Saarland, Germany 2027 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.

International Women's Day

8 March.

Marks the struggle for women's rights, with roots in the labour movement of the early 1900s. A full public holiday across the post-Soviet states; a half day for women only in China; and an observance in most of the rest of the world.

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.

Easter Sunday

The first Sunday after the first full moon on or after 21 March, so the date moves between 22 March and 25 April.

The central feast of the Christian year, commemorating the resurrection. Because it always falls on a Sunday, the day off it generates is usually Good Friday or Easter Monday rather than the day itself. Its movable date sets the timing of Carnival, Ascension and Pentecost.

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.

May Day

1 May, or in some countries the first Monday of May.

1 May, combining an older spring festival with International Workers' Day. The United Kingdom and Ireland move the day off to the first Monday of the month.

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.

Whit Sunday

The Sunday 49 days after Easter Sunday.

The English name for Pentecost. As a Sunday it is an observance in most countries, with the associated public holiday falling on Whit Monday.

Whit Monday

The Monday 50 days after Easter Sunday.

The day after Pentecost, and a public holiday in much of continental Europe and francophone Africa. France treats it as a solidarity day on which the holiday status depends on the employer.

Corpus Christi

The Thursday 60 days after Easter Sunday.

A Catholic feast honouring the Eucharist, marked by processions. A public holiday in Brazil, Poland, Portugal, Austria, much of Latin America and several German and Swiss regions — one of the clearest cases where a holiday is regional rather than national.

Assumption of Mary

15 August.

A Catholic and Orthodox feast marking the assumption of the Virgin Mary. A public holiday across southern and Central Europe, Latin America and francophone Africa, and the peak of the summer holiday season in France and Italy.

All Saints' Day

1 November.

Honours all saints, and in much of Catholic Europe and Latin America is the day families visit and tend graves. A public holiday in France, Spain, Italy, Poland, Portugal, the Philippines and many francophone African countries.

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.

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.

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.