To think finishing on the 22nd for Christmas is a bit daft?

[ThatsNotMyPinkUnicorn]

I’m just wondering why some schools are finishing so late and why going back for half a week?

I can only think it’s to have that week on the other side of January and it is nice in a way but it’s making the run up to Christmas absolutely frantic. This happens in the summer too and it’s practically august when the schools break up here so you miss all the best weather!

AIBU or is this a bit silly?

DPs school finishes on 22nd, back on the 4th. I'm quite looking forward to the fact that I break up on 17th!

Why frantic?

We're abroad and always finish on 23rd (as in 23rd is a school day) unless the weekend falls on 22/23rd. It makes it less not more frantic IMO. No point winding the children up in advance, or having them hang around waiting - too much build up is rarely a good idea!

Ordinarily I like a later finish, so I can shop and prep in peace. But 22nd is probably a bit too late - maybe 21st would be better. This year I'm worried about dc picking up covid in the last week (school is rife with it) and this ballsing up Christmas, so a week earlier finish would probably be better - give people time to get tests done properly before seeing elderly grandparents

My kids break up on 17th which is annoying for me as I work until Christmas Eve - the time off after would be better.

I do think there is a chance (relatively small… but there) that they extend Christmas school holidays by a week or two as cases will be bad by then (picking up at end of December) so if they do go back in Jan when they’re supposed to I will take that as a win!

We break up on the 17th and I can’t wait. Looking forward to a few quiet days with DD, who is 10 so not as madly excited as a younger child might be, and we’re meeting up with family a few days before Christmas instead of after, which means no racing across the country on Boxing Day. There will be plenty to do in the run up to Christmas - dog walking, driving around to look at people’s lights, tidying and de cluttering to make room for presents, baking, making decorations, constructing what looks like a fiendishly difficult gingerbread house, Christmas films etc. But then I have the luxury of also finishing work on 17th (teacher) so no childcare issues.

Ah sorry yes for teachers it isn't ideal.

I used to be a teacher - not any more but I'm working 23rd and 27th-1st Jan inclusive without a break including overnight new year's eve to 1st

I feel like you’re always limping towards the finish this term, with illness (even without covid!) and tired children, so the earlier the better!

Then there’s some chance of bejng well on Christmas Day!

We're finishing on the 22nd too. I wish it was earlier all the fun stuff ends up being crammed into the weekend. Panto, party invites, build a gingerbread house, making tree decorations. January all feels a bit cold and dark with nothing to look forward to. We don't have lots of family to visit and where we live is fairly touristy so it all seems to shut down for that tourist dead zone as soon as new year is out the way.

Break up 17th, was supposed to be back on the 6th but now with testing to be done on school site won’t start until 10th. I’m pleased for her to have a lovely long well deserved break.
Primary - supposed to break up on 21st, but I’m getting them to finish on 17th too and back on 6th.

Our school are closing earlier (announced last week) on 17 Dec due to staff fatigue and concerns over covid in the community, back on 10 Jan.

I agree, OP. DS finishes on the 17th, which means we can travel to Ireland before the flights are hugely expensive, and do lots of fun stuff before Christmas.

For me the bit after Christmas always feels a bit flat, and after New Years I am ready to get back to a normal routine. Extra time off school in January would be most unwelcome.

17th here. I have my doubts we will make it that far as both kids schools are rife with covid already and there have been whispers from the secondary that they will switch to online for the last week to try and minimise the impact on Xmas itself. Going back on 4th/5th. As the kids are older things like Santa visits and train rides become less of an issue, getting them out of their rooms would be an event in itself 😩

Ours finish on the 17th and I prefer it, because I think the build up is half the fun of Christmas. This year we've got time to go and do and some fun festive things - we've got tea with Santa booked, a winter walk at a NT property to see the lights, a panto, a meal out...on previous years they've finished 22/23 and there's barely any time to enjoy to it before it's all over!

January is blah anyway, so they may as well be at school.

Mine are both at uni now and their holidays are different one finishes 10th, the other 17th, both spending some time with friends before coming home, both start different days, one going back for New Year with flatmates. One doesn't know what day shes going back as they have not got their lab schedule yet.

So even though "school" is done, planning is hellish!

17th here and agree it’s generally too early. I don’t mind so much this year as it’s a buffer but ask me again when I’m trying to work.

If I’ve hit the kids hanging around while I work, I’d rather they had new Lego and books and gifts to keep them occupied.

@MLMshouldbeillegal

For all the banging on about the "12 days of Christmas" that's not the way we live any more. Nobody only starts celebrating on Christmas Day and continues through to the 6th January any more. Like it or not, the season has shifted to Christmas Day being seen as the END or culmination of the season, not the start.

This year we finish on Tuesday 21st and kids go back on Wednesday 5th. In previous years, depending on the days on which Christmas has fallen, we haven't gone back until the 7th or 8th and that's so late. Nobody wants a holiday the first week of January when the weather is dreadful.

I can’t agree that Christmas Day is the end of the season for most of us. Unless you’re one of those who can’t wait to take the tree down on Boxing Day, it’s more like the 2nd January, when even if you don’t take the decorations down yet, it starts to feel like back to banal, dreary old winter-normal.

@Pottedpalm

I think it’s better having the time afterwards to enjoy family time and play with new toys, and fir older pupils to get some revision/studying dine. I don’t see why it makes the run up frantic; it keeps excited little ones out of the way while you prepare.

This. Little ones are just so excited the week before that they're giddy and overly exuberant. Keeping them calm and entertained while trying to get stuff done is hard!

Mine is a teen now but I can't wait for him to break up on the 17th.

Later the better when you have to work or its just paying for more childcare

Don't break up until the 23rd here, so literally just Christmas Eve for the children to have at home with their family before Christmas. Wondering just how many will be 'ill' that last week though.

That is very late OP, ours finishes on the 17th. Got lots of Christmassy things planned the few days before Christmas as DC are at peak Christmas age and it would have been a shame if school was going until that late.

Mine used to break up early in December, and there would then be at least a fortnight to fill, plus another ten days or so after Christmas. I used to wish they broke up on Christmas Eve .

The worst was the DC who broke up for summer at the end of June, and went back on the 7th September or thereabouts. That was very, very unreasonable.

17th here, does feel too early. Not quite sure what's happening at my DDs school at the moment they're off a lot with so many different charity events. October alone had 5 separate days off to accommodate the charity events.