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…
Category: Holiday Explainers
Plain-language explainers on how public holidays work, from lunar calendars to substitute days.
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 —…
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…
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…
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;…
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.…