Wellington, New Zealand 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.

Day After New Year's Day

2 January.

A second public holiday on 2 January, observed in Scotland, New Zealand, Switzerland, Russia and a number of other countries where the New Year break is treated as longer than a single day.

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 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.

King's Birthday

Varies by country, and often not the monarch's actual birthday.

Honours the reigning monarch. Australia and New Zealand place it in June regardless of the actual date, to guarantee a long weekend in reliable weather.

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.

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.

Day off for Christmas Day

The next available weekday when 25 December falls on a weekend.

A substitute day off. Most countries that guarantee a fixed number of public holidays move the day off to the following weekday when the holiday itself lands on a weekend — the substitute day is a genuine day off, not a formality.

Day off for Boxing Day

The next available weekday when 26 December falls on a weekend.

The substitute day for Boxing Day. When Christmas and Boxing Day both fall on a weekend the substitutes land on the Monday and Tuesday that follow.