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How to get 59 days off work in 2026 using only 28 days of annual leave

Have we got a hack for you.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 23rd December 2025

Whether you can believe it or not, we’ll be getting ready to say goodbye to 2025 and welcome in a new year next week.

2025 has been quite the year, and with the working world getting ready to wind down for the festive season, many are no doubt already looking ahead to the new year, and planning all the holidays and time off work they want to book.

Fancy making the most of it though? For those looking to play their cards right and hack the system a little bit, some clever clogs has worked out a way to secure yourself a whopping 59 days off work by using just 28 days of your annual leave allowance – and it’s pretty impressive.

With most full-time employees who work a five-day week having a minimum of 28 days (5.6 weeks) of paid annual leave each year, travel experts have figured out how these people can effectively double their time off in 2026.

Person on a laptop
How to get 59 days off work in 2026 using only 28 days of annual leave / Credit: Road Ahead | Kaitlyn Baker (via Unsplash)

January

It may be a tad too late for some, but if you’re still able to extend your new year celebrations, then you’ll want to book Friday 2 January off to create a long weekend.

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Easter

Saturday 28 March to Sunday 12 April – Thanks to those two Bank Holidays we get off around Easter time, by booking Monday 30 March to Thursday 2 April, and then Tuesday 7 April to Friday 10 April off, you can enjoy a massive 16 days off work by just using eight days of annual leave.

  • Saturday 28 & Sunday 29 March – Weekend
  • Monday 30 March to Thursday 2 April – Annual Leave
  • Friday 3 April – Good Friday
  • Saturday 4 & Sunday 5 April (Easter Sunday) – Weekend
  • Monday 6 April – Easter Monday
  • Tuesday 7 to Friday 10 April – Annual Leave
  • Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 April – Annual Leave

May

Saturday 2 to Sunday 10 May and Saturday 23 to Sunday 31 May – Thanks to the two Bank Holidays in May, there’s two ways for you to enjoy nine days off in a row by only using four days of annual leave. 

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August

Saturday 29 August – Sunday 6 September – With another Bank Holiday in August, by booking Tuesday 1 though to Friday 4 September as annual leave, you can enjoy nine days of summer holiday in total.

December

Saturday 19 December 2026 – 3 January 2027 – With the Christmas Day and Boxing Day Bank Holidays, as well as the Boxing Day substitute day, and New Year’s Day too, you can book just seven days off on from 21 to 24 December, and 29 to 31 December, to enjoy a whopping 16 days off in total.

  • Saturday 19 & Sunday 20 December – Weekend
  • Monday 21 – Thursday 24 December – Annual Leave
  • Friday 25 & Saturday 26 December – Christmas Day and Boxing Day (& weekend)
  • Sunday 27 December – Weekend
  • Monday 28 December – Bank Holiday (Boxing Day substitute)
  • Tuesday 29 – Thursday 31 December – Annual Leave
  • Friday 1 January 2026 – New Year’s Day
  • Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 January – Weekend

Wellbeing Coach Lorna Wilkins has explored the health-boosting benefits of going on holiday and taking time off from work.

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“One of the key health benefits of going on holiday is that it reduces stress,” Lorna explains.

“Having a break from your daily routine can make you feel more relaxed and therefore improve your mental wellbeing. A change of environment and getting away from the pressures of day-to-day life not only helps you to clear your mind but can also help to improve your sleep quality as you’ll be feeling more relaxed.”

Featured Image – Jose Losada (via Unsplash)

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Top 10 most disliked Christmas foods revealed – and sprouts aren’t number one

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

If there’s one thing for certain, a lot of food gets consumed at Christmas.

Foodies look forward to the festive season all year long, and it’s not hard to see why, as for many people, Christmas is just as much about the food as it is anything else, especially as shops and supermarkets tend to go all out with the festive feasting specials – with treats stacked top to bottom on the shelves.

Think turkey, roast potatoes, chocolate, mince pies, and so much more everywhere you look.

But surprisingly, a few of those foods are actually among the most disliked by the younger generations once the festive season rolls around.

A new poll by of 2,000 adults who celebrate Christmas, carried out by Aldi, has found that those born in 1996 or later are apparently “turning their back on” traditional favourites in favour of festive dishes with some sort of “modern twist”.

The top 10 most disliked Christmas foods have been revealed / Credit: Mika Hermans (via Pexels) | GoodFon

Of the traditional favourites, Christmas pudding is one of the least-loved festive foods, along with Christmas cake and trifle – with more than half (56%) of respondents describing them as “dated”.

Despite what many would expect though, number one on the list is not the usual scapegoat of sprouts, as instead it’s mince pies that take the top spot, with the little green vegetables coming in fifth place just behind cranberry sauce at four, Christmas cake in third, and Christmas pudding at two.

Top 10 most disliked Christmas foods

  1. Mince pies – 31%
  2. Christmas pudding – 29%
  3. Christmas cake – 25%
  4. Cranberry sauce – 25%
  5. Brussels sprouts – 24%
  6. Bread sauce – 22%
  7. Chestnuts – 21%
  8. Brandy butter – 20%
  9. Turkey – 20%
  10. Trifle – 19%

So, what else would the youngsters like to see on the festive menu instead then?

