Holiday closures look like a single decision — when is the program closed — but they’re actually three different problems wearing the same coat. Handle each one deliberately and the season runs smoothly.
Part one: the calendar. Decide before the season what the program calendar looks like. Common California childcare closures: Thanksgiving Thursday and Friday, December 24–25 plus December 26 if it falls on a weekday, December 31 partial day or full closure, January 1. Some programs close the full week between Christmas and New Year’s. Some close partial weeks. Some stay open with reduced staffing for working families.
Childcare owners do not need to become accountants, but they do need to understand the story their numbers are telling. The SBA financial management guidance encourages small business owners to track costs, liabilities, and financial performance clearly.
Whatever you decide, pick it early. Don’t reopen the decision in mid-December. The schedule is what it is.
Part two: the email. Communicate the calendar to families three to four weeks in advance. One clear email. Sample structure: ‘Holiday calendar for this year. Tuition reminder. Staffing changes (if any). What to expect in early January. Thank you for your support.’ Brief, factual, warm. Send it on a Tuesday morning when parents will read it.
If you’re closed a full week, say so plainly. ‘Our team is taking the full week of December 23 off to rest and reset for January. This time off is important for our staff and for the quality of our program.’ Don’t apologize. Parents understand and appreciate the honesty.
Part three: the cash flow. Holiday closures are a real cash flow event. Tuition typically runs as normal because rent and payroll continue, but the timing of December often includes higher expenses (bonuses, supplies, end-of-year items) and slower January payments (subsidy delays, family budget restarts). Plan for it.
Pull your forecast for December and January. Confirm your cash position will cover everything. If it looks tight, talk to your accountant or banker now, not in late December.
If you offer holiday bonuses, plan them. Cash bonuses, even modest ones, beat most alternatives. If cash isn’t possible, plan paid days off, handwritten notes, or small gifts. Don’t skip recognition.
Confirm payment schedules for January. Auto-pay families are easy. Manual-pay families sometimes drift through the holiday weeks. A short reminder in mid-December prevents January catch-up scrambles.
Handle exceptions privately. The family in real hardship may need a private conversation about December payment timing. Have it kindly, discreetly, with a clear path forward. Don’t change the public policy.
And take care of yourself. The owner who works through every holiday closure to ‘catch up on paperwork’ is the owner who can’t recover for January. Build in your own real days off. The center will be fine.
Calendar. Email. Cash flow. Three parts, handled on purpose, and the season runs.