To think colleague should have asked if I wanted Christmas off before she booked it off?

[SulkySam]

AIBU to be a bit pissed off colleague booked this Christmas off when she had last Christmas off too? Isn’t it the polite thing to alternate having it off.

I started in role in September last year and she’d already booked off for last year before I started. Absolutely fine.

For this year she mentioned in conversation she’d booked it off, told me it had been approved as if it was fait accompli. No discussion and as it had already been approved there wasn’t much I could say! Quite pissed off manager just approved it as well.

Obviously I’ve know for a few months now but it is still making me seethe! She is an older lady, no DC while I have 5 DC including two disabled children.

Of course that doesn’t mean I have priority over her having time off for Christmas (just to make that clear before someone jumps on it) but isn’t it usual etiquette to take turns?

Your manager should be managing xmas leave not your colleagues fault

but book next year off now

Why didn’t you book it first?

you snooze you lose

early bird catches Xmas leave and all that

There should be either a first come, first served or an alternate years policy and either way it should be applied fairly.

Is this a TAAT?

I disagree with the other replies.

That's incredibly selfish of your colleague, and your manager is not managing the situation fairly.

Did Christmas take you by surprise this year?

hint: it's every year at the end of December.

With 5 dc one would have thought you might have been more on the ball.

If yer nae fast yer last.

First come first served. If you wanted it why didn't you request it Why mention kids if you don't think it gives you entitlement - even worse to use their disability.....

This. She’s shown her colours so I would never give her any consideration for anything in the future now

First come first served normally from what I know. Dh always has to book anything miles ahead because I can only take school holidays 🤷‍♀️

Why didn’t you book earlier?!

Not understanding why you didn’t book it earlier. No one is required to proactively ask you if you want to book a holiday before they book their own.

She is an older lady, no DC while I have 5 DC including two disabled children.

Of course that doesn’t mean I have priority over her having time off for Christmas (just to make that clear before someone jumps on it)

No sorry I'm going to jump on it. Why on earth did you mention it if it makes no difference?

Anyway. Your manager should have thought of some way to make it fair ie. If you worked it last year you get first dibs on having it off next year

Problem is with saying book earlier is when does it stop? Can you just blanket book it off each year?

YABU and slow.

She wanted Christmas off, she applied, she got it.

Totally misdirected anger at her.

We always draw up a rota each year and everyone puts what leave they want and they decide what can be honoured. I like to plan ahead whilst my team are last minute merchants so having to wait until early December for the rota drives me mad but it is fair.

Maybe she assumed that now we're into December that since you hadn't booked it you weren't bothered. Its not like its 10 months away, you should have booked it sooner. Its not up to her to check if you want it

Surely the Christmas holidays had to be booked and cover organised long ago?

i actually think managers should be a bit more proactive with Christmas annual leave and in many of the teams i've worked in, we've all submitted our preferred dates to our managers and worked it out from there.

but, not all managers are like this and if you wanted some leave, you should have requested your dates earlier.

No it's snooze you lose OP. You should have got in there first. Next year.

What does your manager think? This is down to them

Of course she's not being unreasonable just because she doesn't have kids doesn't mean she doesn't want the time off.

Before we had our DS, I booked every Christmas off, it was the time I got to spend time with my DH and I just didn't want to work Christmas.

You should have booked it off if you wanted it off, you snooze you loose.

I can't believe some of these answers. Key holiday times are not first come first served, or like a pp said where does it end? It's bad form of your colleague not to discuss with you and bad management to not make sure it's fair

YANBU to think it should be taken in turns every year. YABU to specify that your family is oh so important while she doesn’t have one and then say ‘not that that matters’ because you clearly think it does 🙄