Jase's annual leave hacks to make the most of 2025

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.

If you're fortunate enough to get public holidays off work, you get to spend the day relaxing and making memories with your friends and family.

And if you really want to take advantage of these public holidays, Jase's got some hacks to make sure you get 36 days off work from only 14 days of leave. By moving around some of these dates in your calendar, you can be off work for over a month!

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 December 23, 24 and 27, along with December 30 and 31 and January 3 to get a 16-day stretch of time off work.

Annual leave days: 6
Days off: 16

Easter weekend and Anzac Day 2025

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

Annual leave days: 7
Days off: 16

Waitangi Day 2025

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

Annual leave days: 1
Days off: 4

So, if you book these 14 days of annual leave you'll be in for a beautiful 36 days off - how good! But if you're looking for some more four-day weekends then scroll on, as we've still got King's Birthday weekend, Matariki and Labour Day - plus your local anniversary day. 
Taking these extra weekends will turn 17 days of annual leave into 49 days off!

Bonus four-day weekends:

King’s Birthday Weekend 2025

With King’s Birthday falling on Monday 2 June, you can eke out another four-day weekend by taking a day off on Friday 30 May. Go on, treat yourself.

Annual leave days: 1
Days off: 4

Matariki 2025

Matariki falls on Friday 20 June, which means you get a three-day weekend as is. However, you could take Monday 23 June off and enjoy the four-day weekend, and the last public holiday until the end of October.

Annual leave days: 1
Days off: 4

Labour Day 2025

With Labour Day falling on Monday 27 October, you can take Friday 24 October off to score yourself a four-day holiday for the price of one. Saving at least one annual leave day for this will be worthwhile given the next holiday period is Christmas.

Annual leave days: 1
Days off: 4

Now that we've done all the hard work for you - all you need to do is sit back, relax and cross your fingers that your leave gets accepted!