Spent the weekend dreaming of a long Eid Al Fitr holiday without burning through your annual leave? Well, listen up UAE residents, I’ve got some tremendous news for you – you can actually make it a reality! With a little calendar wizardry, a sprinkle of strategic planning and a couple of accurately-timed leave requests, you can transform your 4/5 day Eid break into a glorious, uninterrupted, 9-day escape!
So, grab your office calendar and your boss’s good graces – let’s crack the code to the ultimate Eid break 2025!
Also read: Ramadan Rules: 6 Things That Could Get You Fined in the UAE
Crafting Your 9-Day Eid Break
While the final decision maker is the moon, you can still plan your Eid Al Fitr holiday! Depending on whether Ramadan lasts 29 or 30 days, your holiday planning could go one of two routes. Oh wait – let me grab my planner cap real quick (nothing, it just makes me feel important). Okay ready, let’s go!
- If Ramadan lasts 29 days (Eid falls on Sunday, March 30):
- Public Holidays: Sunday, March 30; Monday, March 31; Tuesday, April 1
- Leave to Apply: Wednesday, April 2; Thursday, April 3; Friday, April 4.
- Total Break: Saturday, March 29, to Sunday, April 6.
- Number of Leave Days Used: 3.
- If Ramadan is 30 days (Eid starts Monday, March 31):
- Public Holidays: Monday, March 31; Tuesday, April 1; Wednesday, April 2.
- Leave to Apply: Thursday, April 3; Friday, April 4.
- Total Break: Saturday, March 29, to Sunday, April 6.
- Number of Leave Days Used: Just 2
So, if Ramadan lasts 29 days, then you need to take 3 days off for your 9-day escape. But if it’s 30 days, you only need 2 leave days to pull off this masterstroke of vacay planning. Either way, it’s an annual leave hack worth flexing, huh?
Also read: You Know It’s Ramadan When… Dubai Residents Edition
Sharjah Federal Employees and School Staff – You’re Winning In Life!
If you work in Sharjah’s public sector or a school, you’ve hit the jackpot. Since Friday is already your day off, your magic number is even lower to materialize the dreamy 9-day break:
- If Ramadan is 29 days: Take leave on Wednesday, April 2, and Thursday, April 3, to enjoy a holiday from Saturday, March 29, to Sunday, April 6. This requires 2 leave days.
- If Ramadan is 30 days: Take just Thursday, April 3, off – that’s only 1 leave day for the same 9-day escape.
Imagine dashing into a cabana and kicking back while your Dubai and Abu Dhabi colleagues are stuck in traffic on their way to work! (brb sobbing)
Parents of Kids, You Can Chill Too!
Unlike last year – when the Eid break awkwardly clashed with school schedules—this time, you’re in luck! This year, it falls right at the end of spring break, giving them an extra week off! So, forget about those frantic last-minute leave applications that you tap away on the school portal a few minutes before your flight!
And for those whose teens are appearing for Grade 10 board examinations? Lucky for you, board exams end this week – no stress, no guilt! And 12th graders? Most of them will be done too – unless they’re tackling History, Home Science, or Psychology!
So breathe easy, book that family trip, and enjoy an extra week off!
Also read: 5 Dubai Restaurants Where Parents Can Have A Peaceful Meal While Kids Play
Wait, Before You Pack Your Bags…
Hold up, vacation planner extraordinaire! Before you start scouting flight deals or plotting an uninterrupted road tripping week, double-check your company’s leave policy:
- Leave Clustering: Some companies don’t allow annual leave to be clubbed with public holidays. They might even deduct salary if you try to sneak in an extra-long weekend.
- Public Holiday Overlaps: On the bright side, some workplaces will give you back a leave day if a public holiday overlaps with your requested time off.
Also read: Office Survival 101: Supporting Your Fasting Colleagues This Ramadan
So, before you put in that leave request, confirm the fine print. Because a 9-day vacation is great – a 9-day unpaid vacation? Not so much.
You know what’s worse than not getting a break? Being that one person who forgets to book their leave, realizes too late, and spends Eid scrolling through their Instagram feed watching everyone else live their best lives in Zanzibar or Maldives.
Don’t be that person. Plan smart, apply now, and Eid Mubarak in advance!
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