It is almost Christmas and summer in Australia and the nation is thinking about holidays. Some universities are already closed for the summer holidays. Charles Sturt University closes on Christmas Eve (24 December) and reopens on 4th January. Most academic staff take their four weeks of annual leave from just before Christmas and do not return to work until late January/February.
I work with people all across the world. Many countries do not celebrate Christmas. Many countries celebrate Lunar New Year in February, not the Western calendar New Year in January.
As a result, for many people it is business as usual at the moment, and for some it is their busy time of year as it is cold and wintery - so they are in their offices working hard.
Each year at this time, I find it tricky to navigate my need for a holiday and to celebrate with my community with the work-based needs of my international colleagues. For example, here is a Doodle Poll I received today for an executive board meeting for an international association.
I often think about significant international holidays (e.g., Hannukah, Thanksgiving, Diwali, Lunar New Year), but am unaware of all of the traditions surrounding them - particularly how many days surrounding the holiday are spent with family and friends.
