Country Guides
Public Holidays in Europe 2026: Country-by-Country Roundup
Planning a European year? This roundup of public holidays in Europe 2026 compares the four big Western European calendars — Germany, France, Spain and Italy —…
The blog
Plain-language guides on public holidays, bank holidays and how they work around the world.
Holiday Explainers
Why Some Holiday Dates Change Every Year: Lunar vs Solar Calendars
Why was Eid in March this year but April last year? Why does Easter hop between March and April? The answer lies in lunar vs solar…
Planning Tips
What Closes on a Public Holiday? Banks, Offices and Transport
What closes on a public holiday? It is the question behind a thousand ruined errands. The answer follows a predictable pattern across countries — government and…
Planning Tips
How to Plan Time Off Around Public Holidays
Want to turn a standard leave allowance into far more days off? Learning to plan time off around public holidays is the highest-value calendar skill there…
Holiday Explainers
Independence Day Holidays Around the World
Independence Day holidays are the most patriotic dates on any national calendar — the day a country celebrates its sovereignty, usually with flags, parades and fireworks.…
Holiday Explainers
Labour Day and May Day: A Global Overview
Labour Day and May Day honour workers — but fall on different dates depending on where you are. Most of the world celebrates on 1 May;…
Holiday Explainers
Thanksgiving 2026: The US Holiday Guide
Thanksgiving 2026 falls on Thursday, 26 November — the fourth Thursday of November, as it has been since 1941. It is America’s great homecoming holiday: a…
Holiday Explainers
Good Friday and Easter Monday 2026 Explained
Good Friday and Easter Monday 2026 fall on 3 April and 6 April, bookending an Easter weekend observed as public holidays across much of Europe, the…
Holiday Explainers
Holi 2026: Public Holiday Status in India and Beyond
Holi 2026 falls on Wednesday, 4 March. The festival of colours is one of India’s most joyful public holidays — a gazetted day off nationwide —…
Holiday Explainers
Diwali 2026: Where It’s a Public Holiday
Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday, 8 November. The Festival of Lights is one of the world’s great celebrations — and in several countries, an official public…
Holiday Explainers
Eid al-Adha 2026: Dates and Public Holiday Status
Eid al-Adha 2026 is expected around 26–29 May, beginning with the Day of Arafat. Known as the “Festival of Sacrifice,” it is the second of Islam’s…
Holiday Explainers
Eid al-Fitr 2026: Dates and Public Holiday Status
Eid al-Fitr 2026 is expected around 20–22 March, marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. It is one of the most widely observed public…