Christmas Eve is on a Saturday, Christmas on a Sunday this year. My contract states that I get Christmas Eve off and Christmas day off. If the holiday falls on a Saturday, I take the Friday off. If the holiday falls on a Sunday, I take the Monday off. Previously, I have never used that part of my contract. I just have a hard time closing when a holiday (any observed holiday) falls on the weekend and none of the parents have the Friday or the Monday off. Its hard for me to feel comfortable getting a paid day off when the parents don't and they have to find and pay for alternative daycare. I can see this issue causing resentment and have just never used that part of the contract to my advantage even though they all signed it. What all are you taking off? Right now I have two full timers that do not have a problem with alternate care (lots of family in the area) and two part timers that can work their schedule around this from what I understand of their job situation (plus one has family in the area too and the other uses my backup provider). So it really shouldn't be a big deal for me to take the four days so why am I still feeling guilty? I have never had a single sick day (that was non-maternity related in 5 years). I am super super reliable. But I always seem to have that one parent that gets all nasty about something and sometimes it isn't even worth the fight, you know? what are you guys doing?

Reply

I will be taking off the 23rd as my "Friday before a weekend holiday." I have it in my contract that if a holiday were to fall on a weekend, I would be taking off the Friday before. I also am taking my 2nd week of vacation that week after Christmas. I always take that week off as both of my children AND my DH all have December birthdays and I NEED A BREAK!

Reply

I'm taking off Monday.

Reply

I'm taking off Friday, December 23 and Monday, December 26 and I'm also taking off Friday, December 30 and Monday, January 2.

My families all got notice of these dates back in April, so they've had ample time to make other arrangements. They'll receive a reminder in my September newsletter and again in my November and December newsletters.

There's always some family every year that asks me to work on at least one of my holiday days off - but I'm really good at saying "no"

Reply

We are taking the last two weeks of December off.

Reply

I am taking the 26th-30th as a family vacation.

I gave notice back in January.

Reply

I'm like you, I have the same terms in my contract but rarely ever use it (only when its a given that everyone has off).

I hate when Christmas and New Years falls on the weekend!!! I feel like I end up jipped out of 4 of my 9 yearly paid holidays. I am not sure what I'll do this year. On a personal level I think I'd rather have the day after xmas than the day before xmas eve. I have a lot of families who get the whole week between xmas and new years off but they still bring their kids - I don't think taking the monday will affect too many families for me.

Reply

Right now on my calendar I marked the Friday and Monday as paid days off and then I'm taking Tuesday as an unpaid day off. My daughter AND husband are both off during this time so I feel I not only need a break myself but I also need to give them a break from daycare. But my guilty conscience will probably get the best of me and I can see me telling parents that I will take Monday as an unpaid day just cause I'll feel bad. How do we stop this?! I've already changed the FIRST day I ever planned on taking off cause one family had a conflict...so I cancelled my plans I need to put on a thicker skin and have a stronger back bone!

Reply

I am taking December 26th off.

Reply

I am taking Dec 23 thru Jan 2 off in a combination of paid holidays and remaining vacation days. I give them the schedule of days off for the year in January, so they have plenty of time to make other arrangements.

Reply

Easy.... by realizing you ARE choosing work over family.

Set your priorities and stick to them.... Guilt free.

Reply

I am not taking any time off for Christmas. I dont have many families that come that week, and gives me time to get the house set back up after taking tree down, with only a few kids. When I take time off I dont get paid, so if they take time off that week, I will get paid anyway!

I use my vacation time in the summer when we can be outside, or go somewhere fun. I dislike winter so we would be inside anyway!

Reply

I will be closed for the whole week after christmas. I would only have 2 in care, so I would rather close and spend the time with my family.

Reply

I'm taking December 26th off. I don't care about Xmas Eve, but I definitely like having the 26th off. More time to clean up the wrapping paper, lol.

Reply

I'm taking the 22nd-the 1st of January off. Family time!

Reply

I am off December 22-January 3. Families were notified in January of this year.

My Christmas vacation varies every year but it is pre-planned almost a year in advance so families are well aware of what days I am closed.

Reply

I am taking December 19th - December 30th as a paid holiday! I do it every year.

Reply

I'm pregnant and due Thanksgiving, so I'm expecting to deliver at the beginning of December and I'll be taking two weeks off. Then I'll have full time help in home for another 2-4 weeks.

