1. The environment can actually be “quite jolly.”

While “hospital” and “jolly” aren't usually used together, things can feel slightly different during Christmas time when you introduce everything from holiday parties to surgeons dressed as Santa.

Plus, as Dr. Nick Edwards told The Daily Mail of his working-on-Christmas experiences:

“Unless the condition's threatening, patients and relatives are usually in good spirits and very appreciative – over the years I've received a few gifts, usually a jumper or tie which, guessing by the fluffy reindeer motif, were rejected gifts from earlier in the day….And the Christmas injuries, well sometimes, you have to laugh.”

2. You'll end up with some good stories.

And speaking of Christmas injuries... you'll see everything from various forms of overindulgence to toy-related injuries. Many of which will make great stories to share next year when you're home sipping eggnog and snacking on gingerbread.

But it’s not all fun and games. For example, heart attacks spike during the holiday season (there's a name for it: "Holiday Heart Syndrome").

Following his first holiday shift, Dr. Hans Zuckerman told Physicians News,

"For the most part, working Christmas is just another day in the hospital. We're all quite aware it's a holiday, and we do have some lighter moments on those days, but you learn quickly that you're there for a reason.”

3. Your presence matters even more than usual.

Sure, doctors save lives every day. But they may save them in a different and more meaningful way on Christmas.

Adam Simon, a GP from AJ Primus Healthcare, shared a story when he spent a few hours of Christmas with a 90-year-old lady as she had no family:

"A few years ago, I made a house call on Christmas Eve to a 90-year-old lady. I arrived feeling very festive — she was my last patient of the day, and I had a few days off to look forward to.

But inside the house it was cold and dark, with no decorations, no tree and not a single card. Just the patient, alone, in her front room. I quickly gathered that she had no family and, since becoming almost housebound in the previous years, no friends apart from her carers.

The medical problem was quickly dealt with, but I just couldn’t leave her like that.

So I went out and bought some treats, a few cards and some tinsel, and spent some time decorating her front room while she told me stories of Christmas as a child.

I spent a couple of hours with her in all — a tiny part of my day.

But the smile on her face as I left made me feel as if I was 20ft tall."

4. You may earn more.

There's a financial incentive to work over the holidays.

NHS shared that "the clinical staff who work directly with patients in 24/7 services over the holiday period will be paid an extra £100 per shift".

Explained Dr. Clifford Mann at the time, "It means hospitals are desperate to try to find people to fill these slots and are having to pay premium rates for that to happen."

Doctors are in great demand over Christmas break, agreeing to pick up an extra shift or two may make it much easier to pay off your post-Christmas shopping credit card bill next month.

5. Your coworkers will appreciate you.

There's no getting around to the fact that hospitals need doctors at Christmas, so those who step up to do so are likely to earn the gratitude of their coworkers.

Here's what Paul Sax, MD, said about working during holiday shifts:

“This is one of the best things [about working during Christmas] — the immediate recognition among those in the hospital that we’re in this together.”

But agreeing to switch shifts with someone else—particularly if being off on Christmas isn't as important to you as it's to other people—isn't just a kind thing to do; it may also be a strategic maneuver: If you ever need someone to trade with you, you'll be glad you've got "money in the bank." from fulfilling their Christmas wishes.

Conclusion

We've told you a lot about what it's like to work in the hospital on Christmas. But why not see for yourself courtesy of the NHS's #NHSWorkingXmas hashtag?

From a Christmas Eve photo of midwives on the labor ward to a heartfelt tweet proclaiming, "I wouldn't be alive today without you," this viral Twitter campaign offers a compelling glimpse inside the lives of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals working holiday shifts.

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