Christmas is the busiest time of year for retailers. Which means lots of money but also lots of frustrating moments. Hey, at least there’s always the work Christmas party.

Here are six feels all retailers will understand if they work during the Christmas break. Happy holidays!

#1 Lunch Breaks Are Non-Existent

When December rolls around, the store is so packed that even if you are lucky enough to get a lunch break, it definitely won’t be at lunch time. You’ll be kept so busy by the angry customers and bustling store that you won’t even notice that you haven’t eaten for six hours.

As you sit in the break room ravenously eating your “lunch” at 4 o’clock, you’ll most likely be called back on to the floor early. Because the store can’t function without you, right? That’s retail for you.

#2 Christmas Songs Are The Devil

I remember when Christmas songs used to be a sound of childhood joy and happy memories. But now, it sounds like the time you stress cried in the break room because a customer yelled at you for not having an item in stock. And it doesn’t help that the same songs are played on a constant loop for eight hours.

When you work in retail, you just have to deal with the fact that Christmas songs are ruined forever.

#3 There’s A Deep Rage Burning Inside You

No matter what you’re doing on your shift – wrapping paper duty, piling stock, or just dealing with the many customer complaints – you have to pretend to be the image of Christmas cheer.

You have to keep that smile plastered on your face when a customer yells, “WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU’RE SOLD OUT” in your face. And you have to try not to kill anyone when you’re counting the money in the till and customers keeps interrupting you. The only time you can relax is when you go home and finally be your bitter, Christmas-hating self after a long day of pretending.

#4 Customers Making A Huge Mess

It’s no secret that the store will get ten times messier than what it usually looks like in December. A whole hour has to be dedicated to cleaning the store after everyone has left when it used to be a 15-minute job. And throughout the day you have to watch customers throw products around and chuck them on the wrong shelves.

I mean come on, how hard is it to put it back where you found it? It really is like cleaning up after children.

#5 The Crowds Are Suffocating

You have to weave your way through the seas of people to get to one end of the store to the other, and that’s without getting stopped by about a hundred customers on your way. There’s never enough staff for the number of customers that walk through the doors yet customers don’t seem to understand they’ll have to wait a few more minutes to get the help they need.

You try to explain to the customer that you’re just one person and can’t be everywhere at once, only for them to ask for the manager because they think you’re being rude. Don’t you just love retail?

Sophie Nicolas is studying a bachelor of Arts in creative writing and is an aspiring writer, dog enthusiast and thrift shop fashion icon.

(Lead image: Elf/Warner Bros)