Annual leave at Christmas

[Miamarshmallows]

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.

It really depends which industry you work in.

Lots of companies close from Christmas to New Year.

Many people also spend working days between Christmas and New Year having long lunches and going home early because there is little to do.

Not a key worker but other than the BHs my work is open. I like being off from Christmas Eve right through to Jan but often have to work a day or so. This year I started a new job so the Christmas holidays were all already allocated, managed to get a few days though. Not too fussed as I wfh and Christmas this year will be shit anyway.

Not had more than 2/3 days off at Christmas since I started working in my teens. Have always worked in hospitality or retail in different guises though so that’s my piss poor life choices!

Worst year I had; worked 6am-8pm Christmas Eve and was back in at 4:30am Boxing Day. Had a couple of drinks with Christmas Dinner and went to bed at 9 whilst everyone else, including DP, stayed up playing games, eating cheese and getting pissed

I have since resolved to never set foot in a shop on Boxing Day again

I work in a GP surgery and we aren’t allowed to take any leave the 2 weeks before Xmas or the 2 weeks after. So just the bank holidays/weekends off here, otherwise normal shifts. In previous jobs I never had 2 weeks off either, we had to work every day other than bank hols. Not going to lie am very jealous of people getting 2 weeks off I am nakered and can’t wait for a break

Depends where you work. A lot of factories and manufacturing type companies have a compulsory shutdown period where workers use up some of their holiday entitlement, but the place is closed. DH always has the bit between Christmas and New Year off - whether he wanted to or not. But as far as I know, those are the only sort of businesses where you would get one or two weeks off as standard.

Before having children I worked for a high street bank - local branch and then at Head Office - and it was open throughout apart from Boxing Day and New years Day. In the local branch we booked holidays a year ahead, at Head Office it was more flexible but we all knew the score. I actually often chose to work the bit between Christmas and NY as it was quiet and I could get loads done (different for people with children managing childcare, obviously). I think that's normal for most customer service businesses.

And as PPs have said, many people have to work all through the 'holiday' period. All the emergency services and health workers, vets, on call plumbers and electricians, some retail and most hospitality - it's hardly unheard of. Count yourself very lucky!

I've been off since the 11th, and don't go back to the 5th Jan 😁

Christmas is not my favourite time of year so I never take any leave except the three bank holidays.

This year, however, the bosses have imposed a shutdown over the Christmas / New Year period, thereby forcing those of us who wanted to carry significant amounts of leave forward into next year to use it up. To me this is a waste of my precious leave which could be used to go on lots of lovely holidays when the pandemic is over. I understand why they have done it, but I’m still .

I can't imagine being able to take leave at Christmas, but that's the nature of the work I have chosen to take.

I'm front line NHS and obviously hospitalised patients still need care over the festive period. I'm working on both Christmas Day, and New Year's Day, although admittedly they're only half days.

Hospital doctor. I've had everything from zero time off to 2 weeks off over Christmas, depending on how my shifts have fallen and when I'm allowed to take AL. Last year I was on mat leave. This year I'm working up till 5:30 on Christmas Eve, off till a random single day on the 30th, then back for night shifts on Jan 1st. It could be worse!

Enjoy, lucky bastards!!

Think of us motherfuckers who have to work on Christmas Day, despite having young children...because frankly it sucks

I have had to book 8 days off for Christmas. Could have been 10 but I am a 4 day a weeker. Its a massive chunk of my annual leave.

I work in a university and have the 2 weeks off! It's actually closed so no choice!
Normally we get from Christmas eve, but this year everyone has been given 21st-23rd as extra, to thank us for our efforts with the pandemic!

Woohoo. Animals tend to need continuous care. I've managed to get Christmas Eve off.

It very much depends on your industry - some effectively shut down over Christmas, for others it's a really busy time. I'm in travel, I've never been able to take 2 weeks off.

Same as JustanotherUser, except that I've taken tomorrow and Friday off given that the madness of giving us extra leave while demanding that we take the additional leave that we couldn't take in the summer due to workload ,( in addition to the 5 days you can carry over) before Christmas seemed a bit mad. Back on the 4th. Happy days.

I will be off for 11 days

I'm a SAHM, but my husband worked in a public facing role (not one you'd associate with unsociable hours) until recently. Every sodding Christmas the same people do a shocked face when I tell them he's at work on Xmas eve/Boxing Day whatever day Xmas falls. One works in a local shop where they shut from 19th December until the 4th Jan and the other is a teacher. Their incredulity just pissed me off even more!

We get the 3 bank holidays off, anything else has to come from annual leave and we must ensure cover in the office just in case anything major arises and if it does managers have to be contactable. I usually take 2 weeks off as I’ve no childcare during that time.

Genuine question but what NHS key worker roles always have Christmas off? I thought the whole point of key workers were that their job was essential to keep the NHS running
I'm an A&E nurse, usually work New Years nights

I work in higher education and finish work on Friday for 2 weeks. I do think I am lucky though and appreciate that I am in the minority. The majority of people I know outside of my job always have to work between Christmas and New Year.

This is quite a good year for xmas and new year dates if you're a Monday to Friday worker. Xmas is on a Friday, so the day off for Boxing Day is the 28th, and NYD is also a Friday, so you've then got a couple more days to recover before going back. So if you just take 3 days AL, you get quite a chunk of time off.

I am a childminder and I finish tomorrow and not back until the 4th. I can’t wait I need the break ,

When I've worked in offices I've had 2 weeks off because they tend to close quite a bit over Christmas, so you just pick out the few days they might have been open and run it all together.

In every other job I've only ever had chrustmas day and boxing day off at best. DH works in hospital and usually gets no time off at all over Christmas

I've never taken two weeks at Christmas. I had a keyworker job for a while, so worked Christmas and New Year. When I moved on to an office job and could take holiday pretty much when I wanted I just didn't want to use it up then. I would take the days between Christmas and New Year as that's normally a great way to get a good span off without taking too many days. But I wouldn't take time off before or after the Bank Holidays. I'd rather save my time off for the summer when the weather is better.

Closed (so off work) from 24th to 28th inclusive then half day NYE, off 1/2/3 jan