Holidays
I've got absolutely no problems with the end of year holiday season being described in such neutral terms: different people are celebrating different things, Yule in my case, although more as an acknowledgement of midwinter than anything with any significantly greater 'meaning', and we certainly had dibs on decorated trees and the like before that other lot came along (although they are welcome to share the tradition). In a modern world, I do find the very heavyweight presumption that "everyone" is celebrating what for many/most people is someone else's mythology a little bit grating and mildly offensive, when I very emphatically am not. There's a lot to be said for French-style laïcité, celebrate your own celebrations, but don't attempt to impose them on others. Perfectly happy to share the feasting, drinking and being merry part with everyone, regardless of your own reason for celebration, of course.
As for holidays from work, I'd much rather refer to them as such (even if it's only a day off or a lazycation) instead of the horrid "on annual leave" that seems to be creeping into use, which always seems like a horrible cap-doffing term designed to suggest to you that you are only freed from the shackles of work under extreme forbearance.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
