> I prefer to determine when I take my breaks. That's what PTO is for.
That's fine, I'm sure they have vacation time too, but it can get into being a coördination problem: if you want to spend time with friends and family during your time off, it may be hard to arrange the same days off. One benefit of holidays† is that everyone gets the same ones, and so large(r) gathers can happen.
† From the Old English for "holy day", where "holy" (originally) means 'set aside' or 'apart from'.
That's fine, I'm sure they have vacation time too, but it can get into being a coördination problem: if you want to spend time with friends and family during your time off, it may be hard to arrange the same days off. One benefit of holidays† is that everyone gets the same ones, and so large(r) gathers can happen.
† From the Old English for "holy day", where "holy" (originally) means 'set aside' or 'apart from'.