(screenshot of last year’s iTunes Connect email)

Apple notified developers this morning of its iTunes Connect holiday period, set to take place December 21-28, as noted by MacStories:

iTunes Connect will be temporarily shut down from Friday, December 21, 2012 to Friday, December 28, 2012, for the winter holidays.

[…]

Additionally, the following will be delayed:

Releases scheduled to appear on the App Store for the first time

Pricing changes scheduled through the interval pricing system in iTunes Connect

This annual holiday period occurred last year from Dec 22nd to the 29th. During this time app updates and price changes will be frozen as the iTunes Connect team gets time off. Back in 2010, the holiday period was only six days but has since been increased to a week in the last couple years.