Admin. professionals around the globe are gearing up for some well deserved year-end breaks. Here are the results of my latest weekend poll, in which I asked: 

Are you dreaming of being home for the holidays?

Busy, busy … While the great majority of respondents will take time away from work, most are finding that the pace of activity is either continuing unabated or accelerating in order to wrap up for the holidays. However, 16% of you noted declines in productivity come mid-December.

Whew! Once those special days do arrive, 88% of respondents will take time – and more than 47% will have the luxury of at least seven days away from the office. More than 80% of you will be sticking close to home, while at least 12% will be travelling.

Where’s the party? Half of this year’s respondents will be hosting some form of social event over the holidays. What kind of parties do people enjoy? 56% of you said you prefer small, low key gatherings, up from 50% of respondents in 2015. 44% of you are enjoy both intimate and larger crowds for your holiday parties.

Deck those halls: While 10% do not decorate at this time of year, many will. I asked people to rate the scale of decorating they undertake, with a “10” rating being over the top. The results? 29% of you rated the scale of your decorating at 8 out of 10 … and almost as many (23%) assigned a 1 out of 10 to their decorating plans.

There will be baking … but only a bit more than a third of you will be doing your own. 37.5% of you said someone else will do the baking for your crowd, and almost 19% of you say you avoid baked goods. That’s up from 15% of you last year.

You have (an imaginary?) four hours to yourself on December 26th. How will you spend them? Check out the data below to see how your choices compare with those of other readers.

THE DATA

There’s no lull in activity at the office in the weeks leading up to the holidays

• Activity accelerates; the pressure’s on to wrap up business before the holidays: 31.5%, compared to 64% in 2015
• It’s more or less the same, but with spikes in social activities: 37%, compared to 21.5% in 2015
• It’s the same as any other month: 16%, compared to 14.5% in 2015
• There’s a decline in productivity: 16%, compared to 0% in 2015

Do you plan to take time off around the holidays/New Year’s?

• yes: 88%, compared to 93% in 2015
• no: 12%, compared to 7% in 2015
• One reader commented, “Our company is closed between Christmas and New Years.”

How much time will you take off for Christmas/other holidays in December?

• one to three days: 7%, compared to 20% in 2015
• four to seven days: 40%, compared to 7% in 2015
• seven to 10 days: 20%, compared to 53% in 2015
• a couple of weeks: 27%, compared to 7% in 2015
• 7% selected “Other”, compared to 13% in 2015. One reader commented, “That’s the usual bank holidays, weekend plus 1 extra day on 23rd given by our company”.

All respondents will enjoy leave with pay

• Yes: 100%, compared to 93% in 2015
• Combination of paid leave/holiday time and leave without pay: 0%, compared to 7% in 2015

For many, there’s no place like home

• 87.5% think home sounds just right, compared to 73% in 2015
• 12.5% would prefer to travel, compared to 20% in 2015
• 0% selected “Other”, compared to 7% in 2015

… and that’s just how it will unfold for many

• 81.25% will be sticking close to home, compared to 79% in 2015
• 12.5% will be travelling,compared to 21% in 2015
• 6.25% have yet to decide

Hosting parties or family gatherings?

• 50% will be hosting family gatherings/other parties, compared to 47% in 2015
• 50% won’t be hosting family gatherings/other parties, compared to 33% in 2015
• 0% are not yet decided, compared to 13% at this point in December 2015

On a scale of one to 10, with 10 being over the top, how much decorating do you do for the holidays in comparison to other respondents?

• 8/10: 29%, compared to 15% in 2015
• 1/10: 23%, compared to 0% in 2015
• 7/10: 12%, compared to 23% in 2015
• 4/10: 12%, compared to 15% in 2015
• 3/10: 12%, compared to 23% in 2015
• 12% of readers selected “Other”. Comments included, “Normally around 8. But moving house in New Year so no decs at all this year” and “None at all”.
• 10/10: 0%, compared to 0% in 2015
• 9/10: 0%, compared to 8% in 2015
• 6/10: 0%, compared to 0% in 2015
• 5/10: 0%, compared to 8% in 2015
• 2/10: 0%, compared to 0% in 2015
• 0/10: 0%, compared to 8% in 2015

There’s still a fair bit of holiday baking going on – but 37.5% of you are letting others take care of it this year

• 37.5% will be baking, compared to 54% in 2015
• 37.5%  said someone else will do the baking, compared to 31% in 2015
• 18.75%  said that they avoid baked goods, compared to 15% in 2015
• 6%  selected “Other”. One person wrote, “Not any more”.

More than half of you prefer small, low key gatherings over the holidays, while 44% are open to both intimate and large scale gatherings

• 56% prefer small, low key gatherings, compared to 50% in 2015
• 44% like both the small, low key gatherings and parties with a good sized crowd, compared to 36% in 2015
•  0% prefer parties with a good sized crowd, compared to 7% in 2015
• 0 % selected, “Other”, compared to 7% in 2015

What do you think others would do with four hours to themselves on December 26th?

• 40% would spend the time “curled up with a book, e-reader or scrolling through past articles on Exceptional EA”, compared to 38% in 2015
• 10%: catnapping/catching up on sleep, compared to 13% in 2015
• 10%: relaxing with family/friends, compared to 12.5% in 2015
• 15%: soaking in a nice hot bath or hot tub, compared to 12.5% in 2015
• 0%: manicure and/or pedicure, compared to 6% in 2015
• 15%: outdoors, whether for a simple walk, run or some other physical activity, compared to 6% in 2015
• %: shopping, compared to 6% in 2015
• 5 %: time for the arts, be it ballet, theatre, a movie or something else of the kind, compared to % in 2015
• 5%: music -playing or listening to some (no indicator for 2015, as this is a new category I added for 2016)