Congratulations. You made it to the pointy end of the year. Now all you need to do is get through the busiest period of service and everything will be fine. Right?
Except you won’t really slack off, will you? Once you finally get a break, or on one of those days off each week, some of you will be out there with the rest of the drinking hordes and putting in some proper partying.
It is, after all, the festive season, and more power to you I say — you deserve it. You’re working overtime and you deserve to blow off some steam.
But whilst you do it, it can’t hurt to also keep an eye on those around you. This time of year can be hard for some, whether it’s because they’ve lost a loved one recently or whether it’s because their loved ones have never really lived up to the term, it’s a time of year when everything — the drinks, partying, the feelings — is amplified.
But this is the great thing about this industry: you do look out for one another. That is, after all, what hospitality is all about.
It reminds me of something that Steve Schneider once said to us in an interview, describing his approach to bartending and hospitality: “If you tend bar for other people, the job is so fucking easy,” he said.
I think it’s a handy reminder to look outside ourselves once in a while, and, I don’t know — approach those around us with a little empathy.
Best of luck with what December brings; we’ll see you in 2020.
See you at the bar.