Official 2020 Holiday Calendar Has Record 7 Makeup Days

From: Mike W. theBeijinger 2019-12-08

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The Ministry of Making Sure You Don't Relax Too Much announced China's official 2020 Holiday Calendar this week, and it features seven hideous weekend "makeup" days, a concept that really needs permanently tossing out the window.

We haven't had seven weekend makeup days in a calendar year for as far back as we bothered to count. This year, 2018, and 2016 featured six each; 2017 and 2014 had five; and 2015 miraculously only had four.

What is it with having to earn your holidays with extra weekend working days? Why not just make a holiday a holiday and be done with it? @China, pls thx.

Just think how relaxed you'll feel on the beach as you dream of makeup weekend work days when you get back

Anyhow, on to the big reveal for 2020: In addition to seven weekend work days, another quirk of this year's schedule is the combo National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival, which will be celebrated together with a big ol' eight-day break that goes from Oct 1 to Oct 8 (but not, of course, without makeup days).

Here's the rundown:

New Year's Day
Wednesday, Jan 1
Enjoy the day off and don't worry about having to be jerked around on the weekend before or after.

Chinese New Year
Friday, Jan 24-Thursday, Jan 30
Makeup work days: Sunday, Jan 19 and Saturday, Feb 1
Hmm. You're dreaming if you think people are going to come back to work on Friday and Saturday, take Sunday off, and then come back on to work Monday. As usual, everyone is going to take that Friday and Saturday off (if not wide swaths of time before and after CNY as well).

Tomb-Sweeping Festival
Saturday, Apr 4-Monday, Apr 6
In official Doublespeak this is a "three day holiday" when in reality it's one day off (Monday). But hey, who are we to complain: at least there's no inane weekend makeup day.

May Day
Friday, May 1-Tuesday, May 5
Makeup work days: Sunday, Apr 26 and Saturday, May 9
A five-day break! But wait, don't relax as you will be forced to work extra days before and after to make up for your unproductive laziness, you bum.

Dragon Boat Festival
Thursday, Jun 25-Saturday, Jun 27
Makeup work day: Sunday, Jun 28
Another sham. Here, have a nice extra day off. Have fun thinking about your six-day work week when you get back!

National Day & Mid-Autumn Festival
Thursday, Oct 1-Thursday, Oct 8
Makeup work days: Sunday, Sep 29 and Saturday, Oct 10
Ok, finally a good chunk of time, but not without a reminder that you can't just have eight days off, as you're likely to forget how to do your job. So come on in for a painful weekend of work before and after.

Not to brag but here at True Run Media (the parent company of the Beijinger), we stopped making our staff work weekend makeup days a few years back, because a) we work hard enough during the regular work week, and b) many of our staff have kids or other weekend obligations that are tough to re-arrange.

Lo and behold, we think we're happier and more productive as a result. We suggest every other business does the same. #smallvictory!

Images: the Beijinger