I can’t tell you how many people assume the Philippines has the same holidays we do.

Thanksgiving? Nope. New Year’s Eve? Yep, that’s a holiday for them.

Meanwhile, we’re over here thinking the whole world shuts down on the 4th of July. It’s funny how we assume our culture is the default.

Once you realize their holiday calendar is completely different, a lot of things suddenly make sense—why your VA didn’t work yesterday, why December feels busy for totally different reasons, why they’re hesitant to start a new job right before Christmas.

Their holidays are important, their families are important, and it’s just a very different set of priorities than we have in the US.
The good news? You can absolutely make this work. Your VA can work during the holidays.

They usually want to help—you just need to set expectations early, talk through the days they really need off, maybe swap shifts, offer half days, or plan for time off in January.

There’s no standard. You figure it out together. And once you do, everything gets easier.

Here are a few things I’ve learned that make holiday season work smoothly with Filipino VAs:

📅 Different holidays aren’t a problem—confusion is. Clarity fixes everything.
👂 Your VA wants to support you; they just need to know what the plan is.
🎁 Trading December hours for January rest is a win-win more often than you think.
🕓 Half shifts keep the business running while giving them the family time they need.
💡 Written policies remove guesswork, especially for new hires who don’t want to disappoint you.
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Respecting their family priorities builds long-term trust faster than anything else.
🔄 When you plan early, December becomes predictable instead of stressful.

Holiday season feels complicated only when nobody knows what the rules are. Once you talk about it—really talk about it—it stops being stressful.

Your VA knows what you need. You know what they need. And December becomes manageable instead of confusing.

▶️ Hit play to see how simple December becomes when you plan it right.
💬 Got questions about holidays or time off? Drop them in the comments below—I’m happy to help.
🚀 Want to hire a long-term Filipino VA? Go to OnlineJobs.ph and find your person.
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