- When does the Christmas slowdown effectively begin for global teams?
- For most international companies, the productive year effectively ends around December 20. US and European employees start taking time off the week of December 22, and most offices are at minimal staffing from December 24 through January 2. Teams with Australian colleagues may find them back at full capacity by January 2–3, while European teams often remain in holiday mode through the first full week of January.
- Does every country observe Christmas as a public holiday?
- No. Christmas (December 25) is a public holiday in most Western countries, many Latin American countries, and several African nations. It is not a public holiday in Israel, Japan, South Korea, China, most of the Middle East, or many other countries. Teams with members in these regions should not assume universal availability on December 25 but should also not assume unavailability.
- How do Orthodox Christmas observances affect scheduling?
- Eastern Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on January 7, following the Julian calendar. This affects scheduling for teams with members in Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, Ethiopia, and other countries with large Orthodox populations. January 7 can be a public holiday in some of these countries, meaning a second round of reduced availability shortly after the Western Christmas window.
