What are the Christmas holidays for the scientific community like around the world? Do most people take extended work/study leave?

It varies- when I was finishing my PhD I was in work Christmas eve. Now I take an extended break. In Japan, Christmas was a normal non-holiday day in work, Here in the UK, our uni shuts December 22nd so not many people around

Christmas? There is no snow in my country, my impression about Christmas is endless year end shopping and sale sale sale sale sale sale....

Christmas is a one day affair in India. But I wish it were longer.

With 24 days to go, we could start sharing hymns and carols here.
I am not Christian and therefore do not know many of them. It would be a nice learning curve though.

Let me start

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA_YmII8MYw

My uni shuts down from lunchtime xmas eve until about the 6th Jan- so there is little point in being here....no one to order reagents (we have a departmental purchasing officer), run autoclaves (we can't run the decon ones ourselves, only the sterilisation ones), or things like that.

I always take two weeks or so to relax and spend time with family.

Life is to short to work all of the time (even if it means I'll take a little longer to finish my PhD).

I'm an athiest so Christmas has no religious meaning for me. To me christmas is a time to celebrate family and friends, to spend time together and to enjoy the beautiful summer weather (here in Aus).
My xmas day starts with a swim at the beach actually! Every year without fail!