Is Christmas Eve a Public Holiday?
Christmas Eve 2026 falls on Thursday, December 24.
The answer depends on which of the world’s calendars you hold. A Czech or Macau worker has 24 December as a statutory day off; a Filipino gets it as a special non-working day; a Swede celebrates on the Eve by ancient custom though the law calls it an ordinary Sunday; a German works the morning and closes the shop at two; and a British, American or Japanese worker sits at a desk. This page lines those calendars up year by year — including the one accident in the set, Taiwan, where Christmas Eve 2027 becomes a day off because Constitution Day falls on a Saturday.
Also known as: December 24 · Štědrý den · Julafton · Nochebuena · day before Christmas
The short answer
4 countries and regions in our calendar mark it. Dates and days off below cover 2025–2028.
- 2025
- Wednesday, December 24
- 2026
- Thursday, December 24
- 2027
- Friday, December 24
- 2028
- Sunday, December 24
Dates year by year
Dates by country and year
Compare the festival date across countries and every year we publish.
| Country / region | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Czech Republic | December 24, 2025 | December 24, 2026 | December 24, 2027 | December 24, 2028 |
| Macau | December 24, 2025 | December 24, 2026 | December 24, 2027 | December 24, 2028Provisional |
| Philippines | December 24, 2025 | December 24, 2026 | December 24, 2027 | December 24, 2028Provisional |
| Taiwan | — | — | Dec 24 – 26 | Dec 23 – 25Provisional |
| Sweden | December 24, 2025Not a public holiday | December 24, 2026Not a public holiday | December 24, 2027Not a public holiday | December 24, 2028Not a public holiday |
| Norway | December 24, 2025Not a public holiday | December 24, 2026Not a public holiday | December 24, 2027Not a public holiday | December 24, 2028Not a public holiday |
| Germany | December 24, 2025Not a public holiday | December 24, 2026Not a public holiday | December 24, 2027Not a public holiday | December 24, 2028Not a public holiday |
| India | December 24, 2025Not a public holiday | December 24, 2026Not a public holiday | December 24, 2027Not a public holiday | December 24, 2028Not a public holiday |
| United Kingdom | December 24, 2025Not a public holiday | December 24, 2026Not a public holiday | December 24, 2027Not a public holiday | December 24, 2028Not a public holiday |
| United States | December 24, 2025Not a public holiday | December 24, 2026Not a public holiday | December 24, 2027Not a public holiday | December 24, 2028Not a public holiday |
| Japan | December 24, 2025Not a public holiday | December 24, 2026Not a public holiday | December 24, 2027Not a public holiday | December 24, 2028Not a public holiday |
| China | December 24, 2025Not a public holiday | December 24, 2026Not a public holiday | December 24, 2027Not a public holiday | December 24, 2028Not a public holiday |
| Hong Kong | December 24, 2025Not a public holiday | December 24, 2026Not a public holiday | December 24, 2027Not a public holiday | December 24, 2028Not a public holiday |
| Singapore | December 24, 2025Not a public holiday | December 24, 2026Not a public holiday | December 24, 2027Not a public holiday | December 24, 2028Not a public holiday |
| South Korea | December 24, 2025Not a public holiday | December 24, 2026Not a public holiday | December 24, 2027Not a public holiday | December 24, 2028Not a public holiday |
| Australia | December 24, 2025Not a public holiday | December 24, 2026Not a public holiday | December 24, 2027Not a public holiday | December 24, 2028Not a public holiday |
| Canada | December 24, 2025Not a public holiday | December 24, 2026Not a public holiday | December 24, 2027Not a public holiday | December 24, 2028Not a public holiday |
Who gets the day off
Every row is derived from that country’s official calendar on this site, so the day counts include substitute days and government bridge days exactly as gazetted.
Christmas Eve 2025
| Country / region | Called | Date | Days off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Czech Republic | Christmas Eve (Štědrý den)A full statutory rest day under Act No. 245/2000 Coll. — offices and banks shut nationwide, and Czech retail law keeps shops to limited Christmas Eve hours. | December 24, 2025 | 1days |
| Macau General holiday only | Christmas EveOne of the very few places in Asia where 24 December is a full public holiday — Macau’s official list carries both the Eve and Christmas Day itself. | December 24, 2025 | 1days |
| Philippines | Christmas Eve (Special Non-Working Day)Proclaimed a nationwide Special (Non-Working) Day each year — schools and government close, and private-sector staff follow the no-work-no-pay rule unless the proclamation says otherwise. | December 24, 2025 | 1days |
| Sweden | Julafton (de-facto full day off)Not a red day in law, yet the Annual Leave Act counts Julafton as a Sunday when deducting vacation days, and virtually every workplace closes — the main Christmas celebration is on the Eve, not the 25th. | December 24, 2025 | Working day |
| Norway | Julaften (allmennfri, not a helligdag)Norway splits the difference: 24 December is "allmennfri" — a day on which everyone is off by common practice — but it is not one of the statutory helligdager, so it never appears in the official holiday count. | December 24, 2025 | Working day |
| Germany | Heiligabend (half-day by custom)A regular working day in law — Germany’s nationwide holidays start on 25 December. In practice shops close early (around 2pm) and offices empty out, so the afternoon is de-facto off. | December 24, 2025 | Working day |
| India | Restricted (optional) holidayWhere Christmas Eve appears in India at all, it sits on the restricted list — days each employee elects individually while the office stays open. Only 25 December is a gazetted closure. | December 24, 2025 | Working day |
| United Kingdom | Regular workday (not a bank holiday)The statutory pair is Christmas Day and Boxing Day, both moved when they land on the weekend. 24 December is a normal working day, though most offices wind down by mid-afternoon. | December 24, 2025 | Working day |
| United States | Regular workday (not a federal holiday)5 U.S.C. 6103 lists Christmas Day, not the Eve. Federal workers occasionally get the 24th released by executive order, but that is a one-off gesture, not a standing holiday. | December 24, 2025 | Working day |
| Japan | Ordinary workdayNeither the 24th nor the 25th is a Japanese holiday — Christmas runs on dates and illuminations, not days off. The December national holidays end earlier in the month, and the current Emperor’s Birthday is in February. | December 24, 2025 | Working day |
| China | Ordinary workdayNo Christmas holiday of any kind on the official calendar; the year simply runs to New Year’s Day on 1 January as the next statutory break. | December 24, 2025 | Working day |
| Hong Kong General holiday only | Ordinary workday (25 & 26 Dec are the holidays)Hong Kong’s Christmas general holidays are the 25th and the 26th, both substituted when they land on a weekend. The 24th is a full working day. | December 24, 2025 | Working day |
| Singapore | Ordinary workday (25 Dec is the holiday)Singapore gazettes Christmas Day alone; the Eve is a normal working day, with the Christmas shopping rush on Orchard Road running regardless. | December 24, 2025 | Working day |
| South Korea | Ordinary workdayOnly Christmas Day (25 December) is on Korea’s statutory list; the Eve passes as an ordinary workday. | December 24, 2025 | Working day |
| Australia | Ordinary workdayNo state gazettes 24 December. Christmas Day and Boxing Day are the national pair, and many workers bridge the Eve with annual leave. | December 24, 2025 | Working day |
| Canada | Ordinary workdayChristmas Day and Boxing Day are the statutory days; federally regulated workplaces close on the 25th, and 24 December is a normal working day everywhere. | December 24, 2025 | Working day |
Christmas Eve 2026
| Country / region | Called | Date | Days off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Czech Republic | Christmas Eve (Štědrý den)A full statutory rest day under Act No. 245/2000 Coll. — offices and banks shut nationwide, and Czech retail law keeps shops to limited Christmas Eve hours. | December 24, 2026 | 1days |
| Macau General holiday only | Christmas EveOne of the very few places in Asia where 24 December is a full public holiday — Macau’s official list carries both the Eve and Christmas Day itself. | December 24, 2026 | 1days |
| Philippines | Christmas Eve (Special Non-Working Day)Proclaimed a nationwide Special (Non-Working) Day each year — schools and government close, and private-sector staff follow the no-work-no-pay rule unless the proclamation says otherwise. | December 24, 2026 | 1days |
| Sweden | Julafton (de-facto full day off)Not a red day in law, yet the Annual Leave Act counts Julafton as a Sunday when deducting vacation days, and virtually every workplace closes — the main Christmas celebration is on the Eve, not the 25th. | December 24, 2026 | Working day |
| Norway | Julaften (allmennfri, not a helligdag)Norway splits the difference: 24 December is "allmennfri" — a day on which everyone is off by common practice — but it is not one of the statutory helligdager, so it never appears in the official holiday count. | December 24, 2026 | Working day |
| Germany | Heiligabend (half-day by custom)A regular working day in law — Germany’s nationwide holidays start on 25 December. In practice shops close early (around 2pm) and offices empty out, so the afternoon is de-facto off. | December 24, 2026 | Working day |
| India | Restricted (optional) holidayWhere Christmas Eve appears in India at all, it sits on the restricted list — days each employee elects individually while the office stays open. Only 25 December is a gazetted closure. | December 24, 2026 | Working day |
| United Kingdom | Regular workday (not a bank holiday)The statutory pair is Christmas Day and Boxing Day, both moved when they land on the weekend. 24 December is a normal working day, though most offices wind down by mid-afternoon. | December 24, 2026 | Working day |
| United States | Regular workday (not a federal holiday)5 U.S.C. 6103 lists Christmas Day, not the Eve. Federal workers occasionally get the 24th released by executive order, but that is a one-off gesture, not a standing holiday. | December 24, 2026 | Working day |
| Japan | Ordinary workdayNeither the 24th nor the 25th is a Japanese holiday — Christmas runs on dates and illuminations, not days off. The December national holidays end earlier in the month, and the current Emperor’s Birthday is in February. | December 24, 2026 | Working day |
| China | Ordinary workdayNo Christmas holiday of any kind on the official calendar; the year simply runs to New Year’s Day on 1 January as the next statutory break. | December 24, 2026 | Working day |
| Hong Kong General holiday only | Ordinary workday (25 & 26 Dec are the holidays)Hong Kong’s Christmas general holidays are the 25th and the 26th, both substituted when they land on a weekend. The 24th is a full working day. | December 24, 2026 | Working day |
| Singapore | Ordinary workday (25 Dec is the holiday)Singapore gazettes Christmas Day alone; the Eve is a normal working day, with the Christmas shopping rush on Orchard Road running regardless. | December 24, 2026 | Working day |
| South Korea | Ordinary workdayOnly Christmas Day (25 December) is on Korea’s statutory list; the Eve passes as an ordinary workday. | December 24, 2026 | Working day |
| Australia | Ordinary workdayNo state gazettes 24 December. Christmas Day and Boxing Day are the national pair, and many workers bridge the Eve with annual leave. | December 24, 2026 | Working day |
| Canada | Ordinary workdayChristmas Day and Boxing Day are the statutory days; federally regulated workplaces close on the 25th, and 24 December is a normal working day everywhere. | December 24, 2026 | Working day |
Christmas Eve 2027
| Country / region | Called | Date | Days off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taiwan | Constitution Day bridge (observed 24 Dec when 25 Dec is a weekend)Christmas Eve is not a Taiwanese holiday. But Constitution Day, 25 December, is on the calendar, and when it lands on a Saturday the observed day moves to Friday 24 December — as in 2027, when offices close on Christmas Eve by accident of the substitute rule. | Dec 24 – 26 | 3days |
| Czech Republic | Christmas Eve (Štědrý den)A full statutory rest day under Act No. 245/2000 Coll. — offices and banks shut nationwide, and Czech retail law keeps shops to limited Christmas Eve hours. | December 24, 2027 | 1days |
| Macau General holiday only | Christmas EveOne of the very few places in Asia where 24 December is a full public holiday — Macau’s official list carries both the Eve and Christmas Day itself. | December 24, 2027 | 1days |
| Philippines | Christmas Eve (Special Non-Working Day)Proclaimed a nationwide Special (Non-Working) Day each year — schools and government close, and private-sector staff follow the no-work-no-pay rule unless the proclamation says otherwise. | December 24, 2027 | 1days |
| Sweden | Julafton (de-facto full day off)Not a red day in law, yet the Annual Leave Act counts Julafton as a Sunday when deducting vacation days, and virtually every workplace closes — the main Christmas celebration is on the Eve, not the 25th. | December 24, 2027 | Working day |
| Norway | Julaften (allmennfri, not a helligdag)Norway splits the difference: 24 December is "allmennfri" — a day on which everyone is off by common practice — but it is not one of the statutory helligdager, so it never appears in the official holiday count. | December 24, 2027 | Working day |
| Germany | Heiligabend (half-day by custom)A regular working day in law — Germany’s nationwide holidays start on 25 December. In practice shops close early (around 2pm) and offices empty out, so the afternoon is de-facto off. | December 24, 2027 | Working day |
| India | Restricted (optional) holidayWhere Christmas Eve appears in India at all, it sits on the restricted list — days each employee elects individually while the office stays open. Only 25 December is a gazetted closure. | December 24, 2027 | Working day |
