I just told dh he was a bloody old misery 😡

Maggiemaybe wrote As for it being too early, our local authority has decided in its wisdom that schools will close for Christmas on Friday 22nd December, so where’s the time for a magical run up to the big day, even for those of us who do have our DGC close by? Both neighbouring authorities have gone for the 15th, which means a lovely week for three of our DGC of trips to Santa, ice rinks, pantos, Christmas crafts and fun. The other two can have a super week of nothing much to do in the bleakest week of the year in early January.

Nooooo! That might work for parents who have grandparents close at hand but it’s a nightmare for working parents who have to find childcare for over-excited children for a week or ten days before Xmas. Their only option might be to take annual leave, which then means they have to go back to work straight after Xmas, when their children want to play with all their new toys and they miss out out on post-xmas socialising.

I don’t really understand your point, SueDonim. How is having to find childcare (or take annual leave) for a week before Christmas any more difficult than having to find it for the week after New Year? There are the same number of days to cover after all. Two of my DGS will be back in school on 2nd January, two won’t go back until the 9th.

As a parent, I’d much rather have annual leave with the children in the pre-Christmas week, when there’s plenty to do with them. And my DGS’s parents feel the same.

Because parents can combine bank holidays with leave after Christmas which you can’t do before xmas. Eg my dd can often use four or five days AL with BH’s and have two full weeks off. The children here are usually back at school no later than 4th Jan and my son’s children were at school on 2nd Jan this year, while we in Scotland were still on a BH.

I also don’t know many parents who enjoy working, shopping for gifts and food, wrap presents, decorate the house and do all the other million pre-Christmas tasks with children underfoot!

SueDonim

Because parents can combine bank holidays with leave after Christmas which you can’t do before xmas. Eg my dd can often use four or five days AL with BH’s and have two full weeks off. The children here are usually back at school no later than 4th Jan and my son’s children were at school on 2nd Jan this year, while we in Scotland were still on a BH.

I also don’t know many parents who enjoy working, shopping for gifts and food, wrap presents, decorate the house and do all the other million pre-Christmas tasks with children underfoot!

I don't know anybody who "enjoys pre-Christmas tasks" full stop - nothing to do with children underfoot!

Nope, I still don’t get it. The public holidays are still there to combine with AL, whichever fortnight you have to cover.

As for which week you have off at which side of Christmas, I’d say that was down to personal preference. I don’t know many parents who don’t like to share a few days pre-Christmas with their children. I certainly did.

But I don’t want to hijack the thread so I’ll leave it there.

A lot of firms, especially in the construction industry, shut down in the week between Christmas and New Year and parents have to take a week's holiday then whether they want to or not.

My childminding children's parents invariably have the week between Christmas and New Year off, not before.
Our schools finish on Friday 22nd December and go back on Monday 8th January this time.

So we're having Christmas at home this year then taking the opportunity to fly to Tenerife for five nights over New Year, home on the 1st January ready for a week of childcare before school starts again 🙂

Back to the OP, I muttered the other day to my DH that he was a right wing fascist. Tautology I know.
Oh dear he had his hearing aids in and caught it!.
He was ranting on about 20 mile and hour speed limits coming in all over the UK in built up areas. And blaming Sadhik Kahn.
I pointed out to him that it was Wales!
The media certainly know how to whip up the older male driver.
DH has now forgiven me but I shouldn't throw insults around like that!

Good on you! They are thrilled by Christmas “tat” for such a short time.

Callistemon21

A lot of firms, especially in the construction industry, shut down in the week between Christmas and New Year and parents have to take a week's holiday then whether they want to or not.

Dh was always expected to take the week between Christmas and New Year off as a part of his AL. It was always a lovely relaxed time, he used to thoroughly enjoy it.

Callistemon21

A lot of firms, especially in the construction industry, shut down in the week between Christmas and New Year and parents have to take a week's holiday then whether they want to or not.

True in my husband's business, shut down for a week near Christmas..

Callistemon21

A lot of firms, especially in the construction industry, shut down in the week between Christmas and New Year and parents have to take a week's holiday then whether they want to or not.

Many people think that this is an extra week. It's not, it's taken as part of the AL entitlement. The same applies to solicitors who used to close between Christmas and the New Year. It wasn't an added bonus.

Have a great time with your grandchildren, especially the John Lewis Christmas shop.

I love taking my dgch out, my very grumpy hubby never comes but that's his problem!