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Original poster

We call them all "half term" here..

501 replies

Acc0untant · 15/04/2025 10:27

And apparently I'm unreasonable. I see comment after comment about "it's not half term, that happens half way through each term" but ever since I was a child I, and everyone I know, calls each holiday a half term other than summer and Christmas. My parents and the parents of my friends (bearing in mind I'm in my 30s) have always done this.

Is it regional? I'm in the midlands. It's not just students/parents here, teachers use it this way, our school communications. Not even just my experience with one school, it was the same at my secondary school, my daughter's primary and secondary, my other child's nursery etc.

For us this is because we have a holiday after every half of a term, not that the holiday is half way within the term.

I appreciate that this wasn't the original intention of the phrase but at what point do we accept it's fine to use? Same as staycation originally meaning to do day trips from home rather than a UK holiday, it's now been used for both for so long that it's colloquially acceptable for both meanings.

Please no bun fights, I can't be bothered. I appreciate the pedantry with things such as this (and I can be that way with other stuff) but I'd really just like a nice, chilled conversation about it.

Do you say half term for almost all holidays? What region are you from? Would enjoy seeing if there's a correlation.

OP posts:
MasterBeth · 15/04/2025 23:43

I live in the Midlands but have only heard people refer to the Easter holidays as half term on Mumsnet.

Actually, not entirely true. I have occasionally heard people refer to it as half term but always assumed they just made a mistake.

I think it's more of a dumb-ass thing than a regional thing. It's not half term. Half term comes halfway through the term. The clue is in the name.

MasterBeth · 15/04/2025 23:48

Acc0untant · 15/04/2025 12:45

Nor is staycation, but they've updated the dictionary definition now. At what point does something initially incorrect become accepted usage?

Show quote history

When enough people accept it. This thread suggests most people (on here at least) don't.

Pinkissmart · 16/04/2025 06:55

I work in education in the south.
'Term break' is the long break at Christmas and Easter. Half term are the week long breaks

IHeartHalloumi · 16/04/2025 06:57

TennesseeStella · 15/04/2025 10:33

I'm Scottish too, agree it's not a phrase that's ever used here, it's just the February/Easter/tattie October holidays.

October half term is obviously the tattie holidays. Get out into the fields & get working kids!

PurpleFlower1983 · 16/04/2025 07:01

I’m a teacher and the full term breaks are Christmas, Easter and Summer - just referred to as their respective ‘holiday’ or ‘break’ and the other week long ones as half term as they are half way through a term. The others are term end so not half term.

As a teacher saying half term for the longer holidays would be under selling them. 🤣

BottleBlondeMachiavelli · 16/04/2025 07:25

MasterBeth · 15/04/2025 23:43

I live in the Midlands but have only heard people refer to the Easter holidays as half term on Mumsnet.

Actually, not entirely true. I have occasionally heard people refer to it as half term but always assumed they just made a mistake.

I think it's more of a dumb-ass thing than a regional thing. It's not half term. Half term comes halfway through the term. The clue is in the name.

“More of a dumb ass thing than a regional thing.” 😂😁

RaraRachael · 16/04/2025 07:33

Chemenger · 15/04/2025 10:32

I don’t think we called anything half term, certainly not the Easter holidays. I’m in Scotland.

Me neither in NE Scotland.
It was Christmas, Easter and summer holidays with the tattie holidays in October.

We don't have "half term" weeks off just a long weekend in February.

cheercaptain · 16/04/2025 07:39

Ditto @converseandjeans. I am in the SE. Half terms refer to the Feb, May and Oct breaks only. The others are Easter, Summer and Christmas holidays.

BellaBlister · 16/04/2025 08:01

AthWat · 15/04/2025 12:46

I'm also in Cardiff and no it hasn't.

Show quote history

I agree with you, also in Cardiff, 3 terms, 3 half terms and 3 holidays. Currently off for Easter holiday. Back in on the 28th April for a short term, before they're off again for half term.

Everanewbie · 16/04/2025 08:16

When I've heard "half-term" being incorrectly used, its tended to be in the context of traffic or shops/tourist attractions being busier.

"Traffic was better than normal, 'course, its half tern, isn't it?"

"I'd forgotten is was half term, bloomin' kids everywhere!"

Welshwabbit · 16/04/2025 08:21

I'm from Wales and had never heard anyone calling Easter half term until recently. It annoys me because I get confused and think they're talking about May half term, unless it's obvious from the context that they're not.

comeandhaveteawithme · 16/04/2025 11:15

Lovelysummerdays · 15/04/2025 14:41

I’m Scottish and live in Scotland and tbh I thought it was a holiday too. I don’t remember ever being or the kids being at school on Easter Monday. We don’t go back till Wednesday where we are due to Easter Monday then a teacher inset day. Different councils, different rules.

