What’s your Christmas OOO message?
Out of ideas for your Christmas out-of-office (OOO) message?
I can help you.
In the rush to finish your To Do Before End of 2024 List (especially if you prefer checking out of the office and into an aisle seat earlier in December), you might forget to communicate your absence with an automated email.
A well-crafted (and remembered to be switched on) OOO message maintains your professionalism while you’re away, letting others know you haven’t disappeared entirely.
Plain and professional
If you’re aiming for polite and proper, include the following details:
- A concise and informative subject line, like “I’m currently Out of Office” or “I’m on leave”.
- A polite greeting, such as “Thank you for contacting me.” or “Merry Christmas!”
- The dates of your absence, e.g., “I am away from [date] to [date].”
- (Optional) brief reason for not being available, maybe “I’m enjoying some rest and recharging over the Christmas-New Year break” or “I’m spending Christmas overseas this year and accessing the internet will be limited”.
- What the reader might do instead, e.g. contact a colleague or the main office (provide their details), send you a message another way, or wait for your return.
- A polite closing, such as “Enjoy the festive season” or “Best wishes for now and I will be in contact in the new year”.
Make ’em smile
If you’d rather something less formal, maybe even cheeky, choose one of these:
- Out of office, out of mind (until [date]). Merry Christmas in the meantime!
- I’m currently unavailable. Please leave a message with a joke. Preferably one you didn’t get from a Christmas cracker.
- Out of office from [date], but my inbox will no doubt be stuffed with festive cheer and questionable family photos until [date].
- Currently unavailable. Please try again after a few mince pies and a glass of bubbles (best bet’s after [date]).
- I’m currently unavailable. Please try again after I’ve finished streaming my 12 Days of Christmas binge-watching from [date to date].
- Far from the office but closer to my family for the first time in months. Until the fighting starts. Could be back as soon as [date].
- Beach, barbies and beers are beckoning. Back on [date].
- Currently queuing for Christmas prawns. Might be back by [date].
- Closed for business and conserving my energy for the Boxing Day sales. See you on [date].
- Pretending I still have plenty on my plastic and spending with wild abandon because I forgot to plan ahead again. Please leave a tip with your message.
- If I haven’t returned your message by [date] please send sniffer dogs to [local shopping centre]. I may not have survived extended shopping hours.
- Reconnecting with loved ones and refusing to answer work emails until [date].
- Out of office, sleighing the holiday season.
- Wrapping up the year with plenty of cheer but had to duck out for more tinsel. Back on [date].
- Wishing you a peaceful Christmas. Deck the halls, not each other.
- Jingle that bell all you like but I’m outa here from [date] to [date].
- Out of office, trying to untangle Christmas lights and my family. Back on [date].
- Currently unavailable, arguing with my girlfriend about which Christmas movie to watch. Back on [date], or sooner if she hides the remote.
- Buying my nephews and nieces drum kits for Christmas to guarantee I’ll be back in the office by [date].
Some useful tips
- Keep it concise.
- Don’t apologise – you are entitled to take breaks and expect them to be uninterrupted.
- Test your message to check it works (functionally) and that it’s right for your personality and business brand tone (reputationally).
- Remember to turn it on before you leave and off when you return.
Whether you say it short and sweet, properly professional or quirkily Christmasy, an automated out-of-office email is a kind courtesy to let others know when you’ll be working again.
Want to improve your messaging all year round? Book a complimentary, unconditional Tell Me More call.