Skipping Christmas with family for business - it is worth it?

[Sun_Kim-Ai]

For me choosing between family and business/politics is always something of a conundrum.

Right now I'm abroad, but I should return tomorrow and there's a gala event in my region's capital on the 23rd which I'm considering to attend, given that there'll be a lot of bigshots that don't usually come out in public. However this is also the first Christmas with my daughter so I'm not completely sure about attending, given that I'm still taking away yet another day of the Holidays from my family. My associate and plus-one has already declined the invitation because she wants to spend the day with her son, and although I see her points, I also think that we have all the days afterwards up to New Year's Eve and our children are too little anyway to remember this Christmas.

All I can say is that now I understand why and how my grandfather and father felt when they skipped celebrating Holidays with us children.

[NathanDavis]

that is a decision that everyone has to make for themselves...

every case and circumstance will be entirely different from one another

personally, and as a business owner, with coworkers... I make sure that we do work on the earlier hours of the 24th, and the later hours of the 25th, because our holidays are celebrated around midnight and between the 24/25

and then, I make sure that not everyone has to work... those who are more free and have more room to manage might work a bit more, and those who need to travel some, or are more family involved can work less

for special circumstances, if someone has to skip all together, they can do that

a lot of people of my family and relatives are business and hard working people, but... the Christmas holidays are not negotiable, lmao, we either prioritize family, or make time for family

and in my very personal case, I always make sure my coworkers will have time with their families on Chritmas, no matter what and our clients know that too... I will not overwork anybody on Holidays for no deal, no pay, no reason... they never try either, lol

[SnowedIn]

My gut reaction is that you'll regret missing Christmas with your daughter. You didn't say anything about wife/daughter's mother but I'm assuming that person is part of this equation -- they might not take kindly to you missing that. The "first" anything with a child is about way more than that child or what that child remembers.

But, let's look at this from a purely cost benefit analysis. You say the bigshots will be at the gala. Does it directly influence your business or your boss's view of your performance? If not, then you shouldn't go. Otherwise it's about ego. If you're not sealing the deal on a new contract or your performance bonus directly relates to this event, skip it. The bigshots probably won't congratulate you for missing Christmas with your family.

[TrueConfection]

Either way, it's a Christmas your family will remember.

[OlderAndWiser]

The fact that your child, fifteen years from now, may not be able to recall memories of this Christmas doesn't mean that sharing the holiday does not leaving a lasting impression on her personality.

[Andres77]

Bills come due regardless of the holidays or family obligations. Do what you have to do to be responsible.

[joeldalton]

You’re a retard if you pick work over family.