By Kristina Dudley
Tulsa World 
Copyright 2007 The Tulsa World

Working on the biggest holiday of the year may be the ultimate punishment for some, but other employees are accustomed to working their holiday plans around Christmas Day.

Holidays are just another day at the office for emergency responders, convenience-store workers and entertainers.

Susan Youtsey, manager of the Jiffy Trip in Mannford, said she is going to have her first Christmas Day off in eight years.

"I'm going to get time with my 2-year-old grandbaby, and it will be fun," Youtsey said.

She said the convenience store stays busy on Christmas Day.

"There are lots of people getting last-minute things like gas to go to Grandma's. It's things that people have forgotten," she said.

Youtsey doesn't treat the day any differently than all the others she works.

"I act the same. I'm always cheerful," she said, laughing.

She said she might add, "Have a merry Christmas" instead of her usual "Have a good day."

"That's the only change I would make," she said.

Kristie Walton, owner of Emergency Medical Services Plus, which provides ambulance service in Glenpool, is used to working holidays.

"When you take on this career, you're ready to work holidays, weekends and nights. Holidays are just something you do. It's just second nature," she said.

Walton said the office is usually quiet as she goes about her typical duties on Christmas.

"It's business as usual. We don't usually have a lot going on. There's always someone who brings food in. We're well-fed people here," she said.

Walton said working the holiday doesn't bother her as much as others because she doesn't have children.

"The folks with small kids — it really bothers them," she said.

Walton said her family is accustomed to working around holiday schedules, and they plan alternative holiday dates.

"We start asking, 'When do we do Christmas this year?'" Walton said.

Wayne Smith, manager of RiverWalk Movies in Jenks, said it doesn't bother him to work Christmas Day.

"The people are happy. It's busy. The time goes by fast," Smith said.

He said he and his employees add festivity to the season by wearing Santa hats and playing Christmas music in the background.

"Everyone loves it," he said.

It's also a profitable day for the movie theater.

"It's one of our busiest days of the year — that and Thanksgiving and the day after Christmas," he said.