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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:
QueenPaws · 17/12/2020 00:13

Oh and we can't take annual leave, we can request a particular day off and it gets drawn out a hat but not guaranteed

Babyiwantabump · 17/12/2020 00:15

We are not allowed any annual leave in the two weeks over Christmas

chatwoo · 17/12/2020 00:18

Not in the UK but my organisation has mandatory shutdown starting 23 Dec returning to office on 11 Jan.

WhatKatyDidNxt · 17/12/2020 00:20

Key worker here. I have a few days off but haven’t had 2 weeks for Christmas in over a decade. Not sure if l would take it off even if l could, think l would be bored and there’s better time to take off e.g. summer

@HunterHearstHelmsley it’s nice your BIL thought his co-workers should arrange their Christmas around his lifestyle choices Confused

Vivana · 17/12/2020 00:20

I work in a care home and were not allowed any annual leave. I'm off Xmas day but in boxing day new years eve and day. Sad

Suckmyfatone · 17/12/2020 00:22

Because I've been working from home, we've not had to use annual leave for school hols apart from the odd day, So I finished on 11th december and go back on 4th Jan.

I was buzzing thinking I'd get all organised, presents wrapped while dd I'm school etc. Turns out our whole house has had to self isolate for most of the a/l I booked and we cant leave the house.

Were still having a nice time tho and quality time. Xmas movies, PJ days etc.

ProfYaffle · 17/12/2020 00:23

Our organisation closes from end of business on the 24th to the first day back in the new year. At first I hated it because you're forced to use your leave over those days and have no choice. But now I love it. It's the only break in the year where you know there's nothing going on while you're away and no surprises to come back to.

RainbowMum11 · 17/12/2020 00:27

Self employed - I will be doing work throughout but not constantly and not every day.

AlwaysColdHands · 17/12/2020 00:30

University lecturer - last working day is 21st, back on 4th & no annual leave required.
It’s the only time in the whole year I can really truly have a break, as contrary to popular belief, we don’t ‘close’ in the summer! Haven’t had a day without work (including weekends) since August. Can’t wait.

FrenchBoule · 17/12/2020 00:31

DH in construction industry so they have 2 weeks deducted from AL and are off.
My place- there was so much squabbling about who gets Christmas off that the company did a survey a few years back.
95% agreed to take AL so they shut the place for 10 days

ToniTheDonkey · 17/12/2020 00:53

@Friedmushroom

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 Xmas Envy

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

That’s awful, that didn’t leave you enough time to sleep even if you’d only taken 5 minutes to travel to and from work, didn’t have anything to eat and magically got undressed/washed/dressed instantly.
Hopingtobeamum · 17/12/2020 01:04

I'm off from Fri to early Jan. First holiday of the year due to working flat out, multiple holidays cancelled due to needing to work, but not moaning. I still have a job, for now anyway.
I'll be called out during my holiday, it's standard but not that bad. Again I'm just happy to have my job.

TheWichitaWineOne · 17/12/2020 01:15

I’m off from today until the 4th. It’s amazing. I’m already half cut

Made me smile Grin

I've only ever had jobs that pretty much enabled me to have the whole Christmas/NY period off. Now I'm self-employed, it seems to be harder to achieve! I work from home though and I'm winding down as much as possible, so I have nothing to complain about!

Musicaltheatremum · 17/12/2020 01:29

I'm a GP and because we all work less than full time we cross cover for each other so half of us work full time one week and half the next week. (It kills me and I'm exhausted by the end of the stretch but worth it)
I'm in full time Monday to Thursday (6pm) next week and then off until 5th Jan.
The last 2 years I have gone away to the Scottish Highlands for the week with my not so new partner... usually bliss and peaceful. This year it's not going to happen unless we go to level 2 which is not going to happen.

BreakfastOfWaffles · 17/12/2020 01:32

My office shuts down from tomorrow until 4th Jan. It is paid leave for all staff, and doesn't count in our annual leave quota. It's a staff benefit and listed in the benefits package.

YourWinter · 17/12/2020 01:33

I work in a supermarket. The store will close for Friday 25th and Saturday 26, open again as normal on Sunday 27th and Monday 28th. We open (and I work) every Bank Holiday Monday, and Good Friday.

It's better than my last job, the only day they closed was Christmas Day.

KatherineJaneway · 17/12/2020 05:28

Some sectors it's normal to take those two weeks off, others not possible.

LegoPandemic · 17/12/2020 05:41

When I was full time I had to work although between Christmas and NY and Christmas Eve were just mornings for emergencies (dentist).
Now PT I am off this year - last day today, back on 5th January.
University has given us 2 weeks off which is nice.
DH has to work until Christmas Eve but has annual leave between Christmas and NY.

CrackersDontMatter · 17/12/2020 05:47

I am off Christmas day and Boxing Day but back in 27th. We have a leave ban from 15th dec to 1st Jan.

Keratinsmooth · 17/12/2020 06:04

I get no time off in December other than statutory bank holiday and weekends.

CrackersDontMatter · 17/12/2020 06:05

Just to add, time being off was the luck of the draw. There will be people working just not me.

christmasathomeagain · 17/12/2020 06:06

I work in a school (full tome though so don't get all holidays off) but always keep enough leave to be off work for the full two weeks.

Prior to this job we only had to have two people in an office so it worked out you had to work 1 of the days from Christmas eve and the three days in between so wasn't to bad.

Dh breaks up on 23rd and back on 4th.

TW2013 · 17/12/2020 06:06

I manage my own timetable so don't need to book leave. I have about 2 days work left before Christmas then after that just monitoring emails until 24th when everything shuts down, no expectation to check any emails or do any work until 4th January. It will though be crazily busy until May after that.

AnitaHotdog · 17/12/2020 06:08

Today is my last day in the 'office' until 11 Jan and I'm ready. I've had no leave at all this year aside from public holidays and mentally, it's time.

Sorry to those of you who aren't able to take the time you want Flowers

Oblomov20 · 17/12/2020 06:13

The way it falls this year, many will be off 24th till 4th. And that's only 6 working days. For 10 days off. Good. But it's not 2 weeks.