Show quote history

You probably don't remember them being at school on Easter Monday because usually Easter weekend falls in the middle of the two week Easter Holiday. It's only at the end of the Holiday this year because it's a particularly late Easter.

RaraRachael · 16/04/2025 11:31

In our area of Scotland the "Easter" holidays always begin on the last Friday of March, regardless of when Easter falls. So this year they went back on Monday and get the day off again on Friday as Good Friday is a holiday here but Easter Monday isn't

HowAmITheCatsGranny · 16/04/2025 18:10

I grew up in SE England and it was Christmas / Easter / summer holidays and half terms were the one week breaks in between. Moved to Scotland where half terms aren’t a thing! Local schools have the October / Christmas / Easter holidays (each a two week break) and then summer, aka the six week holidays.

weareallalittlebitthesame · 16/04/2025 18:13

Well I live in a place where it is the Easter holidays but nursery have been writing Easter half term on the app so I have no idea 🤷‍♀️😂

HowAmITheCatsGranny · 16/04/2025 18:16

Also.. NE Scotland, and yes, I have heard (mostly from older people) the October holiday referred to as the ‘tattie holiday.’

Cosycover · 16/04/2025 18:21

October week in my part of Scotland.
Christmas holidays. Easter holidays. Anything else is just bank holiday or in-service day.

MissEloiseBridgerton · 16/04/2025 18:37

Scotland is definitely more like 4 terms.

Autumn term - October holiday - winter term - Christmas holiday - spring term - Easter holiday - summer term - summer holiday

Sharptonguedwoman · 16/04/2025 18:41

Acc0untant · 15/04/2025 10:30

My partner is from further north and they always called one of the weeks Whitsun week but until I met him I'd never heard it called that. Certainly not common here at all.

It is Whitsun week but it's fallen out of use and the Monday bank holiday is no longer called Whit Bank Holiday. No idea why. I'm in my 60s and still call it this.

Sharptonguedwoman · 16/04/2025 18:43

Acc0untant · 15/04/2025 10:27

And apparently I'm unreasonable. I see comment after comment about "it's not half term, that happens half way through each term" but ever since I was a child I, and everyone I know, calls each holiday a half term other than summer and Christmas. My parents and the parents of my friends (bearing in mind I'm in my 30s) have always done this.

Is it regional? I'm in the midlands. It's not just students/parents here, teachers use it this way, our school communications. Not even just my experience with one school, it was the same at my secondary school, my daughter's primary and secondary, my other child's nursery etc.

For us this is because we have a holiday after every half of a term, not that the holiday is half way within the term.

I appreciate that this wasn't the original intention of the phrase but at what point do we accept it's fine to use? Same as staycation originally meaning to do day trips from home rather than a UK holiday, it's now been used for both for so long that it's colloquially acceptable for both meanings.

Please no bun fights, I can't be bothered. I appreciate the pedantry with things such as this (and I can be that way with other stuff) but I'd really just like a nice, chilled conversation about it.

Do you say half term for almost all holidays? What region are you from? Would enjoy seeing if there's a correlation.

it's not half term. No doubt called so regionally but inaccurately. Easter marks the end of the spring term and the beginning of the summer term.

Anyotherdude · 16/04/2025 18:47

Half term, Christmas Hols, Half term, Easter Hols, Half term, Summer Hols.
Surrey/ South London. Same for the last 58 years…

PurpleYarnivore · 16/04/2025 18:56

I’m in the Midlands and I’ve never heard of this - it’s the Easter holidays - it makes my teeth itch when people say half term , that’s February , may and October .

Original poster
Acc0untant · 16/04/2025 19:03

MasterBeth · 15/04/2025 23:43

I live in the Midlands but have only heard people refer to the Easter holidays as half term on Mumsnet.

Actually, not entirely true. I have occasionally heard people refer to it as half term but always assumed they just made a mistake.

I think it's more of a dumb-ass thing than a regional thing. It's not half term. Half term comes halfway through the term. The clue is in the name.

Calling someone (or in this case lots of people, if this thread is anything to go by) a dumbass is unnecessary. If it makes you feel smarter to put other people down then it says more about you than others.

OP posts:
Single50something · 16/04/2025 19:10

It always used to be half term in the middle of the term. Otherwise it's xmas hols, Easter hols or summer. But so many people now saying half term?! Devon for info :)

Beautifulweeds · 16/04/2025 19:10

So strange, I've only ever known holidays to be called for what they are. This sounds so silly as it's not half term, it's Easter holidays, as on school calendars and I couldn't imagine it upsetting anyone! Shame some institutions may overthink and project an unreasonable and unfounded idea that they have to not say specific titles. Quite ridiculous actually as, working in schools, with colleagues and parents of many different cultures, no one has found this offensive IME and IMO.