Right, so you are unable to comprehend that some people might have a week off work, or their DC are off school, but they are unable to afford a week's accommodation outside their home - or perhaps they can't stay elsewhere because they are disabled or unwell and have specialist equipment that can't be moved. That's 'ridiculous' and 'a contradiction in terms' to you. This is exactly what I mean about snobbish boasting.
I used to work with somebody who wasn't overly snobbish, although she tended to have a liking for 'the finer things' so to speak, and would turn her nose up at popular things that she personally didn't like.
I always remember how distraught she was when she realised that she had a week's annual leave left, but couldn't afford to book to go abroad (she'd just split up with her quite wealthy partner). She was considering not bothering to take the week off and just come in to work instead, as "what's the point?"
I think it does sometimes go with the territory that those with money rely on it as a replacement for using any imagination - something that's essential if you're a broke single mum during half-term. Taking it to extremes, do you remember that documentary where Michael Jackson was being shown around the expensive gold-encrusted tat shop - the shop owner would point to something gaudy and say how nice and special it was and MJ would nod to add it to his haul. Part of the joy of being wealthy is that you have choices that poorer folk don't have; but if you just say "I'm rich; show me things that rich people should buy", you have no advantage at all.
To think that somebody would rather pay their employer for the privilege of working for them (which is what deliberately deciding not to take your AL effectively means) - we were just in boring team admin jobs, as well - rather than just find a nice book, a hobby, some films or whatever YOU would like to do for a week just blows my swede.