Botswana 2025 Public Holidays

New Year's Day

1 January. In many countries the day off moves to the following Monday when it falls on a weekend.

The first day of the Gregorian calendar year, and the most widely observed public holiday in the world — a day off in almost every country that uses the Gregorian calendar, regardless of religion. Several countries extend the break to 2 January, and some in East Asia keep both the Gregorian and a separate lunar new year.

New Year Holiday

The days immediately after 1 January, where the break runs longer than one day.

An additional day off attached to New Year's Day. Countries that treat the turn of the year as a multi-day break — much of Eastern Europe, Japan, and parts of Asia — grant these beyond 1 January.

Good Friday

The Friday before Easter Sunday.

Commemorates the crucifixion, and is the most widely observed Christian public holiday after Christmas. Together with Easter Monday it produces a four-day weekend in much of Europe, the Commonwealth and Latin America. In several countries it also carries trading or entertainment restrictions beyond the day off itself.

Holy Saturday

The Saturday before Easter Sunday.

The day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Falling on a Saturday, it is a formal public holiday in only a handful of countries and an observance in most.

Easter Monday

The Monday after Easter Sunday.

A public holiday across most of Europe, the Commonwealth and Latin America, extending the Easter weekend to four days. Notably not a holiday in the United States, Portugal or Spain outside Catalonia and the Balearics.

Labour Day

1 May in most countries.

International Workers' Day, commemorating the 1886 Haymarket affair in Chicago, and a public holiday in most of the world. The United States and Canada are the notable exceptions, holding their Labor Day in September instead.

Ascension Day

The Thursday 39 days after Easter Sunday.

Marks the ascension of Christ, forty days after Easter. Always a Thursday, which makes it a popular bridge day — in France, Germany, the Nordics and the Benelux many people take the Friday off to reach a four-day weekend.

President's Day

The third Monday of February in the United States.

Officially Washington's Birthday, though most states treat it as honouring all presidents. Moved to a fixed Monday in 1971 to create a long weekend.

Christmas Day

25 December. The day off moves to the following weekday when it falls on a weekend.

The most widely observed public holiday after New Year's Day, a day off in the great majority of countries including many with no Christian majority, where it functions as a secular end-of-year holiday. Orthodox churches following the Julian calendar keep it on 7 January instead.

Boxing Day

26 December, moving to the next weekday when it falls on a weekend.

The second day of Christmas, a public holiday across the Commonwealth and much of Europe. Known as St Stephen's Day in Ireland, Italy and Central Europe, and as the Second Day of Christmas in the Nordics and the Netherlands.