How to get the most out of your annual leave in 2026
Get a whopping 62 DAYS of leave using only 27 days
Last updated 11th Dec 2025
If you love your holidays, then you might want to get in quickly with booking your annual leave for 2026. Let's take a look at how to maximise your annual leave next year, of course there are a few conditions. Don't worry if you can't fulfil all the conditions, you can still maximise your leave with some careful planning.
As much as some of us might like our jobs, a day off is always greatly appreciated, so if you work Monday to Friday and have Scottish public holidays off, then you could potentially get 62 days off using just 27 days annual leave, here's how...
Bank Holidays in Scotland in 2026
Thursday 1st January: New Year’s Day
Friday 2nd January: 2nd January
Friday 3rd April: Good Friday
Monday 4th May: Early May bank holiday
Monday 25th May: Spring bank holiday
Monday 3rd August: Summer bank holiday
Monday 30th November: St Andrew's Day
Friday 25th December: Christmas Day
Monday 28th December: Boxing Day (substitute day)
Saturday 28th March - Sunday 12th April
Thanks to Easter, where we get one public holiday on Good Friday, you can enjoy nine days off, by booking Monday 30th March - Thursday 2nd April off.
Saturday 28th March – Weekend
Sunday 29th March – Weekend
Monday 30th March – Annual leave
Tuesday 31st March – Annual leave
Wednesday 1st April – Annual leave
Thursday 2nd April – Annual leave
Friday 3rd April – Bank Holiday (Good Friday)
Saturday 4th April – Weekend
Sunday 5th April – Weekend
Saturday 2nd May - Sunday 10th May
By taking off Tuesday 5th May - 8th May you can enjoy total of nine days off around the early May Bank Holiday.
Saturday 2nd May – Weekend
Sunday 3rd May – Weekend
Monday 4th May – Bank Holiday (Early May bank holiday)
Tuesday 5th May – Annual leave
Wednesday 6th May – Annual leave
Thursday 7th May – Annual leave
Friday 8th May – Annual leave
Saturday 9th May – Weekend
Sunday 10th May – Weekend
Saturday 23rd May - Sunday 31st May
Taking off Tuesday 26th May - 29th May you can also enjoy another total of nine days off around the public holiday.
Saturday 23rd May – Weekend
Sunday 24th May – Weekend
Monday 25th May – Bank Holiday (Spring bank holiday)
Tuesday 26th May – Annual leave
Wednesday 27th May – Annual leave
Thursday 28th May – Annual leave
Friday 29th May – Annual leave
Saturday 30th May – Weekend
Sunday 31st May – Weekend
Saturday 1st August - Sunday 9th August
By taking off Tuesday 4th August - Friday 7th August, you can enjoy another total of nine days off around the Bank Holiday.
Saturday 1st August – Weekend
Sunday 2nd August – Weekend
Monday 3rd August – Bank Holiday (Summer bank holiday)
Tuesday 4th August – Annual leave
Wednesday 5th August – Annual leave
Thursday 6th August – Annual leave
Friday 7th August – Annual leave
Saturday 8th August – Weekend
Sunday 9th August – Weekend
Saturday 28th November - Sunday 6th December
Taking off Tuesday 1st December - Friday 4th December, you can enjoy another total of nine days off around the public holiday.
Saturday 28th November – Weekend
Sunday 29th November – Weekend
Monday 30th November – Bank Holiday (St Andrew’s Day)
Tuesday 1st December – Annual leave
Wednesday 2nd December – Annual leave
Thursday 3rd December – Annual leave
Friday 4th December – Annual leave
Saturday 5th December – Weekend
Sunday 6th December – Weekend
Saturday 19th December - 3rd January 2027
With the Christmas Day and Boxing Day (substitute) Bank Holidays, and New Year's Day and 2nd January 2027 both off, you can book just seven days off on 21st - 24th December and 29th - 31st December, to enjoy 17 days off!
Saturday 19th December – Weekend
Sunday 20th December – Weekend
Monday 21st December – Annual leave
Tuesday 22nd December – Annual leave
Wednesday 23rd December – Annual leave
Thursday 24th December – Annual leave
Friday 25th December – Bank Holiday (Christmas Day)
Saturday 26th December – Weekend
Sunday 27th December – Weekend
Monday 28th December – Bank Holiday (Boxing Day substitute)
Tuesday 29th December – Annual leave
Wednesday 30th December – Annual leave
Thursday 31st December – Annual leave
Friday 1st January – Bank Holiday (New Year’s Day)
Saturday 2nd January – Weekend
Sunday 3rd January – Weekend
Monday 4th January - Bank Holiday (2nd January substitute)
As mentioned there are a few conditions for this to work, you must work Monday to Friday, and have the Scottish public holidays off, but if you do, it's possible to get a massive 62 days off, using just 27 days annual leave!
You'll have to be quick though, because it's likely that your workmates will also be requesting these days off!
Take a look at things you'll only know if your birthday is around Christmas:
1. Christmas wrapping paper
If you're lucky enough to get a separate birthday present it will be wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper.
2. Joint present
However most of the time you'll get a 'big' joint present for your birthday and Christmas.
3. Birthday tree
Your birthday presents will end up being put under the tree as 'they look pretty under there'.
4. Joint card
If you're really unfortunate you'll get a Merry Birthday card! Sometimes it would be better to get no cards than one that is for both occasions.
5. Finding a date for your party
It's difficult to find a good date for your birthday party because everyone has Christmas parties. When you finally find a suitable date it will be after Christmas and everyone will be skint.
6. Your party will end up Christmassy
If you do manage to get a date for your party, it will end up Christmassy despite efforts to make it about your birthday.
7. Bad weather
Bad weather ruins your plans, whether it's the snow and ice or wind, Mother Nature will find some way to make it difficult for people to get to your party.
8. You have to wait all year
While most people have two very separate celebrations you have to wait all year for your 'one' big celebration.
Now read:
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