A New Year out of office message tells the people emailing you that you are away, the day you will reply, and who can help in the meantime. New Year's Day 2027 is a Friday, January 1, so anyone who takes the week between Christmas and New Year off is back on Monday, January 4. Below are 30 New Year out of office messages to copy: professional, short, funny, warm, office closed notices for customers, replies for your first week back, and a signature line. Swap the bracketed parts for your own dates and names.
New Year dates for 2026 and 2027
| Day | Date |
|---|---|
| New Year's Eve | Thursday, December 31, 2026 |
| New Year's Day (US federal holiday, UK bank holiday) | Friday, January 1, 2027 |
| 2nd January, Scotland bank holiday (substitute day) | Monday, January 4, 2027 |
| First Monday of 2027 | Monday, January 4, 2027 |
New Year's Day is on the US Office of Personnel Management's federal holiday list for Friday, January 1, 2027. In Scotland, 2nd January falls on a Saturday, so GOV.UK lists the bank holiday on Monday, January 4. Companies set their own hours, so put your company's dates in the brackets.
What a good New Year out of office message says
- The days you are away, as a weekday and a date: "Thursday, December 31".
- The day you will reply, such as "Monday, January 4".
- One person to contact for anything urgent, with an email address.
- A New Year wish, if it suits the reader.
Professional New Year out of office messages
For clients, partners and anyone you write to formally.
Thank you for your email. I am out of the office for the New Year holiday and will reply when I return on Monday, January 4. For anything urgent, please contact [colleague name] at [colleague email].
Thank you for your message. I am away from [start date] to Friday, January 1 and back on [return date]. [Colleague name] ([colleague email]) is covering my accounts until then.
I am on leave over the New Year and not checking email. I will answer your message on [return date]. Urgent requests can go to [colleague email].
Thank you for getting in touch. I am out of the office until [return date] and will reply in order of arrival when I am back. For time-sensitive matters, please contact [colleague name] at [colleague email].
I am away for the New Year and return on [return date]. Your email has arrived, and I will respond then.
Short New Year out of office messages
One or two sentences, for when the date is all the reader needs.
Out for New Year, back on [return date]. Happy New Year.
I'm away until Monday, January 4 and will reply then.
New Year break: back on [return date]. Urgent? Email [colleague email].
Out of office until [return date]. Wishing you a good start to 2027.
Away for the New Year. Your email will get a reply on [return date].
Funny New Year out of office messages
Each one still gives the return date, so the joke costs the reader nothing.
I'm out for the New Year, still writing 2026 on everything. Back on [return date], with the right year by then.
Out of office. My New Year's resolution is to answer email faster, starting [return date].
I'm away until [return date], recovering from staying up until midnight, which is two hours past my usual.
Out for the New Year. I'll reply on [return date], after I find out where my December went.
I'm away until [return date], working through the leftovers from three different parties. For anything urgent, [colleague email] went to fewer parties.
Warm New Year out of office messages
For clients and colleagues you would like to wish well for the year.
Happy New Year, and thank you for working with us in 2026. I'm away until [return date] and will reply then.
Wishing you a healthy and happy 2027. I'm out of the office until [return date] and will answer your message when I'm back.
Thank you for your email, and happy New Year. I'm taking a few days off to start the year rested, and I'll be back on [return date].
Happy New Year from [your name]. I look forward to working with you in 2027, starting on [return date].
Office closed for New Year (for customers)
Customer-facing notices with the closed dates and the day you reopen.
Our office is closed on Thursday, December 31 and Friday, January 1 for the New Year. We reopen on Monday, January 4 and will reply to your message then.
Happy New Year from all of us at [company]. Our team is away until [return date]. For urgent support, please email [support email].
In observance of New Year's Day, our office is closed on Friday, January 1. We will answer your message on Monday, January 4.
Thank you for contacting [company]. We are closed from [start date] to Friday, January 1. Orders placed now will ship from [ship date].
Back at work: replies for the first week of January
For the days after you return, while you work through the inbox.
Thank you for your email. I'm back from the holidays and working through my inbox in order. I'll reply by [date]. For anything urgent, please write URGENT in the subject line.
Happy New Year. I returned on Monday, January 4 and am catching up on messages from the break. You'll hear from me by [date].
I'm back, and so are a lot of emails. I'll reply to yours by [date]. If it can't wait, [colleague name] can help at [colleague email].
New Year signature line
One line under every signature in late December, so people know your dates before they write.
Our office is closed December 31 and January 1. We're back on Monday, January 4.
Happy New Year from [company]. Back in the office January 4.
Holiday hours: closed December 24 to January 1, open again January 4.
Thank you for 2026. We look forward to working with you in 2027.
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. In most cases a person gets it the first time they write to you, and again if they write after four days with the reply still on.
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.
Set the end date to the night before you are back, so the reply stops on its own before your first day back. The holiday out of office guide has the full steps for both apps.
Take the holiday line off in January
If your signature carried a holiday line in December, the first Monday back is the day to take it off. "Closed December 24 to January 1" under an email sent on January 12 tells the reader nobody checked.
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 changes the holiday line once, and everyone gets their updated signature by email to paste. A company AI agent that fetches the signature uses the new version on its next email. The holiday email signature templates show seasonal lines to start from.
Start 2027 with a signature that is up to date
Make your signature free on Signatoro, or change one line for the whole company and send everyone the new version.
Frequently asked questions
What should a New Year out of office message say?
The days you are away, the day you will reply, and who to contact for anything urgent. For example: "I'm away until Monday, January 4 and will reply then. For anything urgent, please email [colleague email]."
What day is New Year's Day 2027?
Friday, January 1, 2027. New Year's Eve is Thursday, December 31, 2026.
Is January 2 a holiday in 2027?
In Scotland, yes: 2nd January is a bank holiday, and in 2027 it moves to Monday, January 4 because January 2 is a Saturday. It is not a US federal holiday or a bank holiday in England and Wales.
When should I turn off my New Year out of office?
Set it to end at 11:59 PM the night before you return. Gmail's vacation responder ends at 11:59 PM on the end date you pick.
What is a short New Year out of office message?
"Out for New Year, back on [return date]. Happy New Year." It gives the return date and the wish in two sentences.
Sources
Read on November 2, 2026: