"You'll want all day tomorrow, I suppose?" says Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens' classic A Christmas Carol.
"If quite convenient, sir," replies his employee, Bob Cratchet.
"It's not convenient. . . and it's not fair . . ." retorts the miserly employer. "But I suppose you must have the whole day. Be here all the earlier next morning."
Poor wretch: That's the stereotype of the soul who must toil under duress over the seasonal holiday period while the rest of the world takes a celebratory break from business.
The more current reality: In an increasingly busy, global and technology-connected economy, more and more people find the lines between time on and time off blurred.
And while there have always been jobs that required work over the holidays, these days, even offices that are all but locked down will see professionals in at work trying to catch up and prepare for the year ahead.
Moreover, career experts say that being on duty when others are not can pay handsome dividends.
Just 34 per cent of executives say they plan to stay out of the office for the full time between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day, according to an international survey by executive recruiting firm Korn/Ferry International of 2,000 executives.
Another 38 per cent said they plan between four and seven days off during the 10-day stretch, and the remaining 27 per cent will take three days or fewer.
The poll also found that 72 per cent of those polled expect to do office work during their time at home.
Some employees have found themselves on the job during the holidays year after year after year.
Christmas Day will find Lynn Crawford up before dawn overseeing a kitchen staff roasting dozens of turkeys, tying asparagus into bundles and getting ready to serve hundreds of festive dinners.
The executive chef at the Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto has been working Christmas and New Year's Day-- and every day in between -- for the past 20 years. It comes with the job; being willing to work full-tilt on holidays, she says, is necessary if you expect to climb as she did from sous chef to an executive responsible for dozens of staff.
"I love cooking, I love the energy in the kitchen, I love the experience of tasting and creating food. I just can't stop," she says.
"By now, my friends and family understand that the celebration for me happens when I take some time off after New Year's Day," Ms. Crawford adds.
For others, continuing job responsibility, whether by going to the office or checking in from home, is part of a growing trend.
It's fuelled by the spreading "BlackBerry culture," with people coming to expect that they have to be accessible at all times, says Jeff Rosin, Korn/Ferry's managing director for Canada. "People feel they have to be connected and immediately deal with situations as they arise, rather than having to wait till they return to work."
Working over the holidays may help give them the feeling of being on top of their agenda, he says.
And because many executives will be around when others are away, smart employees can take advantage of their availability, finding that opportunities open for those who volunteer to work during the holiday break, advises career coach Daisy Wright, president of The Wright Career Solution in Brampton, Ont.
"It's a good time to get a fresh perspective, get management buy-in to new ideas and talk about advancement," she says.
"In the spirit of the season, your boss may be more relaxed and less distracted, and therefore more receptive and approachable," she adds.
If a promotion is coming up, being seen at work would definitely give you an edge, Ms. Wright says.
"There a good chance the response is going to be: 'Wow, here is someone who is here doing what I am doing and thinking about their next step while other people are just thinking about eating and drinking.' "
This could also be a good time to get some cross-training. For instance, if you are in finance and know the marketing team is short-staffed, you could volunteer to help out on a project -- and add the experience to your résumé. "Just like that, your value rises," Ms. Wright says.
Many people still resist working on the holidays because they never have in the past, but that attitude is changing, according to Manon Dulude, principal of Life Coaching Services of Georgetown, Ont.
"We are living in a time when traditions are being rewritten. There are many people for whom the holidays don't have the same impact that they might have in years past." For instance, people who are single or divorced or from a culture that doesn't recognize Christmas as a holiday might not be at all distraught about working on Dec. 25.
In fact, 28 per cent of Canadian employees say they would volunteer to work on Christmas and Boxing Day for the extra holiday pay, according to an on-line poll of 14,000 Canadians done by the on-line job site, Workopolis.com, a partnership of The Globe and Mail division of Bell Globemedia, Toronto Star Newspapers Ltd. and Gesca Ltd., the newspaper publishing subsidiary of Power Corp. of Canada.
