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Original poster

Annual leave at Christmas

281 replies

Miamarshmallows · 16/12/2020 22:11

If you work/had a job, how much time did you take off at Christmas?
My friend posted on Facebook just now with 'Imagine having this Friday off until the 4th Jan, how funny is that?" and everyone responded with laughing emojis. I'm guessing because it's a rarity to have 2 weeks off for Christmas? Except it isn't. I know many colleagues spread their leave out but I always had 2 weeks off at Christmas. Just wondered if I was in the minority?! Obviously it's different for keyworkers etc.

OP posts:
Springersrock · 16/12/2020 22:54

2 weeks

The company I work for have a 2 week shut down over Christmas. I finish on Friday and go back the 4th

Skyr2 · 16/12/2020 22:54

I have next week off and back 29th.
I have had a variety of jobs some which closed down over Christmas which i loved ( we used to sacrifice x nos of days for this but was worth it for me), I had term time job for years that was good too. Job now we put in a preference in order of priority in Nov and they allocate who has when - it is very hard to make plans - not that anyone has any plans this year !

VestaTilley · 16/12/2020 22:55

I’m off until the 4th of Jan- I finished on 9th Dec. I work 4 days a week and have loads of annual leave left to take this year (we get a lot of leave at my company).

shazshaz · 16/12/2020 22:56

When I worked a regular office job I used to book Christmas Eve & Boxing Day off. I used to like working between Christmas & New Year because the phones were quieter & the tube quieter & I got a lot more done. I didn't want to waste my annual leave on dark, cold days.

Fungster · 16/12/2020 22:58

I am in the US. Our office is closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, NYE, New Years Day. I likely won't take any days off, as it's so cold and with everything locked down there's nowhere to go anyway! It's basically Arctic cold from Dec - Mar so I typically don't take time off. Save it for the glorious weather from April - October instead.

RufustheSniggeringReindeer · 16/12/2020 22:59

Ive worked in retail...so obvs no holiday

Banks and insurance companies.....Christmas day and boxing day and new years day off, the rest taken as holiday

Dh has worked in different accountancy firms and he has had the same as above off...but usually a half day on Christmas eve

GazOnABender · 16/12/2020 23:01

I've finished today until 7th! I havent taken much leave as there is no where to go and I work flexibly anyway. Wondering what I'm going to do with the kids for all that time now though!!

strawberrymilkshakemonkey · 16/12/2020 23:01

i could take two weeks if i wanted but i'd really rather not! i hate that boring, nothingy period between christmas and new year where i always just end up eating too much and feeling bored/unproductive. I much prefer to take my annual leave in short bursts, so i get a long weekend every few weeks, or the odd day off when i fancy it.

desperatehousewife2 · 16/12/2020 23:02

I’m finishing tomorrow until the 6th of Jan which is the longest I’ve ever taken off at Christmas but I do generally try to take 1.5-2 weeks, always have, even before kids. I LOVE this time of year although truth be told the week before Christmas is my favourite part. At that stage I’ve got all the presents bought, just have to do a big food shop and then start to enjoy the festive season. Even this year, nothing much is changing for me compared to other years.

WaxOnFeckOff · 16/12/2020 23:02

it really varies and we have to ensure cover in my work but i've managed to finish up on the 24th and work one day in the middle and then be off until the 5th. that's 2 days flexi, 1 day holiday and one day I don't work (I do a 9 day fortnight). So, two lots of 5 days off including weekends.

Some years I've just had the 3 days public holiday and worked the rest. I've never had the full 2 weeks off .

DH is only off Christmas Day and New years day but does have both weekends off.

JacobReesMogadishu · 16/12/2020 23:02

I have two weeks off and don’t have to use any annual leave. I can’t wait.

WillYouDoTheFandango · 16/12/2020 23:03

My office has a mandatory shutdown from Christmas Day to 4th Jan. most people take more than that though.

I’m off 23-6th. Everyone else in my team finishes on Friday. My son’s school always goes back late so I volunteer to start my holidays later in return for taking more time off in Jan.

alltoomuchrightnow · 16/12/2020 23:04

I have Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off this year. This is a rarity (retail) I'm usually off just one day. This has been case for most of my working life and I'm 49

EBearhug · 16/12/2020 23:05

I have the three days between Christmas and New Year off, but I'm actually on-call for the week of Christmas, so there's still a chance I will have to work.

TheDaydreamBelievers · 16/12/2020 23:05

I'm a healthcare key worker and am taking 2.5 weeks off (annual leave and public holiday)

PinGwyn · 16/12/2020 23:06

My workplace is 24/7, 365 days a year and we have to split it fairly amongst the team so there are no guarantees we get annual leave over Christmas but it's generally agreed that everyone gets either Christmas or New Year where possible.

Realistically we're allowed 2-3 days each.

nixso29 · 16/12/2020 23:07

I finish half day 22nd back to work on 6th Jan, we get the bank hols then have to take the rest from our AL allowance as the office and our industry (construction) shuts down. I dont mind though as I love the feeling of getting to December knowing you have 2 full weeks off work!

Dreamylemon · 16/12/2020 23:08

I've taken the week before Xmas off and am back in from boxing day onwards normal hours. Nhs frontline staff. I'm ok with that. Working Christmas day can really suck.

Notmydaughteryoubitch · 16/12/2020 23:09

Key worker - broken up today & not back in until 29th - just finishing off my g&t as I write! Worked christmas last year so my turn for some time off - happy days!

combatbarbie · 16/12/2020 23:09

Work in MOD and started leave last Friday til 4th but they don't want us back in work until 11th so we can isolate after the Xmas relaxations.

LuckyNumberThirteen · 16/12/2020 23:09

I'm off from tomorrow until the 4th.

I cannot wait.

Sunbird24 · 16/12/2020 23:10

I’m off all this week, on call next week (and hoping nobody rings me) then off the week after. Barring a call out I’ll have been out of the office from 12 Dec to 03 Jan. However I’ve only been able to take 2 weeks off work in total since the lockdown started as half my team were clinically vulnerable so needed to stay at home and someone had to be in work...

KarlKennedysDurianFruit · 16/12/2020 23:11

Keyworker off 24th to 29th only the second time I've had all of Christmas off in eleven years. I don't know anyone who has two weeks off at Christmas other than my friend's husband who does fancy things with wrought iron (actual job title) and works for a fairly small company, even when I worked in the private sector no one had two weeks off

Oysterbabe · 16/12/2020 23:11

I'm having 2 weeks off. Pretty normal in my circles.

mindutopia · 16/12/2020 23:13

I work in academia. It’s the norm to have two weeks off at Christmas. Normally it’s one week paid closure plus annual leave, but this year most universities are giving everyone 2 weeks. That’s fully paid, in addition to annual leave allowance. No one works over Christmas anyway or at least not in a formal way (I do check email to make sure there is no major crisis).

I don’t think this is at all normal for most people though in other industries. Though Dh who is self employed always takes off the same. It’s unpaid though.