I am Gen X. Tangential story. Shanghai early 2000s. Western owned, majority Chinese employee company. About 10 foreigners, Millennials, Americans, Brits, a couple of Frenchies, a random Columbian. I am their manager. They want Christmas off. Sure, take vacation days I tell them. Christmas is not a public holiday in China. No, they say, we should really get Christmas off because we are special. I mean how can you deny us Christmas, that's cruel and unusual punishment. We want to go home and be with our families.
I talk to the CEO (American). He says this could actually work out. They can swap Chinese New Year for Christmas. All the Chinese will take Chinese New Year off obviously, but the foreigners can cover for them. We need Chinese New Year coverage, we have international clients. So have the foreigners in Shanghai swap Christmas for Chinese New Years and everyone is happy. We have both Christmas (covered by local Chinese employees) and Chinese New Year (covered by foreigners) covered.
I pass on the message.
They say no, but Chinese New Year is a public holiday in China, you can't make us work on public holidays in China that's illeeeeeeegaaaaaaaall. Or at least you have to pay us 2x the wage.
They had to all take vacation days for Christmas.
I worked both.