The arrival of 2021 meant the end of a very tough 2020. We all had to deal with travel restrictions and lockdowns and worries about the health of our families. Were you able to take all your vacation days last year? While I am optimistic about 2021, it looks like it won’t be until the summer that we’ll be able to start safely traveling across the country once again. Staycations are still the most practical way to take a “vacation” close to home.
The vaccine rollout in 2021 means that we should plan ahead to travel and maintain a healthy work-life balance. You are still going to earn and accrue vacation days plus you might have a few rollover days to use or lose. Add the list of official US holidays to your paid time off calendar so you can see the whole picture. Learn how to leverage each official holiday for a much-needed getaway whether fun, relaxing, mindful, adventurous, or luxury.
Have you made a New Year’s resolution to never take your company holidays for granted? My advice is to treat holidays just like paid vacation days. The only difference and limitation is that they are fixed dates on the calendar and can be busy times to fly or drive. Stay positive by marking your calendars to take many vacations in 2021.
Your List of Company Holidays Will Vary (so check now)
Every company and place of employment is different. The standard set of holidays for federal or state employees can easily be looked up online. However if you work in the private sector, you’ll have to consult your HR benefits portal or handbook. This annual VacationCounts post is your reminder to mark your company holidays on your work and personal calendars. Visit your employee portal or print that email that informed you about the 2021 list of paid company holidays. If you feel that you are getting the bare minimum, compare it with the most common U.S. public holidays which are covered in detail below. Hopefully everyone working in America will be able to observe the following holidays this year.
2021 Holidays and Observances in the USA
January 1, 2021 – New Year’s Day (Friday)
New Year’s day comes on a Friday this year so you can kick off 2021 with an extended weekend to kick back at home or head outdoors for a scenic drive or hike. The arrival of 2021 has been a great relief. However we still have a long way to go before our travel habits go back to the way they were.
To appreciate the fact that we are all in this together, watch the fireworks, light shows, and music that rang in the new year around the world. Imagine yourself in a thrilling destination from the comfort of home. Here’s to 2021!
January 18, 2021 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Monday)
The observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day can vary by state or employer. Since it’s introduction in 1983 as a national holiday it has become a standard date to honor the leader of the civil rights movement. However do check your list of company holidays to see if this is an official holiday or work day for you. This Federal holiday is always observed on a Monday so you’ll have your second 3-day weekend this January. Don’t take this holiday for granted by taking a moment to honor his sacrifice. Reflect upon civil rights gains made along with continued struggles across the USA.
MLK day ideas:
- Netflix and other streaming services have a Black History Month playlist.
- Take a museum virtual tour such as at National Museum of African American History & Culture at the Smithsonian in DC.
- Browse GoodReads or LitHub for book ideas from African-American authors.
February 15, 2021 – Presidents’ Day (Monday)
It’s called President’s Day but it also encompasses Washington’s Birthday in one holiday. This holiday is our official American Presidents patriotic holiday since we can’t have a holiday for every past president 🙂
As with so many federal holidays, it is always on a Monday and makes for another 3 day weekend in 2021. While it’s still winter and cold in most parts of the country, don’t miss out on this chance to plan for a mini-vacation or staycation.
As with all holidays that commemorate American history, use the day off as a chance to dig deeper into the subject. There are endless ways to learn about the founding of this country and its elected leaders in government. Perhaps you can’t travel to such cities as Boston, Philadelphia, or Washington, D.C. to explore the story of American in person. Instead seek out monuments and historic places closer to home. Google Maps is an easy way to discover places of historic interest in all 50 states. Or go online to take a virtual history course with Coursera or MIT OpenCourseware.
May 31, 2021 – Memorial Day (Monday)
Memorial Day is a most welcome day which signals the start of the summer holiday season in the US. With longer days, greater sunshine, and warmer days, the end of May is a time of hopefulness. This might be your first official holiday off since February unless you get an Easter break at work. On this important holiday take a moment to to honor our military heroes who died while serving our country in the name of freedom.
Regardless of whether you are going to continue to stay close to home or feel confident to plan a trip, use this holiday to be thankful for all that you have.
