What are the origins of this fun-filled festive custom?
Iran has the most paid vacation days per year in the world, with 26 days of paid vacation and 27 paid public holidays, totaling an impressive 53 paid days off annually.
Sources: (Yahoo News) (Insider Monkey) (Papaya Global)
Yemen ranks third among countries with the most paid vacation days per year, offering 45 days per employee.
In Andorra, employees who have worked at a company for over six months are entitled to 30 days of paid vacation per year, plus public holidays, and must take a minimum of two consecutive weeks off.
With 30 days of paid annual leave and 14 public holidays, workers in Bahrain are entitled to a total of 44 paid vacation days per year.
Bhutan promotes Gross National Happiness over Gross Domestic Product and productivity. The well-being of its citizens is a priority, with workers entitled to 44 paid vacation days per year.
San Marino may be one of the smallest countries in the world, but its vacation day perks are among the best. Workers benefit from 26 days of paid vacation annually, plus 20 public holidays, totaling 46 paid days off each year.
Togo offers workers 43 paid vacation days per year. However, it is one of the poorest countries in the world.
Situated on the southeastern coast of Africa, Madagascar is the world's fourth-largest island. Employees have 43 paid vacation days per year.
Employees in Niger benefit from 43 paid vacation days per year, increasing with length of service.
Kuwait has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the world, at just 3%, and workers benefit from 42 days of paid vacation days per year.
With 42 days of paid vacation days per year, workers in Azerbaijan can enjoy a healthy work-life balance.
Mali, one of the largest countries in Africa, provides workers with 42 paid vacation days per year.
Glamorous Monaco offers a high standard of living, a safe environment, and 42 paid vacation days per year.
Turkmenistan's employees can take advantage of a generous 42 paid vacation days per year.
In Russia, workers are entitled to 42 paid vacation days per year. Any unused annual year can be carried over into the following year.
Peru's workers are entitled to 42 paid vacation days per year. At least 15 days must be used within the year.
In total, workers in Algeria are entitled to 41 paid vacation days per year.
Employees in the Ivory Coast are entitled to 41 paid vacation days per year.
Agriculture is the primary source of employment in the country, providing income for 57% of rural households and employing 52% of the total workforce. The nation's 41 paid vacation days per year ensures workers enjoy work-life balance.
Workers in Georgia are entitled to a generous 41 paid vacation days per year.
Eastern Africa's Djibouti encourages a healthy work-life balance by providing workers with 40 paid vacation days per year.
The Maldives, best known for its dreamy beaches, offers workers 41 paid vacation days per year.
After completing 11 consecutive months of employment, workers in Panama are entitled to 41 days of paid vacation.
Guinea's economy is heavily dependent on agriculture, and, as a result, workers are entitled to 41 paid vacation days per year in order to promote employee well-being and productivity.
Employees in Oman are entitled to 39 paid vacation days per year, and there is currently no personal income tax law enacted in the country.
In Moldova, employees get 39 days of paid vacations annually. Workers must also take a minimum of one two-week vacation, but have the flexibility to divide and utilize the rest of their leave days.
Not only does Iceland offer a generous 40 days of paid vacation per year, but it is also one of the countries with the shortest working hours in the world. Approximately 85% of workers have embraced a four-day workweek.
Comoros, the fourth-smallest country in Africa, offers some of the world's most generous paid vacation days, with 39 per year.
According to Austrian labor laws, employees are entitled to 38 paid vacation days per year.
Cambodia relies heavily on agriculture and related sectors, with most rural households dependent on them. Despite this, the country offers 39 paid vacation days per year for employees.
Taking time off from your job is imperative for stress management, focus, and long-term mental and even physical health. The United States has some of the least generous vacation laws, with employees having no statutory rights to paid time off work. But which country offers the most paid vacation days? Using data collected by Yahoo News, which identified countries with the most public holidays and shortlisted those with the highest number of total paid vacation days (including weekends), this gallery presents the findings.
Click through now to discover the nations with the most paid vacation days per year.
Countries with the most paid vacation days per year
Explore which nation offers the greatest amount of paid leave
LIFESTYLE Time off
Taking time off from your job is imperative for stress management, focus, and long-term mental and even physical health. The United States has some of the least generous vacation laws, with employees having no statutory rights to paid time off work. But which country offers the most paid vacation days? Using data collected by Yahoo News, which identified countries with the most public holidays and shortlisted those with the highest number of total paid vacation days (including weekends), this gallery presents the findings.
Click through now to discover the nations with the most paid vacation days per year.