When the year’s been a marathon and your mahi inbox has been working overtime, nothing feels better than switching on that out-of-office response and disappearing for a little break to enjoy some Aotearoa sun and quality time with whānau and friends. But why settle for a boring generic auto-response when you could sign off with a bit of humour, reo, and personality?
Here are a few fun, cheeky, and reo Māori-inspired OOO templates to let people know you’ve clocked out for hararei. Adjust them to suit your role, mahi, tone, and personality.
Before You Copy + Paste These OOO Gems… A Quick Disclaimer
As much as we love a cheeky out-of-office message, make sure you:
- Include your return date (don’t leave people hanging!).
- Add an alternative contact if your role involves urgent or time-sensitive mahi.
- Check your workplace guidelines — some organisations need a more formal tone, some are chill, and some won't appreciate the emoji overload.
- Use common sense about who will receive it (clients, funders, your boss, etc). You may want a different auto-reply for internal emails versus external ones.
But you should be pretty safe with these. It’s been a big year, so you might as well leave people with a wee grin on your way out.
1. Subject: Did the mahi, now getting the treats ⛱️
This one’s for those who powered through the year on sheer willpower and caffeine. If you’ve earned every second of your break (and want your inbox to know it), this is the perfect laid-back, summer-soaked auto-reply. Warm, simple, and straight to the point. You’re out, enjoying life, and will respond once the tan lines settle in.
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"Kia ora, I’m currently enjoying the Kirihimete break. I’ll be back on [date] once I have digested the excess kai and worked on my tan. Kia pai mai ngā hararei 🎄"
2. Subject: Tūtira mai ngā iwi 🎶
For the waiata lovers, the kapa haka enthusiasts, and anyone whose workplace can’t resist breaking into waiata. This template adds humour and reo using a national anthem while letting people know you’re temporarily unavailable because you’ve abandoned the squad to rest your voice (and your inbox). A playful choice that will make every Māori millennial smirk.
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"Aue! Looks like [ingoa] is not here to sing the rest of the waiata with you, because they are on harareeeei 😎 Kei te pai — kaua e āwangawanga (don’t stress). They will be back on [date] to respond to your īmēra. Tātou tātou e 🎶"
3. Subject: Out of Tari 😎
Short, cheeky, and a little bit sassy, this one is ideal for anyone who’s mentally checked out already and doesn't want to be bothered. Perfect for workplaces with a sense of humour.
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"Thanks for your īmēra. I am currently on hararei and return on [date]. If you have any pātai, ask matua Google. Ka keetz 👋🏽"
4. Subject: Do you want the bad news or good news first?
A dramatic little rollercoaster for your email recipients, with a really intriguing subject line to hook them in. This one is best used when you want to soften the blow of being unavailable by leading with humour. Good for people who appreciate a bit of flair in their inbox and colleagues who enjoy a laugh before realising you won’t reply until next year.
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"Tēnā koe, So the bad news for you is that I’m not at mahi atm. But the good news for me is that I’m on hararei ☀️ (and not checking my īmēra, so will respond when I return). Mauri ora."
5. Subject: ❗️404 ERROR: īmēra not found
For the tech familiar crowd, or anyone who wants to pretend their inbox is officially out-of-order. If your workplace has a lot of digital natives, this one will land beautifully.
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"❗️404 ERROR Auē! This īmēra is currently out of action. Its owner is on hararei and won’t be checking their inbox until they return on [date]. Mā te wā 👋🏽"
6. Subject: Sorry not sorry 😬
If you’re unapologetically living your best holiday life, this template is for you. It’s playful, and honest. Ideal for those who love a mix of humour and total transparency about how checked-out they truly are.
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"If you’re reading this, I’m probably doing one of the following:
- feasting on kaimoana 🦞
- sipping on a piña colada 🍹
- in a food coma 🤤
- slapping on sunscreen 🧴
- enjoying a sleep-in 😴
All I can say is that I’m not sorry, because I’ve been waiting for this hararei all yeeeear 😎 I will check my īmēra when I’m back in the tari on [date]. Hei konā rā 👋"
7. Subject: Hararei Mode Activated 😎
Simple, to-the-point, and perfect for the minimalists who don't need a lot of words to get a point across.
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"Haere rāaaa…to this inbox, because I’m OUT ✌🏽 Back from hararei on [date]. Ngā mihi o te wā."
