[What sort of company gives their crew a letter advising them that they will be made redundant and then giving them 2 weeks to opt "voluntarily" to take it (and receive an enhanced payout) before being forced out anyway??]
Having been on the receiving end of redundancy threats/offers (albeit in a different service area and the last recession or the one before, there have been so many) there are those who are planning to leave or thinking of leaving soon anyway and this is a good opportunity for them to get a little bonus plus reduces the number competing for the diminishing jobs. In my case, so many left that that employer ended up short of staff and had to recruit which made me laugh.
Hearing just before Christmas is a bummer certainly, well anytime is, but I would sooner know then than say on 10th Jan.
Good luck, jobseekers, do not lose heart, there are many wonderful people chasing too few jobs. It will be Ok in the end.