How are you managing Christmas leave this year?

[virgocatlover]

Christmas falls awkwardly this year. Normal working days 23rd and 24th, Bank holidays Wednesday and Thursday (25th and 26th) normal working day on Friday 27th, then working days on the following Monday and Tuesday before a bank holiday on New Year's Day on the Wednesday.

Usually I take leave between Xmas and new year when it falls nicely with weekends but I'm considering just working all the normal working days this time and taking leave elsewhere.

I always work the days in between Xmas and New Year so I'll just be back to work on 27th.

I don’t work Fridays so will be off the 20th. 23rd and 24th will be working days and I do have one days leave left to take so might use it then, but to be honest, I have the privilege of an incredibly flexible, work from home job, in an industry where most of the people we support/ work with will be off anyway so it will be quiet. We also shut between Christmas and New Year, which comes off our annual leave allowance.

Im a bit more concerned how I’ll manage between 1st and 7th when DD goes back to school, as no holiday club will be open. Might book it off and give myself an extra long holiday - but I don’t get that much AL so not sure I want to take that much in the first week of the year!

I close my business for two weeks over Christmas.

Last working day will be the 20th, back open on the 6th.

Clinched it - agree!! The Tuesday will be very busy too so could be a bit of a disaster - 🤞🤞 it's granted!! Thanks ☺️

Tuesday and Wednesday are our office days so we finish at midday on the Wednesday before Christmas with drinks in the boardroom before going to a local restaurant for lunch and we start back the Tuesday after New Year. Assuming this happens again this year, we will finish on December 18th and restart on January 7th. We are a small company linked to the housebuilding sector.
My previous employer latterly changed the holiday pattern so that other than those on call (funeral directors) the only fixed holidays were 25 and 26 December and 1 and 2 January so it became a lottery as to who could be off (fortunately I parted company with them - with a massive payout - just as that was implemented).

I am not too worried about what days, if any, I take but I can see a lot of people wanting Friday 27th off which may cause some problems in some work places.

It makes sense to take Friday 27 Dec, so that you have 5 days off in a row for just 1 day of annual leave, but it depends on your employer's policy as they might not want everyone off that day.

I'm lucky in that my office tends to close completely from 24 Dec to 1 Jan. I also work part time so I can usually take just a day or two extra annual leave to make it a slightly longer break. I like to take time off before Christmas, but will work on 23 Dec this year as DH doesn't work Mondays so he'll have the kids. Ive booked the day off on 2 Jan so I won't return to work until 6 Jan, that gives me just under 2 weeks which is plenty. I'll be glad of a break from the kids by then

I will take a day or two of annual leave earlier in December though, for Christmas shopping, and attending nativity or Carol concert or whatever school event is happening.

Self employed, always take 3 weeks off. Week before to have time to myself, then 2 weeks of festive fun. Makes life so much easier than arguing over an annual leave day here and there.

Working as normal
We can apply for days off and they try to give us one of our choices but I'm out of annual leave

You always have to take 3 days AL to be off between Christmas and 2nd Jan if you get English bank holidays. Doesn't matter how it falls, it's exactly the same amount of leave

Our office is closed between Christmas and new year, opening again on 2nd Jan.

I’ve booked 16/12 - 6/1. I think it’s 9 days AL from memory, I get the three days between Christmas and NY but the rest, incl 24/12 is AL.

Will probably just take the 23rd off as I'm fairly sure we get Christmas eve off.

Not bothering taking more, we get the 25/26 off and then the 31/1 and 2nd off.

I assume that Fri the 27th will be a bit of a write off

I work Tuesday-Thursday. I’m working Christmas Eve, then back when we re-open on 2nd January.

It’s a bit annoying as I’ve got used to my previous employer (we got sold a year ago) closing for longer than that and giving us a day of a/l.

Childcare won’t be an issue as DH has compulsory time off that week.

My work closes on the 23rd and reopens on the 2nd so luckily I don't have that issue. My husband's company is closing on the 27th as not worth reopening for one day.

My DH is off from 23rd and back on 2nd so he'll be looking after the kids. I'm hoping to get 27th & 30th off but won't find out until early October if it gets agreed.

Need to also request 2nd - 6th off but I don't think it will be an issue getting this agreed.

Us too. It's meant that I have 40 days paid leave including bank holidays. Makes a change from last job where they made us work all Xmas even though all other in industry were closed. (The bosses were off of course)

Yeah it's a bit strange how it falls this year. I am taking off the half days on Xmas Eve and NYE but working on what falls in the middle as I've been bored rigid past two years and we have a blended family situation which means DH is often busy with his kids anyway. Work will be easy and quiet and from home so it will be a breeze anyhow.

I work in a University so we shut for Christmas without having to take annual leave. I'll add on the 20th and 3rd so will be off for 17 day but only using 2 days holiday 😁

It is awkward. I don't have enough leave to just take 2 weeks off right at the start of the leave year. We get 1 'extra' day off at Christmas which is likely to fall on Christmas Eve. Will take 3 days off on top of that and go back on the 2-Jan. I wish I could take the 23-Dec off but I'll need that time later in the year 🎄

I've booked the 20th to 23rd as going to Rotterdam with DS2. Back at work for Xmas Eve to clear my workload, and then the 27th off.

Managed to keep 7 days leave so I can have a break before April.

But the difference this year is that if you want to take Christmas Eve off and the second of January, plus the 3 non BH days between Christmas and NYD, which many people do, you're left with an odd Monday and Friday that you feel you might as well also take off, which then means that you finish on 20 December and aren't back in until 6 January, which is great if you have the leave spare and are allowed to by your employer, but it's a long time to be off.

I have booked the full two weeks off, but if I feel like it, I might work Friday 3rd and treat it as a 'settling in/planning' day, ready for being fully back to it on the following Monday, then use the day I would have taken off later in January when January blues kick in.

@AliasGrape DC aren’t back until 9 Jan, no holiday clubs running. DH and I are rolling over days to take off but it’s a huge pain.