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…
The blog
Plain-language guides on public holidays, bank holidays and how they work around the world.
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…
Holiday Explainers
New Year’s Day: How the World Celebrates January 1
New Year’s Day — 1 January — is arguably the most universal public holiday on the planet. In 2026 it falls on a Thursday, and from…
Holiday Explainers
Christmas Day: Why It’s a Public Holiday Around the World
Christmas Day is the most widely observed public holiday on Earth. In 2026 it falls on Friday, 25 December, and in well over a hundred countries…
Bank Holidays
How Bank Holiday Dates Are Decided Each Year
Ever wondered how bank holiday dates are decided? Most of us just receive the calendar, but behind every public holiday lies a decision-making process — sometimes…
Holiday Explainers
Is Today a Holiday? How to Check in Any Country
Is today a holiday? It is one of the most-searched questions on the internet every single morning — usually asked while staring at a closed bank…
Holiday Explainers
Public Holiday vs Bank Holiday vs Observance: What’s the Difference?
Public holiday vs bank holiday — are they the same thing? And where does an “observance” fit in? These terms get thrown around interchangeably, but they…
Holiday Explainers
What Is a Public Holiday? A Simple Explanation
What is a public holiday? At its simplest, it is a day designated by a government on which most public institutions close and many workers get…