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Original poster

Christmas is ruined - school holidays

100 replies

WhenSheWasBadSheWasHorrid · 31/01/2016 20:00

Just been checking the school holiday calendar for next year. Christmas is awful.

Break up on 23rd Dec, not back in school till 9th Jan. I'm screwed, first week of Jan is always busy at work.

What idiot thought this was a good idea?

by the way sorry for starting a Christmas thread in January

OP posts:
pigsinmud · 31/01/2016 20:18

Break up on 20th and back on the 3rd for us.

wigglesrock · 31/01/2016 20:22

I think my kids school are off the same dates - every year there are parents complaining that they'd rather have time off before Christmas and there are just as many parents who it suits to have the kids in until the 23rd.

sharonthewaspandthewineywall · 31/01/2016 20:22

Why is anyone thinking of next year before February has begun?

Original poster
WhenSheWasBadSheWasHorrid · 31/01/2016 20:24

every year there are parents complaining that they'd rather have time off before Christmas and there are just as many parents who it suits to have the kids in until the 23rd

Yes but the ones wanting their kids in till 23rd are clearly wrong Grin

OP posts:
Dixiechickonhols · 31/01/2016 20:24

Annual leave often needs to be booked a year in advance.

OneMagnumisneverenough · 31/01/2016 20:27

I prefer late break up as it isn't as long for them to wait to have their new stuff to play with.

Cloppysow · 31/01/2016 20:31

I just looked, we're the same. I'm delighted. I prefer all the lazy time off after christmas.

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 31/01/2016 20:33

Ive just nearly had a heart palpulation
The C word in January, #shudder

ClaudiaApfelstrudel · 31/01/2016 20:34

I quite like those dates, I hate January, the later we start the better

2rebecca · 31/01/2016 20:34

Time off after Christmas is better when the kids are young as they aren't constantly wittering on about Christmas and have new toys to play with. I think breaking up on 23rd sounds fine

DinosaursRoar · 31/01/2016 20:34

Break up on th 16th, back on 3rd here too - I'd prefer the time after christmas to be honest, we'll be hosting a houseful, so being able to get on with getting everything preped up until 23rd without small people around would be great, as it is, feels like I have to be 'done' 10 days before... And if you did want to go away, that week would be very cheap - I'd try to get in early now and book that time off if I was you, you'd get a good deal on skiing or a centreparcs or even a bit of winter sun that week.

AutumnLeavesArePretty · 31/01/2016 20:39

I love this years holidays, much better to have the time of after to play with new toys and gadgets. The 18th last year was too early, shopping was done and wrapped by end on November so week before wasn't needed.

BarbaraofSeville · 31/01/2016 20:39

If they're off the first week in January get yourself to the Canaries or Spain for the Three Kings Parades on the night of 5th January. Spectacular.

starry0ne · 31/01/2016 20:40

erugh ours break up on the 20th a Tuesday... 4 days of an over excited child... I would rather it was post Christmas and he has toys to play with..

Schwabischeweihnachtskanne · 31/01/2016 20:40

24th December is always the first day of the school holiday here (so 23rd last day of school). Go back on the 5th generally, as long as it isn't a weekend day obviously...

I much prefer it - I hate Christmas leaking all over December, kids getting over excited and the whole thing being over hyped by the time Christmas day actually rolls around. With more time off after the 25th there is more proper holiday during which the kids actually have their Christmas presents to play with / use, and time to chill out and relax and for the kids to actually get enough sleep and recuperate from the long autumn term, and play, instead of being compelled to be magical and Christmasy and obsess over whether or not they are going to get some random bit of tat or should buy something else for some random relative...

SisterMoonshine · 31/01/2016 20:41

Break up 21st, back on the 3rd
That's not even 2 full weeks Sad

HighwayDragon1 · 31/01/2016 20:42

Ours is 15th to 3rd

GreenShadow · 31/01/2016 20:42

I much prefer it that way myself (break up late; go back late). Nothing worse than rushing straight back to school after New Year which happened a few years ago. I need all the child-free time I can get before Christmas to get organised.

foreverton · 31/01/2016 20:43

Just checked and ours is break up Friday 18th December and return on Monday 4th January.

DottyBlue2 · 31/01/2016 20:44

Dec 23 is bonkers - those children won't learn anything in those last few days and will spend all their time filling in Christmas quizzes. My son is back on 9 Jan as well, but he finishes on 16 Dec which I love as we get all Chrissmassy in the run up.

Poor you.

BarbaraofSeville · 31/01/2016 20:45

How come some are off for less than a fortnight and some a month? I thought all holidays were more or less the same Confused.

weebarra · 31/01/2016 20:46

In Scotland - we broke up very early last year. It's the 23rd for us too, which is also DS1's birthday. I don't think he's ever had to go to school on his birthday before!

Xmasbaby11 · 31/01/2016 20:46

That's rubbish op. I would hate that.

megletthesecond · 31/01/2016 20:48

Break up on Fri 16th and back on Tues 3rd here, Hampshire.

notquitehuman · 31/01/2016 20:48

That's a bugger. Trying to squeeze in pre xmas stuff with a child who is knackered from school will be annoying. Plus if you want to go away to relatives you'll have to brave xmas eve traffic rather than setting off early.

I'd be tempted to get the week off if possible in early Jan and try to do family stuff then.