There is still a sizable resistance to being told to work, though. The poll found 74 per cent said that, if they had their way, their offices would stay closed for the entire week after Christmas.
If you have to work but have misgivings, mindset is all-important, Ms. Dulude says.
"What is the story you're telling yourself? If you are feeling victimized and mistreated, then that's how you are going to feel. If you say this is an opportunity, you'll find ways to enjoy the experience."
And on top of the extra pay, working now can let you bank time for a getaway in the middle of winter while others are hard at work, she says.
To avoid the feeling that you are missing the celebration, Ms. Dulude suggests finding a way to make the holiday special.
You can still have a family dinner and present exchange, but it could be on Christmas Eve or some other time when you don't have to work.
At work on a holiday, you might order some food in and share it with those who are also in that day.
"Creating a new tradition can make it a more cheerful and exciting time," Ms. Dulude says.
"It is all about choice, and even if it is something that is being forced on you, you still have a choice of how you are going to deal with it," she says.
"Whatever you do requires doing it with a smile. If you come in to work begrudgingly, you won't be earning any bonus points."
However, Mr. Rosin cautions that no matter what level you are at in an organization, it is important to keep a perspective on the value of your own time.
"I think it is important to set boundaries. Remember that working on a holiday is a personal choice and doesn't have to be the only option." Mr. Rosin says.
"For busy executives this is probably one of the best opportunities all year to have quality family time," Mr. Rosin notes.
It is also an excellent time for personal reflection on what happened in the past year and a chance to look at what they might do differently in the next year.
That's what Mr. Rosin plans to do.
"I personally need to switch off completely and unwind and recharge. I am much more effective once I have recharged the batteries."
He's staying home and incognito.
"I don't check e-mails or voice mails and I have an absence greeting on that states I am not checking messages."
Despite that, if there is a very time-sensitive matter, he says people in his office know his number and times when they can reach him.
For those who have to be on the front lines, all the experts suggest having something to look forward to as a reward in the new year. Ms. Crawford says she's finally taking a break in January, although she admits that her vacations are usually cook's tours.
She plans to take a two-week tour through California to sample the latest cuisine and stay at the Four Seasons in San Francisco.
"It will be nice to get away to someplace warm and let someone else cook for me," she says.
'Tis the season to work? How to make the most of it
Have to work over the holiday period? Here's some advice from the pros on how to make the most of it if you're going to be on the job through Christmas and New Year's Day.
For employees
Jump on opportunities to help boost your career. The boss is in? Take advantage of face-to-face time. Spread your wings by volunteering to cover staff shortages in other departments. Get noticed.
Use Look at the positives in your pocketbook and the ways that pitching in to help can boost your career.
Work with a smile. Griping drags everyone down.
Make it festive. On the holiday, invite co-workers to get together for lunch or arrange catering of a good meal in the office.
Be understanding. Volunteer to switch shifts with someone who has an important family gathering to attend.
Keep it simple. Don't try to get full production when you may have only a fraction of your regular team at work.
Help out. Go out of your way to ask co-workers who may be overloaded during the short-staffed holidays if they need assistance.
Declare an e-mail ceasefire. Easing back on computer dialogues that require immediate answers can reduce anxiety.
Build community. Use the quieter time to get better acquainted with co-workers.
For employers
Avoid surprises. Give employees who will have to work plenty of advance notice.
Include employee input in making up schedules. Look first for volunteers, then use seniority.
Be realistic about what will be accomplished. Give clear directions about priorities. Check in with staff to make sure they are not having to struggle to cover the work of others who are off.
Acknowledge the effort. Ensure that any extra time staff put in over the holidays is logged and the work is noted at the next review.
Be there. If you aren't prepared to put in hours during the holiday, how can you expect your team to show up?
Cut some slack. Allow staff who work the holidays either a longer lunch hour or the ability to arrive later or leave earlier than normal.
Give rewards. If you're not awarding bonuses, give each member of staff working over the holidays a small gift as a token of appreciation.
Sources: Global Business and Economic Roundtable on Addiction and Mental Health; the Industrial Accident Prevention Association; Investors in People UK.