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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to be gutted that term finishes on the 23rd December?

136 replies

ddoherty · 21/10/2015 19:22

The Nativity Play is on Tuesday 22nd. I was just going to keep DD off the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday but she'd be gutted to miss the play.

I really think the 23rd of December is ridiculous. That's 9 and a half weeks after half term, with no holidays or inservice days.

This is my PFB so a shock to the system! She was so tired at half term it took the whole weekend before I had my girl back. Finishing on the 23rd seems a sure-fire way to have a grumpy, overtired 5 year old on Christmas Day!

OP posts:
ChipsandGuac · 21/10/2015 20:05

I've just checked and we break up on the 23rd too. Go back on January 4th. Much prefer it like this so they're not climbing the walls in the run up to Christmas.

ObiWanCannoli · 21/10/2015 20:08

Yes same for us Scotland we break up on the 23rd and go back on the 6th too. I'm gutted, I really would love a shorter summer holiday and an extra two weeks one before Christmas and one in January to go to pantos, visit family and see Santa.

I feel like it's robbing us of our Christmas family time.

OstentatiousBreastfeeder · 21/10/2015 20:09

Ours is the 18th. Just right imo.

Gruffalo that is absurd! I'd be throwing them a sickie.

wigglybeezer · 21/10/2015 20:12

I remember having to go to school for half a day on Xmas eve, quite liked it at the time, it was fun doing Xmas things with my school friends and I.'m sure my mother liked getting organised without children underfoot!

kimlo · 21/10/2015 20:16

Mine finish on the 22nd, Im not in scotland but the schools set theyre own term dates and they always finish later than thebother schools. I like it they go back later so that leaves time to do things when the other schools are back and its a bit quieter.

laffymeal · 21/10/2015 20:28

No "Scotland" doesn't break up on the 23rd, some local authorities do, just as some don't, it's not some homogeneous mass ffs.

Ubik1 · 21/10/2015 20:29

Yup ours finish Dec 23 and are back January 6th!

Ubik1 · 21/10/2015 20:30

And yes - a shorter summer holiday would be much better

PaulAnkaTheDog · 21/10/2015 20:30

Calm down laffy. Nothing to be getting worked up over.

TondelayaDellaVentamiglia · 21/10/2015 20:31

it usually is the 21/22/23 in Scotland

have you had the two week tattie hols?? ...I think that's where the difference is, two weeks off in October, instead of the one week half term around Bonfire night/Hallow'een that is more usual south of the border.

Shutthatdoor · 21/10/2015 20:32

I feel like it's robbing us of our Christmas family time.

Nearly 2 weeks off is hardly doing that Wink

BrandNewAndImproved · 21/10/2015 20:34

Mine had a late finish once, I was gutted and really worried about them being ill on Christmas. It was actually fine and we had a great holiday.

If you take her out of school on the last three days she'll miss out on all the Christmas activities.

laffymeal · 21/10/2015 20:34

Not getting worked up at all "Paul", all the la schools in Scotland have varied term dates and holidays, it's ignorant to assume the whole country has the same ones. Hth dear Smile

megletthesecond · 21/10/2015 20:38

gruff the 24th is mad! Are you in the uk?

We break up the week before Xmas. I don't work in retail so can manage to be off from the 23rd onwards.

Pipbin · 21/10/2015 20:43

I'm in England and we break up on the week before, 18th.

NotAnotherMonday · 21/10/2015 20:47

Just looked on my local schools website as my SIL (17) goes there. We're in England, she breaks up at end of day on 22nd and is back in on 2nd which is just 11days off, thats really harsh imo.

SoupDragon · 21/10/2015 20:48

it's ignorant to assume the whole country has the same ones

No one did.

DinosaursRoar · 21/10/2015 20:49

That sounds late, although I think I'd prefer that to DS's school breaking up on the 18th. That's a long time of trying to keep up the 'christmas excitment' and prep, while getting the house trashed before family arrives for christmas proper - and holiday after Christmas you at least have all the christmas gifts and toys to keep them entertained!

OP, there won't be much work done on that week, and she'll have a lot of fun with her friends, if you keep her off, she'll miss a lot of the best bits of this term. It's less likely she'll be as tired as it won't be as intense.

It's unlikely she'll be as shattered on Christmas day as she was the first weekend of half term, it's far more exciting! Try not to fall into the trap of trying to fill the weekend before and after school that week with "Christmassy things" so she's not too tired.

Pipbin · 21/10/2015 20:49

Back on the 2nd? That's a Sunday.

Kaekae · 21/10/2015 20:56

I wouldn't mind mine finishing on the 23rd! Our school terms ends on the 18th! Wish our school still did nativity plays too but we will probably get a random play.

dementedpixie · 21/10/2015 20:57

Not all of Scotland gets 2 weeks in October as we have just had our October 1 week holiday (we don't call it a tattie holiday where I am either)

SolitudeSometimesIs · 21/10/2015 20:58

Same here in my kids school - in Ireland. It seems very late but I think the week might be taken up with school play and a party. They're back the 4th of January which I thought was really early too, as I remember not going back to school before little Christmas when I was in primary.

weebarra · 21/10/2015 21:00

No, pixie, we just had a week too. DH is from Angus and they had the tattle holiday. I probably looked at him like Hmm when he first called them that!

TheGruffaloFish · 21/10/2015 21:02

No. And wait for it...I'm in a country where they celebrate Christmas on the evening of the 24th! Doesn't even leave enough time to get to family within the country let alone abroad.

wigglesrock · 21/10/2015 21:05

I'm in NI and like I said mine stop on 23rd but they don't go back until 7th - they get the Epiphany off.