A Christmas out of office message tells the people emailing you that you are away, the day you will reply, and who can help before then. Christmas Day 2026 is a Friday, December 25, so an office that closes for the week between the holidays shuts on Thursday, December 24 and reopens on Monday, January 4, 2027. Below are 30 Christmas out of office messages to copy: professional, short, funny, warm, office closed notices for customers, UK versions, and a one-line holiday signature. Swap the bracketed parts for your own dates and names.
Christmas dates for 2026
| Day | Date |
|---|---|
| Christmas Eve | Thursday, December 24, 2026 |
| Christmas Day (US federal holiday) | Friday, December 25, 2026 |
| Boxing Day, UK bank holiday (substitute day) | Monday, December 28, 2026 |
| New Year's Day | Friday, January 1, 2027 |
| First Monday of 2027 | Monday, January 4, 2027 |
Christmas Day and New Year's Day are on the US Office of Personnel Management's federal holiday list. Boxing Day falls on Saturday, December 26, so the UK bank holiday moves to Monday, December 28, per GOV.UK. Private companies set their own hours, so put your company's dates in the brackets.
What a good Christmas out of office message says
- The days you are away, as a weekday and a date: "Thursday, December 24".
- The day you will reply, such as "Monday, January 4".
- One person to contact for anything urgent, with an email address.
- A greeting, if it suits the reader.
Professional Christmas out of office messages
For clients, partners and anyone you would write to formally.
Thank you for your email. I am out of the office for Christmas from Thursday, December 24 and will reply when I return on [return date]. For anything urgent, please contact [colleague name] at [colleague email].
Thank you for your message. I am away over Christmas and back on [return date]. [Colleague name] ([colleague email]) is looking after my accounts until then.
I am out of the office from [start date] to [end date] for the Christmas break and am not checking email. I will answer your message on [return date]. Urgent requests can go to [colleague email].
Thank you for getting in touch. Our office closes for Christmas on Thursday, December 24 and I will be back on [return date]. If your request is about an open order or project, [colleague name] at [colleague email] can help.
I am on leave for Christmas until [return date]. Your email has arrived and I will reply when I am back. For anything that cannot wait, please contact [colleague name] at [colleague email].
Short Christmas out of office messages
One or two sentences, for when the reader only needs the date.
Out for Christmas, back on [return date]. Merry Christmas.
I'm away for Christmas and will reply on [return date].
Christmas break: back on [return date]. Urgent? Email [colleague email].
Out of office for the holidays until [return date].
Away until [return date]. Wishing you a merry Christmas.
Funny Christmas out of office messages
Each one still gives the return date, so the joke costs the reader nothing.
I'm out for Christmas, working my way through a tin of chocolates that was supposed to last until New Year. Back on [return date].
Out of office. I am currently on the third attempt at untangling the tree lights. Your email gets a reply on [return date], with or without working lights.
I'm away for Christmas, assembling a toy whose instructions are a single drawing and a promise. Back on [return date].
Out for Christmas, defending my title at the family board game. I'll answer your email on [return date], win or lose.
I'm out until [return date], wearing the sweater I was given and pretending I love it. For anything urgent, [colleague email] is better dressed and still at work.
Warm Christmas out of office messages
For clients and colleagues you are glad to have worked with this year.
Merry Christmas, and thank you for a good year of working together. I'm away with family until [return date] and will reply then.
Thank you for your email. I'm taking a break over Christmas and will be back on [return date]. Wishing you a peaceful holiday.
I'm out of the office for Christmas and back on [return date]. I hope you get some time off too. For anything urgent, [colleague name] can help at [colleague email].
Merry Christmas from [your name]. I'm away until [return date] and will answer your message when I'm back.
Office closed for Christmas (for customers)
Customer-facing notices with the closed dates and the day you reopen.
Our office is closed from Thursday, December 24 through Friday, January 1 for the Christmas holidays. We reopen on Monday, January 4 and will reply to your message then.
Thank you for contacting [company]. We are closed on Thursday, December 24 and Friday, December 25 for Christmas, and back on Monday, December 28. For urgent support, please email [support email].
Merry Christmas from all of us at [company]. Our team is away from [start date] and returns on [return date]. Orders placed now will ship from [ship date].
In observance of Christmas, our office is closed on Friday, December 25. We will answer your message on [return date]. Thank you for your patience.
UK Christmas out of office messages
With Boxing Day moved to Monday, December 28 in 2026.
Thank you for your email. I am out of the office for Christmas from Thursday, December 24 and return on Tuesday, December 29. For anything urgent, please contact [colleague name] at [colleague email].
Our office is closed for the Christmas bank holidays, Friday, December 25 and Monday, December 28. We are back on Tuesday, December 29.
I'm away for Christmas and New Year and back in the office on [return date]. Happy Christmas.
Christmas signature line
One line under every signature in the weeks before the break, so people know your dates before they write.
Our office is closed December 24 to January 1. We're back on Monday, January 4.
Merry Christmas from [company]. Closed December 24 to January 1.
Christmas hours: closed December 25 and 28, back December 29.
Last orders before Christmas: [date]. Thank you for a great year.
Set the automatic reply in Gmail and Outlook
Gmail, per Gmail Help:
- On your computer, open Gmail.
- At the top right, click Settings, then See all settings.
- Under the General tab, go to the Vacation responder section.
- Select Vacation responder on.
- Fill in the date range, subject and message, then click Save Changes.
The reply runs from 12:00 AM on the start date to 11:59 PM on the end date, and your signature appears below it.
Outlook (new Outlook for Windows), per Microsoft Support:
- On the View tab, select View settings.
- Select Accounts, then Automatic Replies.
- Turn on automatic replies.
- Select Send replies only during a time period and enter the start and end times.
- Write your message, then select Save.
Microsoft says automatic replies are not supported for Gmail, Yahoo or other POP or IMAP accounts added to Outlook. The holiday out of office guide has the full steps for both.
Put the dates in everyone's signature
An automatic reply answers mail that arrives while you are away. The signature line goes out on every email you send in December.
Signatoro is the agentic email signature platform: save your signature once, and your people and every AI agent you connect use the same one. On a Company plan that includes the company footnote (see pricing), the owner writes the Christmas line once, and everyone gets their updated signature by email to paste into their mail app. A company AI agent that fetches the signature uses the new line on its next email. In January the owner takes the line out the same way. The holiday email signature templates show what it looks like, and the install guides cover Gmail and Outlook.
One Christmas line, under everyone's signature
Make your signature free on Signatoro, or set one holiday line for the whole company and take it off in January.
Frequently asked questions
What should I put in my Christmas out of office message?
The days you are away, the day you will reply, and one person to contact if something is urgent. For example: "I'm away for Christmas and will reply on Monday, January 4. For anything urgent, please email [colleague email]."
What day is Christmas in 2026?
Christmas Day 2026 is Friday, December 25. Christmas Eve is Thursday, December 24.
When should I turn on my Christmas out of office?
Set it to start at the end of your last working day and to end the night before you are back. Gmail's vacation responder starts at 12:00 AM on the start date, so pick the first day you are away.
Is it OK to write "happy holidays" in place of "merry Christmas"?
Yes. "Happy holidays" suits a mixed client list, and the rest of the message stays the same: your dates and who to contact.
What is a short Christmas out of office message?
"Out for Christmas, back on [return date]. Merry Christmas." It gives the return date and the greeting in two sentences.
Sources
Read on November 2, 2026: