Public holidays in January 2026 open the year with the most universally shared day off on the planet: New Year’s Day. Across all twelve countries in our 2026 holiday data — from Germany to Pakistan to Australia — January 1 is a public holiday without exception. But January holds more than just the New Year: the United States honors Martin Luther King Jr., Australia celebrates Australia Day, and India marks Republic Day, all in the same month. Here is the complete picture for planning your January.
Every January 2026 Public Holiday, by Country
- January 1 — New Year’s Day: Germany, France, Spain, Italy, United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, UAE (nine countries — the single most widespread holiday in our data).
- January 6 — Epiphany: Spain, Italy.
- January 19 — Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.: United States (federal holiday).
- January 26 — Australia Day: Australia.
- January 26 — Republic Day: India (marks the adoption of the Constitution in 1950).
Note what is absent: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the UK (beyond New Year’s Day) have no additional January holidays in 2026. January is a quiet month in the Gulf and South Asia, with the holiday calendar picking up considerably from March onward.
Regional Highlights
New Year’s Day (January 1, Thursday): Falling on a Thursday in 2026, it creates a natural long-weekend opportunity — take Friday, January 2 off and you have four days. Expect government offices, banks, and schools closed in all nine observing countries; transport runs on holiday schedules. In many workplaces, the days between Christmas and New Year are already quiet, so the first week of January effectively starts the working year.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January 19, US): The third Monday of January is a federal holiday honoring the civil rights leader. Federal offices and banks close; it is also observed as a national day of service, with volunteer events across the country.
January 26 — a tale of two holidays: Australia Day marks the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove, celebrated with citizenship ceremonies, barbecues, and fireworks — though the date is increasingly debated. India’s Republic Day, by contrast, is a solemn patriotic showcase centered on the grand parade in New Delhi, with the President taking the salute. Same date, utterly different meanings.
Epiphany (January 6, Spain and Italy): In Spain, this is arguably bigger than Christmas Day itself — it is the day of the Three Kings, when children receive their gifts and spectacular parades fill the streets on the evening of January 5. Italy observes it more quietly, though it remains an official day off.
Planning Tips for January
January is peak summer-holiday season in Australia, so domestic travel is expensive and busy around Australia Day — book well ahead. In the Northern Hemisphere, the post-New Year weeks are among the cheapest times to travel, with a lull before spring. If you are doing business across borders, remember that the first week of January is effectively a write-off in much of Europe and North America; key contacts return around January 5–6. And in India, Republic Day brings heightened security and road closures in central New Delhi — plan city movement accordingly.
Planning tips
Before you plan around a holiday, check three things: the official date for your country or region, whether a weekend holiday is carried over to a weekday, and which services stay open. Banks, schools, government offices and public transport often follow different timetables, so a quick check saves a wasted trip.
Use this guide as a starting point, compare it with the official source for your location and check again closer to the date, since announcements and local arrangements can change. Sharing the dates early with family, colleagues and customers also avoids last-minute surprises.