To hate the fact that the last day of term this Christmas is the 21st December?

[badtasteflump]

I think it's shit.

I take the whole of the Christmas holidays off work to be with the DC. We usually get a few days (or a week some years) before Christmas when they're all excited and we can go out Christmas shopping and have some days at home baking and making decorations and stuff.

This year there's the weekend and then it's straight into Christmas Eve. Then two weeks more of holidays after the excitement and best bit is over. That's crap

I disagree to be honest. They can enjoy the build up to Christmas just as well at school.........and at least they have less time to be so excited they are gonna pop!

I cant see what difference it makes when they break up.

I prefer it for being able to get my shopping under control & to not have the excitement whipping itself to fever-pitch for a week before the big day.

It is also giving us the chance to spend time with my (Scottish) family, as for once, my daughters start back at roughly the same time as their cousins.

yabu. I'm peed off they don't go back until the 7th of January though. It means my mum has to have both of them for a couple of days when I'm at work.

I don't think YABU, I agree that it seems really late this year because of the way Christmas falls and yes I know we have the weekend but it will be so busy everywhere those 2 days..

I like having my children at home for a week or so before, gives us a chance to do so much together but then I work from home so I have no childcare issues.

Either way we'll all end up frazzled and in my case drunk by 2pm Xmas Day & they day they finished school will be irrelevant!

Yes and no. Its good to have those last few days to rush about sorting things out and cleaning the house/making stuff/wrapping presents but at the same time I cant help thinking "a whole week between new years day and DD going back to school for the new term?! what am i going to do with her?! she'll drive me mad and everywhere will be rammed as it'll be too cold/rainy to go out anywhere!"

DS gets so excited as it is on Christmas Eve that personally I'm quite glad we don't stop until 21st Dec! It's my finish day too and as I'm still such a child about Christmas too this is good. I admit I don't sleep well on Christmas Eve it's just too much fun

I'm just thankful I'm not a teacher, finishing so close to Christmas and a class full of excited kids.

I'm very happy, it means we can take all our holiday with the kids and still have a few days home before the term starts. DH works full pelt up to Christmas Day lunch time (vicar)

I feel sorry for the shop workers who have to get up early on Boxing Day for the sales :(

I prefer the late finish too - having an overexcited child at home for a week when the weather's not good is not my idea of a good time! And my dd's birthday is 5th Jan so this year it's in the holidays not at the beginning of term. Getting through Christmas, starting term and then doing a kids party two days later is awful - it will be lovely this year to start back with all the celebrations over and nothing left to organise.

YANBU
My two break up at lunch time with an hour there and an hour back, stupid bus.

It is not worth it!

At the risk of sounding sanctimonious I think you should be thankful for and enjoy what you have. Christmas is a really difficult time of year for many people, so count your blessings!

You'll still have Sat / Sun / Mon before Christmas day.
Last year they broke up on Friday 23rd, here, and there was only the Saturday before Christmas.

I'm very pleased that it means that we will have time to play with pressies before going back to work.

However, it is traditional to go down with some variant of a nasty bug at the end of term and this year there wont be any recovery time before Christmas starts. Also it will feel like I'm crashing straight from a very busy time into Christmas with no ahhhhh time in between.

Never mind, it does mean that there will be a fever pitch of excitement at work (in a school) that week with lots of open boxes of chocolates hidden about the place and it will be fun to share that excitement with the kids

yabu
I am so glad dd doesn't break up untill the 20th.

I am working 22 and 23 - thank goodness I am not on shifts Xmas eve/ Day. Am really grateful for that.

I agree. I normally visit family during those last few weekdays before xmas. This year I probably won't make it till January.
Incidently there may be lots of people much worse off at Christmas. My last Christmas was pretty rubbish as it was my 1st Christmas without my parents.
However, op still makes a valid point.

I would rather work right up and spend time with the children afterwards!! They get to play with their toys for nearly 2 weeks.

I'm using it as a good excuse to spread the pressie giving, it's rare that they are off for the full 12 days of Christmas.

I'm really surprised at how many people like the idea of breaking up early at Christmas. I'd far rather have them off for 2 weeks afterwards (yes, I know it's harsh on the teachers [evil grin]). This year I'm over the moon as my family are flying in on the 23rd for 2 weeks, so lots of family time, with lots of new things to keep children occupied. I'm not a fan of having loads of over-excited children, I think they are better off occupied in school to be honest.

YABU. There is a ban in my job on anyone taking holiday over Christmas.
Just enjoy the time you do have without moaning about it.

YABU. I think this year is perfectly timed.

We break up lunchtime on the 11th and go back on the 8th Jan. We have loads planned. Make the decorations and decorate the house, go and buy xmas presents make the mince pies etc. I can't wait.

I wish it were earlier too. The later we finish the harder it is to keep the kids engaged and focused on learning (I am a teacher). I only see each class once a week have to make the most of every lesson - My classes will be doing assessments in the last week of term, which is a nightmare because every other teacher just sticks on a DVD. The whole last week seems like a giant waste of time when all they do is watch films in every lesson.

I'm a teacher and very happy to be finishing later. I love the time after Christmas. Going back on the 7th of January makes the horrid post-Christmas gloom bearable as the month seems shorter. I teach secondary and the kids are already excited, so working until just before makes little difference!

Isn't it usual for the Dc's to finish anywhere between 16th and 23rd anyway.
As the dates change every year resulting in longer/shorter breaks, it shouldn't come as any great surprise.

This year ours break up on the 19th and go back 7th.

Last year they didn't break up until 23rd and went back the 4th which was a Thursday and a bit daft if you ask me going back for 2 days and then being home for the weekend.

I do like it when they finish earlier though as i find i get more done in the house when they are home, (too easy to sit on MN all day when i am alone)

YABU - we had an entire week before Christmas last year.

This year the school over hype of Christmas won't be as badly timed so Christmas build up won't be as long.

More time after Christmas with new toys, books etc means there is more to novelty to occupy them.

Works great for us as well as DH will be around for the school plays due to later break up - which means I don't have to worry about getting eldest out to evening performance of plays with younger DC in toe and he can see them which means so much to the DC.