Not to rub salt on the wound, but it has worked out this year that I am off from closing time on the 21st, until opening time on Jan 6.
I have been very lucky in the past, and this upcoming year, that my families tend to take some time off as well. And they don't bring the kids over this period. If they did not take the time off, I would be booking it off. I work for myself for exactly this reason.