The holiday season is upon us and for the most part, many workers globally are using this period to clear their vacation leave and spend time with loves ones. If you have tried sending an email this season, you will get a plethora of out-of-office messages. These messages indicate to the person who emailed that one is away at the moment, usually including the period of time they are away for and the person to contact should they need to reach anyone in the organisation.
With most organisations slowing down and with everyone in a festive mood, it is also the time when you can afford to be a bit cheekier and wittier in your out-of-office responses.
Here are some creative and tongue-in-cheek examples that you can consider adapting to your organisation!
Short and sweet
For those who want a short reply that is both snappy and funny
- I am currently out of the office, but if you have any urgent questions, please call my imaginary friend, Tim. He will be happy to help you.
- I am currently out of the office and will not be checking my emails. If you need immediate assistance, please call the office and ask for the person who always seems to have it together. They will be able to help you.
- I am currently out of the office attending a mandatory fun day. I will be back in the office when I am no longer laughing uncontrollably.
- I’m currently out of the office, but I’m still checking my email. If your message is important, please send it again. If it’s not important, please send it again anyway, just so I have something to do while I’m away.
- I’m currently out of the office, but I’ll be checking my email periodically. If your message is urgent, please call me on my cell. If it’s not urgent, please continue to send me emails and I’ll respond as soon as I can. I’m really looking forward to getting back to my inbox and seeing how many emails I can ignore.
Funny vaycay responses
Letting people know that you are on vacation also reminds them not to disturb you
- I’m currently out of the office, enjoying the great outdoors. If you need to reach me, please send a carrier pigeon to my location. I’ll be the one with the binoculars and the cheese.
- Hola, I’m away on vacation, but I’m not really sure where I am. If you need to reach me, please send a message to my personal assistant, who will try to track me down using the latest in satellite technology. In the meantime, I’ll be busy drinking mojitos and pretending I’m on a tropical island.
- Gone to a remote island to see if I can finally get a good Wi-Fi signal. If you need me, send a carrier pigeon or smoke signal.
- I’m currently out of the office, enjoying some much-needed time off. I’ll be back soon, but in the meantime, please enjoy this joke: Why did the tomato go on vacation? Because it was ketchup on its time off!
- Sorry, I’m currently out of the office soaking up the sun and sipping on a tropical drink. I’ll be back in a week (or when I run out of sunscreen).
Festive feels
Feeling festive? Incorporate some festive jargon in your out-of-office messages just for laughs.
- I’m currently out of the office, celebrating the holiday season with my family and friends. I’ll be back in a few days, feeling jolly and ready to tackle whatever challenges come my way. In the meantime, please enjoy this picture of a festive cat wearing a Santa hat.
- Why was Santa’s helper feeling depressed? Because he had low elf-esteem. What do snowmen eat for breakfast? Frosted flakes. Hope you enjoyed the festive jokes while I take much-needed time off to rest and recharge this festive season.
- I’m currently out of the office, enjoying a well-deserved break to celebrate the holidays. I’ll be back soon, but in the meantime, please enjoy this motivational quote: The holiday season is a time for joy, laughter, and spending time with the ones we love. So let’s all take a deep breath, relax, and enjoy the magic of the season.
- I’m currently out of the office, celebrating the holiday season with some eggnog and holiday cookies. I’ll be back in a few days, fully rested and ready to dive back into work. In the meantime, please enjoy this picture of a Christmas tree decorated with colorful lights and ornaments.
- Hi! No one else is in the office right now so your email will be in a festive email black hole this period. I’ll be sure to get back in 2023!
Bonus – picture OOO messages
Who says out-of-office messages have to be all text? We leave you with the following two examples are a great way to use images to convey your message:
And here: 
We hope this collection of responses help stimulate your creative juices. Happy holidays!
