Well let me give you the scoop on how to add those holidays.  In Outlook 2007 it’s just a few dialog boxes and check-marks.  For Outlook 2003 (which most law firms have these days) it’s a little more involved, but not so much.

Let me tell you how:

Outlook 2007

• Step One: Get to the Calendar Options:
  • Click Tools
  • Click Options
  • In the Options box, click the Preferences tab
  • Click the Calendar Button

• Step Two: In Calendar Options, go to the Calendar Options section (ha-ha no typo here folks, just no creativity from old ‘Softie!)
  • click the Add Holidays… button.

• Check mark all the countries that you want.  Be bold, don’t just pick the United States!

But why? you ask. ;-? Well…perhaps you’re planning on celebrating Festa della Repubblica (Republic Day) with your new Italian  Twitter friends.  Even better, maybe you do business with a client in China and you don’t want to schedule a meeting during the Qingming Festival.  Now, wouldn’t it be clever of you to know all your clients’ national holidays and not schedule meetings on those days

After choosing your country(s), Microsoft downloads to the calendar:

•  Click OK

In Outlook 2003:

An update is now available to fix this issue by downloading and installing a patch for Outlook 2003. If you are a geek and want to read up on this, more information is available through knowledge base article 924423.

This update will replace the holiday file (Outlook.hol) with the latest holiday information. What’s even cooler and even geeker is you can edit this file to populate Outlook with your own favorite holidays, like July 15 which is National Gummy Worm day!  Look for another post to show you the secret steps (LOL – Not so secret if you can Google.)

Now you are ready to book that holiday trip or schedule those international  calls with clients, cause you know what day it is.