newyears day will be punised with higher film rental on ROTK the following days, so no truancy here, kids !

p.