How to use the word “holiday”

WRONG
I am currently on holidays.
He is on his holidays now and will be returning to the office next week.

RIGHT
I am currently on holiday.
He is on holiday now and will be returning to the office next week.

In such examples, you should not use the phrase “on holidays” or “on my holidays”, “on her holidays” etc. Use “on holiday”, or – in American English – “on vacation”.

Only use the word “holidays” to refer to:

• more than one single holiday

  This year there are three national

  holidays

  in May.

  I’ll see you after the Christmas

  holidays

  .

• more than one vacation

  Since 2012 I have been spending my

  holidays

  in Portugal.

  I prefer spending my money on

  holidays

  than on furniture.

This is chiefly a British usage; Americans use the word “vacation”.

• school holidays

  The

  holidays

  start on 6 July.

We often refer to the summer (especially August) as the “holiday period”. This phrase (or the “holidays”) can also apply to Christmas.

“Holiday” can also be used as an adjective, as in “holiday period”. Other examples are “holiday clothes”, “holiday mood”.

Less commonly, in British English “holiday” can be used as a verb:

This year we’re holidaying in Portugal.
We usually holiday in the Mediterranean.

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