| United Kingdom | Regular workday (not a bank holiday)The statutory pair is Christmas Day and Boxing Day, both moved when they land on the weekend. 24 December is a normal working day, though most offices wind down by mid-afternoon. | December 24, 2027 | Working day |
| United States | Regular workday (not a federal holiday)5 U.S.C. 6103 lists Christmas Day, not the Eve. Federal workers occasionally get the 24th released by executive order, but that is a one-off gesture, not a standing holiday. | December 24, 2027 | Working day |
| Japan | Ordinary workdayNeither the 24th nor the 25th is a Japanese holiday — Christmas runs on dates and illuminations, not days off. The December national holidays end earlier in the month, and the current Emperor’s Birthday is in February. | December 24, 2027 | Working day |
| China Provisional | Ordinary workdayNo Christmas holiday of any kind on the official calendar; the year simply runs to New Year’s Day on 1 January as the next statutory break. | December 24, 2027 | Working day |
| Hong Kong General holiday only | Ordinary workday (25 & 26 Dec are the holidays)Hong Kong’s Christmas general holidays are the 25th and the 26th, both substituted when they land on a weekend. The 24th is a full working day. | December 24, 2027 | Working day |
| Singapore | Ordinary workday (25 Dec is the holiday)Singapore gazettes Christmas Day alone; the Eve is a normal working day, with the Christmas shopping rush on Orchard Road running regardless. | December 24, 2027 | Working day |
| South Korea | Ordinary workdayOnly Christmas Day (25 December) is on Korea’s statutory list; the Eve passes as an ordinary workday. | December 24, 2027 | Working day |
| Australia | Ordinary workdayNo state gazettes 24 December. Christmas Day and Boxing Day are the national pair, and many workers bridge the Eve with annual leave. | December 24, 2027 | Working day |
| Canada | Ordinary workdayChristmas Day and Boxing Day are the statutory days; federally regulated workplaces close on the 25th, and 24 December is a normal working day everywhere. | December 24, 2027 | Working day |
Rows marked provisional show only the dates already fixed. Where a government sets the length of the break by annual decree — mainland China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Indonesia — the full arrangement has not been published for that year yet, so treat those day counts as a floor and any blank as "not announced", not as a working day.
Christmas Eve 2028
| Country / region | Called | Date | Days off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taiwan Provisional | Constitution Day bridge (observed 24 Dec when 25 Dec is a weekend)Christmas Eve is not a Taiwanese holiday. But Constitution Day, 25 December, is on the calendar, and when it lands on a Saturday the observed day moves to Friday 24 December — as in 2027, when offices close on Christmas Eve by accident of the substitute rule. | Dec 23 – 25 | 3days |
| Czech Republic | Christmas Eve (Štědrý den)A full statutory rest day under Act No. 245/2000 Coll. — offices and banks shut nationwide, and Czech retail law keeps shops to limited Christmas Eve hours. | December 24, 2028 | 1days |
| Macau ProvisionalGeneral holiday only | Christmas EveOne of the very few places in Asia where 24 December is a full public holiday — Macau’s official list carries both the Eve and Christmas Day itself. | December 24, 2028 | 1days |
| Philippines Provisional | Christmas Eve (Special Non-Working Day)Proclaimed a nationwide Special (Non-Working) Day each year — schools and government close, and private-sector staff follow the no-work-no-pay rule unless the proclamation says otherwise. | December 24, 2028 | 1days |
| Sweden | Julafton (de-facto full day off)Not a red day in law, yet the Annual Leave Act counts Julafton as a Sunday when deducting vacation days, and virtually every workplace closes — the main Christmas celebration is on the Eve, not the 25th. | December 24, 2028 | Working day |
| Norway | Julaften (allmennfri, not a helligdag)Norway splits the difference: 24 December is "allmennfri" — a day on which everyone is off by common practice — but it is not one of the statutory helligdager, so it never appears in the official holiday count. | December 24, 2028 | Working day |
| Germany | Heiligabend (half-day by custom)A regular working day in law — Germany’s nationwide holidays start on 25 December. In practice shops close early (around 2pm) and offices empty out, so the afternoon is de-facto off. | December 24, 2028 | Working day |
| India Provisional | Restricted (optional) holidayWhere Christmas Eve appears in India at all, it sits on the restricted list — days each employee elects individually while the office stays open. Only 25 December is a gazetted closure. | December 24, 2028 | Working day |
| United Kingdom | Regular workday (not a bank holiday)The statutory pair is Christmas Day and Boxing Day, both moved when they land on the weekend. 24 December is a normal working day, though most offices wind down by mid-afternoon. | December 24, 2028 | Working day |
| United States | Regular workday (not a federal holiday)5 U.S.C. 6103 lists Christmas Day, not the Eve. Federal workers occasionally get the 24th released by executive order, but that is a one-off gesture, not a standing holiday. | December 24, 2028 | Working day |
