Christmas Holidays from Work

FiveSpice

Hi All,

This post is out of complete curiosity and I don't want to start any bashing of any professions.. From the world of Facebook, it seems like everyone I know was off for a full 2 weeks over Christmas. I'm curious if people had to take some days annual leave for Christmas or did your company close completely for the 2 weeks?

What companies do you work for/ what profession are you in? I know there will be the obvious ones such as teachers who were definitely off for 2 weeks and those working in hospitals/retail/hospitality/taxi drivers to name a few who obviously weren't off for long.

Fat Christy

I had to take annual leave to cover it. We don't have a choice. The office closes but you have to keep annual leave to cover it. I'd prefer to work over Christmas tbh. Weather is ****, waste of annual leave days.

FiveSpice

Fat Christy wrote: »

I had to take annual leave to cover it. We don't have a choice. The office closes but you have to keep annual leave to cover it. I'd prefer to work over Christmas tbh. Weather is ****, waste of annual leave days.

I always think that is very unfair.. If the company closes completely, you shouldn't have to take annual leave - we don't get a lot as it is! What profession are you in if you don't mind me asking?

bee06

I got Christmas Day, Stephens day and 29th to 31st December and I was lucky to get it. Had to work the Saturday and Sunday after Christmas instead. I work for a multinational.

Sunny Dayz

I took the two weeks off as annual leave as the son on his holidays from school. Between travel, xmas eve, day, Stephens day, New Years eve and day, didn't feel like i had much time off at all. Got nothing productive done!!

FiveSpice

bee06 wrote: »

I got Christmas Day, Stephens day and 29th to 31st December and I was lucky to get it. Had to work the Saturday and Sunday after Christmas instead. I work for a multinational.

I've been there - it's not nice when everyone around you seems to be off for ages! I hope you enjoyed the little time you had and will get to take a nice break this year!

FiveSpice

Sunny Dayz wrote: »

I took the two weeks off as annual leave as the son on his holidays from school. Between travel, xmas eve, day, Stephens day, New Years eve and day, didn't feel like i had much time off at all. Got nothing productive done!!

That's great that you could that with your son

What is your profession if you don't mind me asking? Or even what company do you work for?

Tarzana2

Work in marketing.

Took AL for the 22nd and 23rd of Dec. Office was closed on the 24th until Jan 5th, but on the 29th, 30th and 2nd, we all worked from home, but all it was was checking our emails for anything urgent, basically not working at all.

Stheno

Work in IT and was required to take from the 21st Dec to the 5th off.

As a contractor I don't get paid for time off :eek:

Sunny Dayz

FiveSpice wrote: »

That's great that you could that with your son

What is your profession if you don't mind me asking? Or even what company do you work for?

Yeah it was great to spend some alone time with my son, just chilling out!

I'm an accountant and work in a very small practice. I told all my clients I was finishing up early, I got the important work done before I went and the boss man was floating in and out of the office over the two weeks incase there was anything urgent. Luckily i have no audit clients or stock takes to attend.

thesimpsons

finished on tues 23 until today. company was closed so had to use annual leave - knew this from the day I started working for them that days had to be kept. most of my family and friends have similiar stories - jobs range across everything from construction related office jobs, operators through to managers at multinationals, solicitor offices, etc. on other hand, partner works shift in multinational and was back at work Monday 29th for 3 x 12 hour shifts. between company closures at christmas and summer, I only have 3 days to play with before having to take leave at own expense. cousin works in restaurant, worked christmas eve till 9pm and back again on Stephen's day. media would have you believe the country closed down for 2 weeks !

Tar.Aldarion

I didn't have to use my leave, it's bonus leave I guess, which is awesome. Got the two weeks mostly.
Software developer.

Hollister11

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

I didn't have to use my leave, it's bonus leave I guess, which is awesome. Got the two weeks mostly.
Software developer.

This sounds sweet, currency studying to be a software developer and hope I work for companies who give you Christmas breaks off

Eoin

I work in IT, and took the 2 weeks off. It wasn't mandatory, but I don't have a problem with compulsory leave at Xmas.

That said, I get 26 days leave and I "bought" an extra 3 days from the company this year, so it wasn't a huge dent in my allocation. Also, the creche was closed for 3 of the days, so one of us would have had to take time off either way.

iusedtoknow

I work in IT - our company shut down from the 24th to today, no need to take annual leave . I tacked on the 22nd/23rd ti give me a full 2 weeks.

Meathlass

I work in the public sector. The office was closed from the 24th to the 2nd and I had to take 4 days annual leave to cover it.

I'd prefer to come in some of the days over Christmas and keep my AL but it's not an option.

boobar

I work in IT.

I took most of the 2 weeks as leave as I have a young daughter and I wanted to look after her while she was on holidays rather than send her to the childminder. I only worked Monday 29th as my wife was off that day.

My wife is a nurse, she's lucky to get one day off over the Xmas. So I guess I'm very lucky to be able to take this time off as annual leave.

x43r0

I work in marketing

I had to take the 22nd, 23rd and 24th as annual leave but then the office was closed until the 5th which was nice

Mrs OBumble

Work in IT at a multi-national. Get 22 days AL, with no chance to buy more. Though sometimes we've had the "opportunity" to take some unpaid leave during the year, too.

Forced leave from 24th - 2nd, we were told well in advance to keep AL for it or take as unpaid if none left. I took the 22-23rd as well, giving a full two weeks out for the price of 5 days A/L.

It's nice having 2 weeks, and handy to have the days just before Christmas for some voluntary stuff I do. But having done it this way twice, I think I'd actually prefer to keep the days for a longer holiday in the summer. Might try that this year.

pauliebdub

I only had 24th to 26th off work. Im not keen on taking annual leave at that time of the year and prefer to be working. A few of my friends have to take annual leave and they hate wasting their days to sit at home in lousy weather.

Bootros Bootros

You guys getting the free leave are making out like bandits. I had to take AL which effectively reduces my non-Christmas leave to 17 days.