For those itching to take a vacation, add four of your earned vacation days to turn this holiday weekend into a 9 day trip. As with all major US holidays, try to depart a day or two early (or late) to avoid the crowds and traffic hitting the road. As it’s a Federal holidays, U.S. government agencies, banks, and the post office will be closed on the Monday. However most businesses will be open for the Memorial Day weekend so you can enjoy a memorable vacation.
July 5th, 2021 – Independence Day (Monday – Observed)
Let’s all hope that by the 4th of July, we’ll all feel a safer traveling around all 50 states of the USA. We can all use a summer vacation and the July 4th weekend is the perfect opportunity to be patriotic and celebrate from sea to shining sea 😉
Of course you don’t have to travel to enjoy the holiday weekend or by taking a full off week this July. Planning a backyard BBQ or picnic in the park or an outing to the beach or lake are all rewarding ways to take a break and a breather. Simply spending time with family and friends is enough if you can put work on hold when taking the Independence Day holiday off.
September 6, 2021 – Labor Day (Monday)
Labor Day is a holiday created for all the working people. Before there were multiple national holidays, workers in America needed a law to be passed to have a dedicated day off. That’s the idea behind Labor Day and its equivalent May Day holiday which is celebrated in most European countries (though on a different date). As you can tell it is yet another 3-day weekend to mark on your calendar. For families who have children going back to school in the fall, this is often the last opportunity to take a summer vacation.
For me the purpose of Labor Day is to embrace the importance of work-life balance for daily happiness. With the summer over you may be feeling anxious about going back to the office. It can be a busy time of year from September through to the Christmas break. Whether you live to work or work to live, we still all need to make time for ourselves. On this Labor Day try to set goals to make small improvements your work-life balance.
So toast to your hard work all year on this Labor Day and while you’re at it, support one of the many organizations that lobby for work-life balance and family leave benefits (Work + Family Researchers Network).
October 11, 2021 – Columbus Day (Monday)
Growing up in New York City, a city full of immigrants, I never questioned the fact that Christopher Columbus discovered America. Fast forward to today and the holiday generates controversy. Besides the likelihood that other explorers “discovered” America earlier, indigenous people were living in both North and South America for thousands of years. It’s still an historic date in world history to discuss, but many scholars question whether Columbus Day should continue to be a federal holiday.
I enjoy reading about history so I recommend that you pick up a book about not just Columbus but all the Spanish, Portuguese, English and Dutch explorers (and the Vikings too!) who reached and mapped the New World. It’s fascinating reading when you focus on the challenge and adventure of travel and what is was like hundreds of years ago. At the same time read the other half of the America story. Native Americans have incredible stories to tell about their rich culture and heritage in addition to learning about the tragedies of war and colonization.
It’s possible that you may not have a company holiday on Columbus Day unless you work for the government. In general it’s an official holiday for Federal and only some state workers in the US. You have have it offered as a floating day so check your employee paid holiday list for this year. For a fun alternative day off in October, I always recommend taking one of your vacation days (or a floating holiday) for Halloween. However in 2021 Halloween happens on Sunday the 31st. Still you can take off on Monday, November 1st to recover from an evening of trick-or-treating and haunted partying.
November 11, 2021 – Veterans Day (Thursday)
This year Veterans Day officially falls on a Thursday which breaks the pattern of all the Monday national holidays. Take a moment to remember and honor all American veterans on this day. It’s interesting to note that the origin of Veterans Day was to mark the end of World War I. Today it covers all war veterans and the sacrifice they made to keep our country safe.
Early November might not be a common time of year to take a vacation, but think about going away for a four-day weekend. All it takes is one vacation day on the Friday after. If you are not planning to fly or drive for Thanksgiving when it is insanely busy, Veterans Day is a good alternative to take a short trip. For ideas try TripAdvisor or even Google Maps to search for designated tourist attractions, national parks and monuments, and historic places of interest along your route.
November 25, 2021 – Thanksgiving (Thursday)
Most of us look forward to Thanksgiving, whether it’s the food, family tradition, or just coming together at home (in person and not via Zoom or Skype). Since Thanksgiving was cancelled for so many Americans in 2020, plan ahead for a safe family celebration. It’s never too early to research recipes, think up new themes, and coordinate travel plans across the generations.
