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?

This is hilarious. There's usually comments all year round about the struggle of childcare, or balancing school holidays with having to work. Yet at Christmas, it seems many are arguing that it's not fair that the kids have to be in school.

Can't win 😂

@musicviking1

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.

Your child's school closes for charity events? Have you got an example?

@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.

But rubbish for teachers who have to start organising their own families' Christmas.

@kittensinthekitchen

This is hilarious. There's usually comments all year round about the struggle of childcare, or balancing school holidays with having to work. Yet at Christmas, it seems many are arguing that it's not fair that the kids have to be in school.

Can't win 😂

Not really, they have 2 weeks off at Christmas regardless, the debate here is whether it's better to break up earlier or later for those 2 weeks.

Our county sent out a parent consultation on the holiday dates, choice of finishing on the 17th or 23rd. Of the (only) 3000 odd folk that actually bothered to respond, 60% choose the 23rd.

4 out of the last 5 years (no prizes for guessing what year was the non sick one ), at least one of my dc has had the sickness bug at christmas. I'd much rather finish earlier to at least have a hope of being well.

@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.

Absolutely not the case in our house. We view Christmas Eve as the day we finally breathe out and work stops, and the ten days that follow are wonderful. The days between end of school and then are taken by me as leave, and we try to do fun things but also have to get practical things done, so we try to keep Christmas Eve as a day of fun, relaxation and excitement. By the time we go back to school, we're just about ready for it, but we very much make the most of the whole holiday. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Break up 17th but online school for the first week back (arggh!) to allow for testing.
Not back at school till 10th Jan

I'm so glad mine finish on the 17th, as my area usually finishes much later. And then at least one of us has been ill for Christmas Day due to bugs brought home from school (except last year, when we couldn't visit family due to being Tier 4 ). At least this year we can hopefully get it over with by Christmas itself.

17th too early and 22nd too late IME, it's perfect when it falls just right to finish on the Friday 20th (just looked back and last time was 2019 and the next time will be 2024) then you have 5 days before Christmas and usually don't go back until the 6th January.

But those saying they have to squeeze panto in, I always thought that's a January thing as something to look forward to after Christmas when everything is otherwise a bit dreary.

My kids finish THIS Friday (the 10th!!) and don't go back until Jan 10th! and no online learning the week before either. A full month off.

Like it or not, the season has shifted to Christmas Day being seen as the END or culmination of the season, not the start.

Very little around me goes normal until the 4th or so at the earliest, buses are all on shortened schedules until then, shops are often still on different schedules until then, and pantos & other festive activities are still going on the first week of January.

Nobody wants a holiday the first week of January when the weather is dreadful

The weather isn't really much different between the two times.

I enjoy having a break during first week and my spouse often gets some time off then as he's not really allowed it during December unless it's an emergency (works in hospitality).

If it was my choice, I'd pick time off then than mid-December, though I grew up with both and that's what my DS1 has (he's off from the 17th through the 10th, my DDs are in until the 22nd). Everyone is already drained and it feels frantic & forced whether it's keeping them in until shortly before the 25th or trying to get things organized to go back straight after New Year, but I prefer how my DDs school it if it has to be one or the other.

@Xiaoxiong

My kids finish THIS Friday (the 10th!!) and don't go back until Jan 10th! and no online learning the week before either. A full month off.

Is it a state school?

I've never known a state school to break up as early as the 10th. A month off is madness.

@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.

Completely disagree. Maybe that's how you do things, but we keep to the 12 days and don't begin celebrations (except putting up decorations a few days before) until Christmas Eve night.

I much prefer the time off afterwards when it's actually Christmas. I don't need kids under my feet when I'm trying to prepare! I'd rather have the chance to do all the Christmas outings during the Christmas season rather than Advent. Even when I was a teacher in state schools I felt the same.

I’d love this later break up personally. I have to work up until Christmas and then can take 10 days off. Unfortunately the first week of the school holidays I won’t be able to spend as much time with my children.

I love it when we finish late. The week before Christmas children are crazy excited, and it's really hard work. After Christmas they've calmed down a bit, and have all their new toys to play with.

17th here and I'm paying a fortune in childcare for three days as I don't finish until 22nd. I'd rather it be later and have more time in January

@mnistooaddictive

“I don’t see why it makes the run up frantic; it keeps excited little ones out of the way while you prepare.” Says the parent who obviously doesn’t work!

I work full time as does DH and I also don't understand how it makes it frantic?

I've done all my shopping. The food shop will get done in the week before Christmas. The house is decorated. What else is there to do?!

That seems fairly normal to me. Schools always used to break up around the 20th to the 22nd. The 17th would be annoyingly early.

God no the later the better.

My DC get crazy with excitement before Christmas, they break up on 21st. Three days of that on top of getting ready for the big day is difficult enough, let alone an entire week.

People are suggesting finishing late is unfair on teachers but most people don't finish until Christmas Eve. Then need to prepare for their own family.
We all have to get organised beforehand.

Mine break up on 21st and go back on 10th. This feels just right for us. We are thinking of going away the first week in January, it seems to be quite cheap because lots of other schools have gone back.

It seems very early, luckily dp finishes the same day so childcare is covered, I’ll be in work and ordinarily I’d be working Xmas eve which I think most people do but I’ve managed to book annual leave. It’s nice this year that I get the two bank holidays off after the weekend but then I’m back in work as normal.
So with this in mind and I presume it’s the situation of most working parents, it makes very little difference.

Completely agree. The build up to Christmss is the best bit and its a shame to miss it this year.

Some people will prefer to break up earlier - others later . It may depend on whether the parent works term time or not. I used to work in education support and preferred to break up early so I had plenty of time to do last minute shopping, wrapping etc- although that meant all DC presents had to be wrapped and out of the way early . More recently I would have preferred a later break up date as we often used to go away after Christmas.

@MLMshouldbeillegal I think you are right that more families nowadays start celebrating Christmas on 1st December, finishing on Boxing Day. I guess I'm a lot older than you and in my mind, apart from the odd Santa visit , school activity or work party, Christmas proper starts when people finish school / work and ends on 12th night . My decorations go up around a week / 10 days before Christmas and come down 6th Jan. I think I'm in a minority now.