Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, has decided to give his team members the entire week of Thanksgiving off. It’s been quite an amazing year for Apple, with the success of the iPad 2 and the introduction of the iPhone 4S. But it’s also been a sad one, too, with the loss of Steve Jobs. Here is the letter Cook sent out:

Team,

I consider it an honor to come to work every day alongside the most innovative and most dedicated people on earth. This is an extraordinary time to be at Apple, and it’s all made possible by your incredible efforts.

We’ve had a record-setting year so far and we’re heading into the holidays with the strongest product lineup in our history. Customers are absolutely in love with the iPad 2, and the amazing new iPhone 4S is off to the best start of any iPhone we’ve ever made. The Mac is soaring to new heights with OS X Lion, and on the eve of its 10th birthday, the iPod is still the world’s most popular music player.

In recognition of the hard work you’ve put in this year, we’re going to take some extra time off for Thanksgiving. We will shut down with pay on November 21, 22 and 23 so our teams can spend the entire week with their families and friends.

Of course, Retail and some other groups will need to work that week so we can continue to serve our customers. If you’re in one of these groups, please check with your manager about taking time off at a later date. Our international teams will schedule their three-day shutdowns this quarter at a time that’s best for them. Details will be available on AppleWeb.

I hope everyone enjoys this much deserved break.

Tim

Obviously with Black Friday being the day after Thanksgiving, the retail stores will need to stay open. While this seems like a bold move, it’s one that can only garner respect, loyalty and dedication from Apple’s team members. Not only did Cook do a great job of recognizing what the global team had accomplished this past year, he also inspired them by rewarding the team with something that was completely unexpected.

If that’s not enough, Cook also is garnering loyalty and admiration of customers around the planet. Most, if not all, Apple users who will be working that week are proud of Cook for blessing his team.

Question: How do you feel about Cook’s decision?