I'm not really sure what I'm planning for Christmas. I think I'll probably take the 26th, just to make sure that my house is back in order. But I might not. I'm already taking quite a bit of time off.

But then again - I'll probably need more breaks/time off than I normally would so maybe I will take the day.

Ugh. Add me to the "I don't know" list.

Reply

I am closed the week between Christmas and New Years every year.....paid.

Reply

I am oly closed on Christmas eve and christmas day (which of course fall on the weekend) but I am not sure the families will need me the friday and monday b4 and after. I have one that might because the mother is a nurse but of course I am sympathetic to that because I am a nurse too and I rememeber all those weekend and holiday hours. so I will help as I can if she needs me days before and after the actual holidays.

Reply

My last day is fri Dec 17th and I start again on Jan 2nd, unpaid. We're going to Honduras to see my DD!!!!!! (I'm a little bit excited!)

Reply

I've decided not to take any days off. I'll be spending christmas eve with my family and then spending christmas day with my DH's family. My family lives not too far from here and my DH's family lives less than 5 minutes away. Holidays aren't difficult and we don't have a long drive or stay up late so it's basically just like any other weekend for us so I don't feel the need to take any days off this year ... so far. If the location of Christmas Eve changes then I may take Friday off for a longer drive. Either way my daughter spends Christmas Day with her biological father so I have to be back in town by 9:00am Christmas morning.

Reply

I take off x-mas eve, day and day after no matter where it falls on the callendar.

Reply

Me too. Dec 24-26th off is in my contract. I have Christmas Eve dinner here with 30 people. I tell my parents that for the 2-3 days leading up to Christmas, toys will slowly start disappearing from the great room and we'll be cooking a lot! I usually send home little bits of what I'm serving all week long. And on the 23rd everyone goes home with a loaf of fresh baked banana, zucchini or pumpkin bread. Last year I sent home small loaf pans of baked ziti, spinach artichoke dip and a plate of cheese, pepperoni and crackers. That way the kids get to "help" with their parents' plates and non of my guests need to eat food prepared by sticky 2 year old hands.

Reply

I have 3 weeks off and I already can't wait...lol!

Reply

I'll be taking off the day after Christmas, the day before New Year's Eve, and the day after New Year's. Normally I take Christmas Day and New Year's Day, but this year we are in a wedding on New Year's Eve, so we will be having rehearsal that Friday. Most of the places around here are closed on the Monday's after as their holiday anyway, so it shouldn't inconvience anyone, except those that work at the hospital.

Reply

i work 1/2day on christmas eve day and then i take off between christmas and new years. My husband does not work so i think it is only fair to him to give him his vacation time.

Reply

Does anyone else look ahead on the calendar and pre-print the exact holidays you will be closed for the entire year? I recently found a website called CalendarLabs.com and you can print the entire year on one sheet of paper and if will even put the holidays in red. It even printed election day in red, lol. I went through the page and highlighted all the 10 days I want to be closed and decided that if I am open by this Christmas season I would be closed Fridayand Monday so I could have two four-day work weeks.

I actually went searching for calendars online to figure out when I would teach certain topics throughout the year and stumbled across the holidays and did more research, lol.

I feel like I have more of a backbone if from day one I can say these are the days daycare is closed. I don't want to have the idea of saying two months before "Uhh, umm, I'm not sure what days to take off" and I don't want to get caught up in anyone's temporary financial struggle talk either.

Reply

In the past I closed early on Christmas Eve and opened the day after. Last year my mom was here so I closed on the Eve. Might make that perm. This year I will for sure take the day after.

I am sure at least one parent will get one of the days off, if they are salary, they will get the day paid. check with the parents if you want to try to appease as many as you can. Oh, and new years, I dont care too much, but normally try to close early that day as well (eve that is)

Reply

For about 13 years now...

It makes it easier to give them your calendar in January for the next 12 months. It also helps to post it to your Daycare website/FB page for quick reference since not all will/can keep the calendar handy.

I have no arguing.... BUT I do still have to send out reminders of all upcoming vacations for each month to get rid of most of the drama since at least one will forget. I also print it on their daily sheets.

Believe it or not I still have folks show up on closed days from time to time...

Reply

I do the same, but next year I'm going to attempt to get my shopping done early and offer extended hours on Christmas Eve (and then take the week off).

Reply

I send home the full holiday schedule for the year at the end of the following year.

Reply