I don’t need to remind you that Thanksgiving is always on a Thursday. Luckily many employers offer the Friday after as an additional paid holiday. You know it as Black Friday, the day to shop the deals both in person and online. Use this chance to shop local and support local businesses that have struggled for the past year. For me it’s less about the shopping and more about the seasonal foods. Are you going to stick with the traditions of turkey, stuffing, cranberries, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin pie. What have I missed?
December 24, 2021 – Christmas Day (Friday – Observed)
If you are reading this annual holiday post in January or February, you probably think it’s way too early to think about Christmas. Well it’s definitely not a normal year as we all look forward to the day when the covid pandemic is a distant memory. It’s never too early to think about the Christmas holiday and plan that ultimate vacation. Maybe you don’t want to book so far in advance, but you can still envision and research that perfect trip from the comfort of home. This time of year is the biggest block of time off from work and school so you’ll likely want to take at least a few vacation days. Plus you may have accrued paid time off that you need to use before the end of 2021 (or lose unless you can rollover vacation days).
This year Christmas Day is on a Saturday so you’ll have to check with HR to find out if you’ll get the Friday before or the Monday after off from work. Many employers also offer Christmas Eve as a holiday. That will affect whether you have Thursday and Friday or Friday and Monday as holidays. Be aware that some companies shut down during the Christmas to New Year’s week. This could mean that you’ll be forced to take your remaining vacation days this final week of the year.
Are you already using the VacationCounts app to track your vacation days and holiday usage all year long? You can instantly see how many vacation days you have remaining and how many days to save up for a glorious Christmas vacation. In the meantime get in the mood to plan travels or take a relaxing break over Christmas by re-watching these all-time-best Christmas movies.
Important: Consult with your HR portal, organization intranet, or human resources representative to get the full and accurate list of your paid company or organizational holidays for 2021. Mark them on your paper and online calendars right away.
How to Track Your 2021 Work Holidays
There are numerous ways to keep track of your holidays and the number of vacation days you have remaining. One option is to use the Vacation Days Tracker spreadsheet which is a Google Sheets document that I created for VacationCounts readers (plus it’s free). You can make a private copy of this powerful file template and check off your holidays. With the automated dashboard calculations and time off graphing, you can visualize your progress to ensure that you take all of your paid time off in 2021.
For other simple and low-cost ways to keep track of your travels and vacation dates, read my earlier post titled: 7 Free Ways to Track Your Vacation Days.
Vacation Day Tracker Free Web App
The vacation tracker spreadsheet (described above) is a flexible tool that has been popular for many years. To take this idea a step further, Meliovation recently releases the Vacation Day web app. It is free and requires no installation or download since it runs in any web browser on your smart phone or computer.
Learn about the VacationCounts app and give it a try today to track your 2021 holidays and PTO. Make it your goal to never lose a day off that you earned on the job. I use the app to not just allocate my paid time off (actually my wife’s full-time job vacation benefits) but also to view our world travel accomplishments. It lists every vacation that we’ve taken in the past (big or small) along with the trips I’m actively planning for 2021.
Leverage the Holidays to Travel Again in 2021
As you know on VacationCounts.com I constantly push the notion of treating holidays (they are a day off and you do get paid) like additional paid vacation days. So if you have 10 days of vacation and 9 company holidays in 2021, you actually have 19 paid “vacation” days. For those of you who have 3 weeks (15 days) vacation plus 8 holidays and 2 personal days, your vacation day total is more like 25 days this year.
So start planning your one day, 3-day weekend, and extended holiday-vacations when you are feeling optimistic. Booking flights and hotels during holiday periods is typically more expensive and competitive. Plus you may need to get advance approval for individual vacation days that coincide with peak holiday periods. And of course we continue deal with state-by-state and country specific covid-19 travel restrictions that may limit where you can go without a negative test or vaccine.
Take Your Time Off in 2021!
My goal is to take one vacation (big or small) every month. Can you do the same? Official company holidays are a practical way to get started. Most months have a holiday so use this to your advantage. Fill in the gaps with your annual allocation of paid vacation days, roll-over days, floating holidays, personal days, days off in lieu, business trips (bleisure travel), and other paid time off (PTO) to enjoy time off every month.
A toast to 2021 and the hope that we’ll all start traveling again without fear or worry sooner than later. In the meantime let’s plan short trips and staycations to take advantage of every one of your public holidays this year. Happy holidays!
