How to maximise your annual leave this Christmas with up to 16 days off

| Lifestyle Reporter Published November 9, 2026 12:52pm Updated November 9, 2026 12:56pm Here are the dates to spend as little time in the office in December (Picture: Getty Images) With Halloween and Bonfire Night officially behind us, thoughts are inevitably turning to the most wonderful time of the year. While people debate how soon you should be decorating your home, getting your festive annual leave sorted early is the one task you shouldn’t put off. For many of us, getting as much time out of the office is the key to enjoying it, but it takes logistical planning to make the most of your break. Luckily, Metro has done the calendar maths so you don’t have to. Just a heads-up, this only works if you’re on a standard Monday-to-Friday gig with bank holidays off. If this applies to you, get those requests in before your coworkers beat you to it! The countdown to Christmas is officially on (Picture: Getty Images) How to maximise your Christmas break Fortunately, the calendar has dealt workers a very kind hand this festive season. Because Christmas Day falls on a Friday, the Boxing Day bank holiday rolls over to Monday, December 28, with New Year’s Day also landing neatly on a Friday, you gain a whole weekend after to nurse that hangover. If you want to maximise your downtime without burning through your precious holiday allowance, this is the ultimate cheat code. Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. The key is to book off Christmas Eve on Thursday, December 24, followed by Tuesday, December 29, Wednesday 30 and Thursday, December 31. By using just four days of annual leave, you can stop working Wednesday, December 23 and enjoy a glorious 11-day stretch off, not returning to your desk until January 4. You can score your last working day for Wednesday, December 23, and return Monday, January 4 (Picture: Shutterstock / PeopleImages) For those feeling extra bold and wanting to beat their colleagues to the punch, you can stretch your holiday even further. By pulling your time off forward to include Monday, December 21 to Wednesday, December 23, you gain a massive 16 days off for just seven days of annual leave. You will clock off Friday, December 18 until Monday, January 4, meaning you won’t have to face reality for over two weeks, giving you even more time to eat your body weight in mince pies and have a mandatory daily Bailey’s. By the time you finally have to crawl back to your inbox in January, you’ll have forgotten what a morning alarm even sounds like. Just a note, those days are for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. For those from Scotland, you lucky lot get an extra bank holiday on Monday, January 4, making an already sweet deal even better. Seven days of annual leave for 16 days off, that’s a very good Christmas deal! (Picture: Shutterstock / Jacob Lund) If you’re already in the Christmas spirit, M&S Café launched its ’unreal’ festive menu last week, and Starbucks has brought an iconic American Christmas drink to the UK to try this holiday. Plus, if you’re keen to have a break from the busy crowds, one store rooftop in the now-pedestrianised Oxford Street has a ‘winter haven’ to enjoy. Our Top Shopping Picks The Orlando holiday deal Disney fans shouldn't miss We're adding this discounted NEOM gift set straight to basket Want an LED face mask for less? This Black Friday deal could save you hundreds This teeth whitening sale could save you up to 64% before Black Friday The best Black Friday sleep deals to upgrade your bedroom with Simba’s 33% off sale For those wanting to maximise their budget this winter, M&S has launched three massive Christmas prize draws — with vouchers up to £1,500. More Christmas news from Metro Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@metro.co.uk Arrow MORE: Popular fast food chain unveils ‘tremendous’ Christmas menu with boozy Baileys milkshake Arrow MORE: Robbie Williams addresses ‘dig’ at Olivia Rodrigo: ‘I couldn’t care less’ Arrow MORE: TV viewers find secret message hidden in Aldi Christmas advert The Getaway Expert Your exclusive seven-day guide to travelling with confidence from Metro's resident travel expert, Alice Murphy.