According to the poll, he likes of loaded fries, crispy fried chicken, and even pizza are just a few of the things that Gen-Z would most like to be at the table for Christmas dinner this year, whilst cheesecake (33%), chocolate gateau (29%), and ice cream (25%) are among the preferred festive desserts in place of Christmas pudding and Christmas cake.

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Additional research from the supermarket found that the main reasons Brits would like to change up Christmas dinner is to fit personal taste preferences better (34%), or to be more inclusive for dietary restrictions (27%).

26% said they want to switch things up just to be more exciting or adventurous in general.

Featured Image – Flickr

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10 Christmas foods that are toxic for pets and the warning signs to watch out for

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

With Christmas only a few days away, and the festive feasting having firmly already begun for a lot of households, we need to keep an eye on those food vacuums.

And by food vacuums, we of course mean our four-legged friends.

We all know that a lot of food tends to get thrown away over the Christmas period, and because of this, you may be tempted to treat your pets to some of the leftovers – but did you know that some common festive foods can actually make our pets seriously ill?

This means it’s so important to know which ones should be avoided. 

Animal health specialists at OurFitPets have put together a list of common Christmas foods that can cause serious health problems for cats and dogs, as well as given some advice on what you should do if your furry friend accidentally eats any of these foods. 

Some of the warning signs that your pet has poisoning from the various foods on list list to look out for include vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst, changes in urination frequency and habits, changes in appetite, and much more.

Here’s 10 festive foods that are toxic to pets.

Did you know that some common festive foods can actually make our pets seriously ill? / Credit: Rumman Amin (via Unsplash)

Christmas pudding and mince pies 

These common Christmas treats are filled with dried fruits, such as raisins, sultanas and currents, all of which are particularly toxic for cats and dogs.

They can cause kidney failure if consumed.

Sage and onion stuffing and onion gravy 

Any foods that contain vegetables of the allium variety should be off the menu for cats or dogs.

This includes fresh and powered forms of aromatics, such as onions, garlic, shallots, leeks and chives, which are frequently found in Christmas stuffing and gravy, as these vegetables all contain a compound called N-propyl disulfide – which is damaging to your pet’s red blood cells, and can cause them to develop anaemia. 

Chocolate 

This is one we’re all pretty familiar with, right?

Chocolate can be particularly toxic for cats and dogs as it contains a compound called theobromine, which animals can’t metabolise easily.

Dark chocolate and baking chocolate being the worst offenders, as they contain the highest levels of theobromine, while white chocolate is the least harmful as it contains only a small amount of the compound – although it’s obviously not recommended that you feed them any type of chocolate.

Consumption can cause overstimulation of pets’ muscles, including their heart. 

Macadamia nuts 

While it’s not fully understood why Macadamia nuts are unsafe for pets, we do know that consuming them can cause your cat or dog to appear weak or sleepy, and can cause painful or stiff joints that may make it difficult for them to walk.

This variety of nut can also induce vomiting, tremors, and raised body temperature for up to two days. 

Watch out for those festive food vacuums / Credit: Kevin Turcios | Karin Hiselius (via Unsplash)

Blue cheese and mouldy foods 

Blue cheese such as Roquefort contain a compound called roquefortine C, which is known to cause muscle tremors and seizures in cats and dogs for up to two days. 

Like blue cheese, dairy that has gone past its use-by date, or different bread products that contain fungi can become mouldy and produce mycotoxins that give similar negative effects for cats and dogs when ingested. 

Alcohol 

Animals are more sensitive to the ethanol present in alcohol than humans are.

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Consumption of alcohol will cause your pet to become drowsy and unstable on their feet, and, at worst, can cause a drop in body temperature and blood sugar – which can lead to seizures or a coma. 

Turkey bones and fat 

While not necessarily toxic to cats and dogs, turkey bones can be brittle which means there is a high chance of them splintering and lodging in your pet’s throat or stomach.

Turkey fat – and fatty foods in general – shouldn’t be given to pets in large quantities either as they can cause stomach discomfort and diarrhoea.  

Experts have provided tips and warning signs to watch out for / Credit: Jasmin Schuler (via Unsplash)

What should I do if my pet has eaten something it shouldn’t have?

Even if your pet has only eaten a small amount of these foods, it’s important to do the following:  

  1. Call the vet straight away – Don’t wait for your pet to start showing symptoms. A vet will be able to offer advice, and the quicker you act, the better chance your pet will have of recovery.
  2. Note the time and quantity of food ingested – Provide the vet with as much information as you can. This includes the time your pet ate the unsafe food, brand names, the ingredient list and how much you think they consumed.
  3. Don’t try to make your pet sick – Attempting this can cause further health complications. Leave this to your vet, as they are trained to do this in a safe manner.

A few tips pet owners should keep in mind this festive season is making sure chocolate is kept out of reach, including removing Christmas tree chocolates and avoiding putting wrapped selection boxes under the tree, and considering putting pets in another room while you eat your Christmas dinner so they can’t eat food that drops on the floor.

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It’s also a good idea check the list of ingredients in any food before feeding to your pet, as many products will contain onion or garlic powder as flavouring – which is just as harmful for your pet as the real thing. 

Featured Image – Supplied

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