The countdown to the end of the year is well and truly on and many of us have turned our minds to those long summer days and a well-earned break.

So how can you use the least amount of annual leave, for the longest stretch of time off? And when are the key dates to be aware of in 2025?

Christmas and New Year

Christmas Day and Boxing Day, as well as the New Year's statutory holidays fall on a Wednesday and Thursday in 2024.

Use those stat days, along with six days of annual leave, to take off 23, 24 and 27 December, along with 30 and 31 December and 3 January to get a 16-day stretch of time off work.

Easter weekend and Anzac Day 2025

These fall in the same week next year so, by booking annual leave for 14-17 and 22-24 April, you'll use seven days of annual leave, but get 16 days off work.

Waitangi Day 2025

Waitangi Day falls on a Thursday, so by using one annual leave day on Friday, 7 February, you'll get a four-day weekend.

When are the public and anniversary holidays in 2025?

• New Year's Day - 1 January
• Day after New Year's Day - 2 January
• Wellington Anniversary - 20 January
• Auckland Anniversary - 27 January
• Nelson Anniversary - 3 February
• Waitangi Day - 6 February
• Taranaki Anniversary - 10 March
• Otago Anniversary - 24 March
• Good Friday - 18 April
• Easter Monday - 21 April
• Southland Anniversary - 22 April
• Anzac Day - 25 April
• King's Birthday - 2 June
• Matariki - 20 June
• South Canterbury Anniversary - 22 September
• Hawke's Bay Anniversary - 24 October
• Labour Day - 27 October
• Marlborough Anniversary - 3 November
• Canterbury Anniversary - 14 November
• Chatham Islands Anniversary and Westland Anniversary - 1 December
• Christmas Day - 25 December
• Boxing Day - 26 December

What about school terms in 2025?

While exact start dates for individual schools differ, Term 1 starts between Monday 27 January and Friday 7 February (at the latest).

• Term 1 is 11 weeks long, with the last day being 11 April.
• Term 2: Nine weeks. Begins 28 April and ends 27 June, and includes two public holidays; King's Birthday on Monday, 2 June and Matariki on Friday 20 June.
• Term 3: 10 weeks. Begins 14 July and ends 19 September. There are no public holidays in Term 3.
• Term 4: Begins 6 October and ends 19 December, and includes the Labour Day public holiday on October 27.

When are the term one school holidays?

The first lot of school holidays run from 12 April to 27 April and include Easter and Anzac Day.