My company kind of sucks when it comes to holiday cheer. No Christmas bonus, no holiday party for the last few years, and we are forced to use PTO for whatever days aren't holidays over Christmas week.

Hah. I'm actually super excited because I just checked and realized I get both 12/24 AND 12/25 as holidays!! Also since I work from home I never get a holiday party, but they just planned something for all the Seattle-area employees in January. Which is awesome. ...if only the rest of the company made me as happy. Argh. I wrote a long email to my boss yesterday that ended in "No, seriously, I want off this project. I know that means someone else will have to work on it, but I've been on it 9 months, and I feel I've put in my time"

I should be clear: we get 12/24 and 12/25 off as paid holidays. But the office has a mandatory shut down for the entire week and all employees have to take the rest of those days as PTO, whether you want to or not. I'm actually glad not to have to beg off of the holiday party, but feel bad for those that like to go. I should also state that I have an excellent salary and benefits and I work from home, so I'm pretty pleased for the most part.

I get Xmas day off, but that's it.

I've been trying to take this Friday off - out of my paid vacation - and so far I have 6 hours of OT this week. Two more hous of OT and I get the day off without using vacation time. Oy.

This time of year is so frustrating. Either people are already on vacation and aren't answering questions or they are freaking out about year end and wanting everything yesterday.

We get 12/24, 12/25, 12/31 and 1/1 off, paid. Something to be said for working for the state, but that's about all anymore.

And then there are days like today, where the chancellor of the university waits until 4:30pm to close the campus tomorrow due to weather. All the offices on the university close at 4:30pm. I stayed until 5:30pm updating phone messages and e-mail accounts so anyone calling into our division knows there will be no one there to answer questions or provide service. And of course, we have to use PTO to make up the eight hours we're closed.

At least I can do all my Christmas baking tomorrow!

In talking about vacation and holiday time, I checked my vacation bank and I actually have 117 hours. How did that happen. I know I haven't had a balance over 40 hours in years. Good problem to have, I know. Not complaining, just surprised.

It has to be a result of working from home. I haven't taken a sick day in a long time. If I need to do something that would have meant I took time off mid-week, I usually just flex my hours and get my work in elsewhere in the week.

Suzi - I had more than 50 days last time I checked.

That's why I've taken the past couple of weeks off.

Wow, I take time off pretty much as soon as I accumulate it!

We get 2 whole weeks for Christmas, which is nice. We only have 2 weeks vacation, so that works out pretty well.

My boss paid us for T-giving and I got a $100 bonus for Christmas. eta let me be clear, both those things were super nice and unexpected.

I really, really, REALLY miss PTO.

50 days!!! Dang, sumi! I'm almost up to 3 weeks and that seems huge. I wish I could take that in one big chunk. I wouldn't know what to do with myself.