| Japan | Ordinary workdayNeither the 24th nor the 25th is a Japanese holiday — Christmas runs on dates and illuminations, not days off. The December national holidays end earlier in the month, and the current Emperor’s Birthday is in February. | December 24, 2028 | Working day |
| China Provisional | Ordinary workdayNo Christmas holiday of any kind on the official calendar; the year simply runs to New Year’s Day on 1 January as the next statutory break. | December 24, 2028 | Working day |
| Hong Kong ProvisionalGeneral holiday only | Ordinary workday (25 & 26 Dec are the holidays)Hong Kong’s Christmas general holidays are the 25th and the 26th, both substituted when they land on a weekend. The 24th is a full working day. | December 24, 2028 | Working day |
| Singapore Provisional | Ordinary workday (25 Dec is the holiday)Singapore gazettes Christmas Day alone; the Eve is a normal working day, with the Christmas shopping rush on Orchard Road running regardless. | December 24, 2028 | Working day |
| South Korea Provisional | Ordinary workdayOnly Christmas Day (25 December) is on Korea’s statutory list; the Eve passes as an ordinary workday. | December 24, 2028 | Working day |
| Australia Provisional | Ordinary workdayNo state gazettes 24 December. Christmas Day and Boxing Day are the national pair, and many workers bridge the Eve with annual leave. | December 24, 2028 | Working day |
| Canada | Ordinary workdayChristmas Day and Boxing Day are the statutory days; federally regulated workplaces close on the 25th, and 24 December is a normal working day everywhere. | December 24, 2028 | Working day |
Rows marked provisional show only the dates already fixed. Where a government sets the length of the break by annual decree — mainland China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Indonesia — the full arrangement has not been published for that year yet, so treat those day counts as a floor and any blank as "not announced", not as a working day.
Where the Eve outranks the Day
In the Czech Republic, Sweden and Norway the main celebration is on the 24th — dinner, presents and church all happen on the Eve — which is why Czech law made it a full statutory rest day and the two Nordics emptied their workplaces by custom. In the Germanic and English-speaking world the pattern inverts: the Eve is preparation, the 25th is the holiday. The Philippines, with the world’s longest Christmas season, takes the middle path and proclaims the 24th a special non-working day every year.
The Taiwan accident: a day off named after a constitution
Taiwan does not celebrate Christmas as a holiday, but 25 December is Constitution Day on its calendar. When Constitution Day falls on a Saturday — 2027 — the observed day moves to Friday 24 December, and the whole island gets Christmas Eve off for reasons that have nothing to do with Christmas. It is the only row in the table below whose days off exist because of a constitution rather than a crèche.
Christmas Eve and the market half-days
Even where the 24th is a working day, it rarely trades like one. London and Singapore both close at 12:30, Hong Kong at 12:00, New York at 13:00 and Euronext at 14:05 — half-day sessions printed in the exchanges’ own calendars. Our stock-market holiday pages pin the exact early-close times year by year if you are scheduling year-end trades.
Go deeper
Frequently asked questions
Is Christmas Eve a public holiday anywhere?
Yes. The Czech Republic (Štědrý den) and Macau gazette 24 December as a full statutory holiday, and the Philippines proclaims it a nationwide special non-working day every year. Sweden and Norway effectively shut down by custom, and Germany treats the afternoon as de-facto off.
Is Christmas Eve a bank holiday in the UK?
No. The UK’s statutory Christmas holidays are Christmas Day and Boxing Day, both substituted onto a weekday when they fall on a weekend. The 24th is a normal working day, though the London Stock Exchange closes early at 12:30.
Is Christmas Eve a federal holiday in the US?
No — the federal list in 5 U.S.C. 6103 carries Christmas Day only. Presidents have occasionally released federal workers on the 24th by executive order, but that is a one-off gesture, and NYSE merely runs a shortened session closing at 13:00.
Does Japan get Christmas Eve off?
No. Neither the 24th nor the 25th is a Japanese national holiday — Christmas in Japan is dates, fried chicken and illuminations, not a day off. The nearest December closures are the Emperor’s Birthday era holidays from before 2019, which ended when the reign changed.
Why does Taiwan have Christmas Eve off in 2027?
By coincidence of the substitute rule. Constitution Day, 25 December, is on Taiwan’s calendar, and in 2027 it falls on a Saturday — so the observed day moves to Friday 24 December. The whole island gets Christmas Eve off for constitutional rather than religious reasons, and in 2026 and 2028 it does not.
Do stock markets close on Christmas Eve?
They shorten rather than close: London and Singapore stop at 12:30, Hong Kong at 12:00, New York at 13:00 and Euronext at 14:05. The full closure comes on Christmas Day itself.