There were lots of jobs in and attached to the RAF requiring manning [oops! staffing] 365/7/24. Christmas, New Year duties and summer holiday periods were regulated by good bosses such that there were fair distributions. The real problem was 3 years or so tours of duty.], which implied a few short straws.
My solution was to volunteer early in the the tour for the crap shifts, and hope the boss stayed long enough to remember.
I came unstuck one year when, having virtually foregone summer leave, and desiring a LONG break next summer, the boss changed. Into a bastard.