Christmas Day and New Year's Day bank holiday has been changed this year

Presents and a roast dinner are great, but there's one other thing that really makes Christmas the best time of year: the bank holidays.

Within the space of a week Brits are treated to three whole bonus days off work, where there's nothing to be done except eat, drink and watch Christmas films.

You might throw in a games night or a brisk walk, but the point is, you're not working. It really is the most wonderful time of year.

This year, however, Brits who work a typical Monday-Friday job will probably be all too aware of the fact that they'll already be off for Christmas, because it falls on a Sunday.

Pixabay

Before you start panicking over not being treated to an extra day off work, this means that the Christmas Day bank holiday is being shifted about in the calendar.

The government explains: "If a bank holiday is on a weekend, a ‘substitute’ weekday becomes a bank holiday, normally the following Monday."

We already have a bank holiday on the Monday following Christmas - the Boxing Day bank holiday, which will remain in place on December 26.

To make sure we get the time off, then, the Christmas Day bank holiday will instead be recognised on Tuesday, December 27, meaning those who typically have weekends off will get to enjoy a lovely four-day break without having to use a day of annual leave.

If that's not an excuse for another Baileys, I don't know that is.

Christmas Day isn't the only bank holiday being moved about over the festive period, as New Year's Day also falls on a Sunday.

Pixabay

As a result, the government has confirmed that the day off will be moved to the first Monday of the year, 2 January.

We might then have to prepare for 3 January to be the Monday-est Tuesday ever, but at least we have a three-day weekend beforehand to ready ourselves and recover from whatever New Year's Eve celebrations you might have in mind.

The shift of the days means that many Brits can look forward to a lovely total of seven days off work over the festive period, which will hopefully see us through until the next bank holiday, which falls on Good Friday, 7 April.

I dread to think exactly how many more mince pies will be consumed over the extra days off, but let's be honest - that's what Christmas is all about.