Fire officer Mark Eaglestone, Basildon Fire Station

We do a draw early in the year and pull out three lucky names and they get the day off – everyone else just has to work on the chosen shift they are on.

This year, Green Watch are on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and it’s been three years since I had those days off, but, when you join the emergency services, it’s no different to joining the military – you’re on 365 days a year service and you have to be there for the community you serve.

It’s harder for the personnel with younger kids, trying to explain to them they’re not going to be there Christmas Day, but, often, youmove your celebrations to your day off.

The day itself is quite sombre in the station because, realistically, most people just want to be home with their families. This year we’re on day shifts so we’ll be gearing up to spend the evening with our families.

As far as incidents go, it tends to be the same as any other day, though, if anything, accidents are more likely to happen because a lot of people are getting merry and that can leave them quite vulnerable.

Father Graham Crook, Church of England chaplain at Southend Hospital

Christmas Day begins with the Eucharist in the hospital chapel at 8am, after which I take Holy Communion to those patients on the wards who wish to receive the Sacrament.

It is a great privilege to be providing pastoral and sacramental care for the hospital over the Christmas period, and to be available to patients, their relatives, visitors and of course members of staff.

Christmas can be a time of great stress for many people and a very emotional time for those whose relatives are in hospital, and a great part of the ministry of the chaplaincy is that of listening and supporting.

Dr Caroline Howard, consultant and clinical lead emergency medicine, Southend Hospital

On Christmas Day, I am planning a relaxing day at home with my husband, plus turkey and all the trimmings.

I will very likely speak to my twin sister on the phone, who will be abroad, and to the rest of my family in the UK.

I will then be on call from 8am Boxing Day and working in the department from 10am. I’ll plan an early night to prepare for that, as I remain on call until 8am on December 27.

Boxing Day usually is very busy because sometimes people delay attending from the day before. It is pretty much a normal working day, but we always try to see if there are any possible solutions to allow people to go home, or restrict them as little as possible.

If you can come up with some solutions, it’s always better getting people sorted and home for Christmas, and usually people are a lot more grateful for it. If people are very unwell, or if we have any deaths, then I think people do feel a lot more upset than usual even though we do have to deal with that on a daily basis. We ensure we have some “goodies” to treat ourselves in the staff room and usually these are kept well topped up by patients bringing in chocolates and cards.

Debbie Stock, practice development midwife and supervisor of midwives

It’s nice working on Christmas Day. I might be away from my own family, but I’m helping to make new families on the maternity ward.

Every day is special here, but Christmas Day even more so, just because, for many, Christmas is a time for families. We are also very much a family here on the central delivery suite.

I’m off Boxing Day but will be back home Christmas Day evening spending time with my family, it’s almost like we get two Christmas Days.