In a blink of an eye, we’re suddenly a beat away from winter. Yes, that means the year is ending, and no, I also don’t know what happened between March and now. Let’s move past that point and focus on what matters. Japan’s 2020 winter holidays are coming! You’ll be listening to Mariah Carey, voluntarily or not, on every radio in all the shops. Also, we might be getting a present of a lifetimeーextra holidays.

In Japan, the winter holidays are usually from December 29th to January 3rd, only 6 days long if we’re including the weekends. The year 2020 is not a usual year though, as the entire world experienced. Japan will top it all off with a 17-days long 2020 winter holidays. According to Kyodo, economic revitalization minister Yasutoshi Nishimura called for a prolonged holiday in order to break up the New Year’s crowds going out to shop, visit shrines, and travel, as encouraged by the “Go To” campaign. Nishimura’s proposal has the holidays ending on January 11th, the Coming of Age Day.

Since Nishimura’s proposal on October 21st, there have been numerous articles and discussions around Japan’s 2020 winter holidays. Obviously, Twitter blew up with the term, 分散休暇 bunsan kyūka (distributed holiday), and many hoped the rumored 17 days get set in stone soon. Regrettably, Asahi reported that the decision to take a longer holiday is up to companies and local governments. With a lack of guidelines for this call-to-action, everyone in Japan is wishing a Christmas miracle will have their companies heed this request to extend the winter holidays. After all, we still need to flatten the curve.