Panama 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.

Martyrs' Day

Varies by country.

Honours those killed in a country's struggle for independence or in a defining national tragedy.

Carnival / Shrove Monday

The Monday before Ash Wednesday.

The Monday of Carnival week, known as Shrove Monday in the English-speaking world and Rosenmontag in Germany.

Carnival / Shrove Tuesday / Pancake Day

The Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.

The last day before Lent — Mardi Gras in France and Louisiana, Pancake Day in Britain and Ireland, the closing day of Carnival almost everywhere it is celebrated.

Carnival / Ash Wednesday

46 days before Easter Sunday.

The day Carnival ends and Lent begins. Where it appears as a holiday it is usually a half day, covering the morning after the final night of Carnival.

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.

Labor Day

1 May in most countries; the first Monday of September in the United States and Canada.

The workers' holiday. Almost everywhere it falls on 1 May; in the United States and Canada it was deliberately placed in September to avoid the associations of May Day.

Independence Day

The anniversary of the country's independence — a different date in every country.

The national day of a country that gained independence from another state, and typically its most important secular holiday. Over a hundred countries observe one, on dates ranging across the whole calendar.

Mother's Day

The second Sunday of May in most countries, but the date varies widely.

Honours mothers. Falling on a Sunday in most countries it is an observance rather than a day off — the exceptions are places like Guatemala, where working mothers get the day off.

Christmas Eve

24 December.

The evening of 24 December is the main celebration in the Nordics, Germany, Poland and much of Central Europe, where gifts are exchanged that night rather than on Christmas morning. Often a half day or a de facto day off rather than a statutory holiday.

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.

New Year's Eve

31 December.

The last day of the year. A full public holiday in a minority of countries; far more often a half day, a de facto early finish, or simply a marked date on which people still work.