How to make the most of your Christmas break in 2026
A few extra days with the family. A festive getaway. Some much-needed downtime after a busy year.
Whatever your plans for Christmas, if you have the option to take time off this Christmas a little forward planning could help you enjoy a longer break this year.
With Christmas Day falling on a Friday, the bank holidays line up nicely to give you a good stretch off. And by using your annual leave wisely, you could enjoy up to 16 days off work without making too big a dent in your holiday days.
Here's how to make the most of the festive calendar in 2026. But hurry, before everyone else gets their requests in!
Enjoy a four-day Christmas weekend
With Christmas Day falling on Friday 25 December and Boxing Day being on a Saturday, Monday 28 December is a bank holiday, meaning you could enjoy four consecutive days off without using any annual leave.
And to make the most of it, why not turn Christmas into a mini holiday? Swap the cooking and cleaning for delicious festive food, quality time together and a few days of being looked after.
With one, two and three-night festive packages available, our hotels and resorts are the perfect place to unwind. All of the traditions you love, but none of the seasonal stress. Plus, on longer stays there’s plenty of time to enjoy some sale shopping, country strolls, a dip in the pool or even a spa treatment.
Download your chosen hotel's Christmas brochure for a complete guide to what's going on this Christmas.
Turn three days of annual leave into 10 days off
Want to make your Christmas break last a little longer?
Book 29, 30 and 31 December as annual leave and you could enjoy 10 consecutive days off, from Friday 25 December to Sunday 3 January.
With the Christmas celebrations over, those twixmas days between Christmas and New Year are perfect for getting away from it all.
Escape to the countryside for winter walks and cosy evenings. Treat yourself to a relaxing spa break. Or explore a new city, taking advantage of the quieter days after Christmas.
And with New Year's Eve falling on a Thursday, you could turn celebrating at one of our parties into a long weekend and start the year off feeling refreshed.
Start your Christmas break early
If you'd rather enjoy some time off before Christmas, book Monday 21 to Thursday 24 December as annual leave.
Combined with the weekends and Christmas bank holidays, that gives you 10 days off from Saturday 19 to Monday 28 December.
It's a great opportunity to get into the festive spirit without trying to squeeze everything into the weekends.
Think Christmas markets, festive shopping trips and a night or two away before the big day arrives.
Or, if you've got a houseful of guests coming for Christmas, why not enjoy a relaxing break before the hosting begins?
Enjoy 16 days off with just seven days of annual leave (17 if you live in Scotland!)
Got a little more annual leave to use up?
Book 21 to 24 December and 29 to 31 December off work and you could enjoy 16 consecutive days away from your desk, from Saturday 19 December to Sunday 3 January.
And if you live north of the border, Monday 4 January is also a bank holiday.
That's plenty of time to enjoy Christmas, escape for a few days between celebrations and welcome the New Year feeling refreshed.
You could even plan two separate getaways – one to get into the festive spirit before Christmas and another to unwind once the celebrations are over. Perfect.