Usually vacation messages are sent from userland software, but that option has the disadvantage that you still receive lots of messages during your holiday. Also, because the mailserver accepted the message, you have the responsibility to handle it.
In order to get around this, configure your mail server with a custom permanant error for your address. This way your messages will bounce back to the sender, and you will not receive any messages.
People cannot claim that they sent it – and you can prove it. Presto – no more mailbox weeding after returning from holiday.
Postfix configuration: /etc/postfix/main.cf:
smtpd_recipient_restrictions =
pcre:/etc/postfix/smtpd_rcpt_map
/etc/postfix/smtpd_rcpt_map:
/(dick|visser)@tienhuis.nl/ 550 User on holiday
Best regards 🙂