Public holidays in November 2026 bring the year’s festival season into full swing. India’s Diwali lights up the month, the United States pauses for Thanksgiving, Catholic Europe observes All Saints’ Day, and Pakistan honors Iqbal Day. With remembrance observances in the US, France, and Canada as well, November is rich with meaning — here is every date across our twelve tracked countries.
Every November 2026 Public Holiday, by Country
- November 1 — All Saints’ Day: France, Spain, Italy (Sunday).
- November 8 — Diwali (Deepavali): India (Sunday).
- November 9 — Iqbal Day: Pakistan (Monday).
- November 11 — Veterans Day: United States (Wednesday); Armistice Day: France (Wednesday); Remembrance Day: Canada (Wednesday).
- November 24 — Guru Nanak Jayanti: India (Tuesday).
- November 26 — Thanksgiving Day: United States (Thursday).
Germany, the UK, Australia, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia have no public holidays in November 2026.
Regional Highlights
Diwali (November 8, India): The festival of lights is India’s biggest celebration — five days of lamps, fireworks, sweets, and family gatherings. As a gazetted holiday falling on a Sunday in 2026, its practical day-off impact is muted, but its cultural magnitude is unmatched. Markets, homes, and temples glow nationwide, and the festival’s economic footprint — from gold purchases to gift exchanges — is enormous.
Thanksgiving (November 26, US): The fourth Thursday of November is America’s most traveled holiday — the Wednesday before and Sunday after are the year’s busiest travel days, with airports setting annual records. Federal offices, banks, and markets close Thursday; many businesses also close Friday, creating a four-day weekend that doubles as the start of the Christmas shopping season.
November 11 — remembrance across three nations: The US (Veterans Day), France (Armistice Day), and Canada (Remembrance Day) all mark the 1918 armistice on the same Wednesday, each with distinct ceremonies — moments of silence at the 11th hour, wreath-laying at memorials, and veterans’ parades. In France and Canada, the day carries particular solemnity; in the US, it also serves as a broader celebration of military service.
Iqbal Day (November 9, Pakistan): Honoring the poet-philosopher Muhammad Iqbal on his birth anniversary, this Monday holiday closes government offices, banks, and schools, with literary events, seminars, and televised tributes celebrating his role in inspiring Pakistan’s creation.
Guru Nanak Jayanti (November 24, India): Marking the birth of Sikhism’s founder, this Tuesday holiday is observed with processions, hymn-singing, and community kitchens (langars) serving free meals — one of India’s most spiritually resonant days.
Planning Tips for November
November is dominated by Thanksgiving travel in the US — the single most important booking of the year for American domestic trips. Reserve flights and accommodation months ahead; the Sunday after Thanksgiving is traditionally the busiest travel day in the country, with airports at absolute capacity. In India, Diwali week brings peak domestic travel and festive markets — wonderful to experience, challenging to navigate without advance bookings; gold and gift shopping peaks, so expect crowded bazaars. For business, the Thanksgiving week in the US is effectively a write-off; schedule critical work for early November or December. In Pakistan, the Iqbal Day Monday (November 9) offers a clean long weekend. And across Catholic Europe, All Saints’ Day (November 1, Sunday) is observed quietly — check whether your country shifts the observance, as practices vary.