Public holidays
Aruba: 11 public holiday dates in 2026 (11 days off) and 11 in 2027 (11 days off), with 252 working days in 2026 and 253 in 2027. National holidays only: regional ones are not included.
| Date | ISO week | Holiday | Day off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday 1 January 2026 | 2026-W01 | New Year's Day | Yes |
| Sunday 25 January 2026 | 2026-W04 | Betico Day | Yes |
| Monday 16 February 2026 | 2026-W08 | Monday before Ash Wednesday | Yes |
| Wednesday 18 March 2026 | 2026-W12 | National Anthem and Flag Day | Yes |
| Friday 3 April 2026 | 2026-W14 | Good Friday | Yes |
| Monday 6 April 2026 | 2026-W15 | Easter Monday | Yes |
| Monday 27 April 2026 | 2026-W18 | King's Day | Yes |
| Friday 1 May 2026 | 2026-W18 | Labor Day | Yes |
| Thursday 14 May 2026 | 2026-W20 | Ascension Day | Yes |
| Friday 25 December 2026 | 2026-W52 | Christmas Day | Yes |
| Saturday 26 December 2026 | 2026-W52 | Second Day of Christmas | Yes |
| Date | ISO week | Holiday | Day off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 1 January 2027 | 2026-W53 | New Year's Day | Yes |
| Monday 25 January 2027 | 2027-W04 | Betico Day | Yes |
| Monday 8 February 2027 | 2027-W06 | Monday before Ash Wednesday | Yes |
| Thursday 18 March 2027 | 2027-W11 | National Anthem and Flag Day | Yes |
| Friday 26 March 2027 | 2027-W12 | Good Friday | Yes |
| Monday 29 March 2027 | 2027-W13 | Easter Monday | Yes |
| Tuesday 27 April 2027 | 2027-W17 | King's Day | Yes |
| Saturday 1 May 2027 | 2027-W17 | Labor Day | Yes |
| Thursday 6 May 2027 | 2027-W18 | Ascension Day | Yes |
| Saturday 25 December 2027 | 2027-W51 | Christmas Day | Yes |
| Sunday 26 December 2027 | 2027-W51 | Second Day of Christmas | Yes |
| Holiday | 2026 | 2027 | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday before Ash Wednesday | Monday 16 February 2026 | Monday 8 February 2027 | −8 days |
| Good Friday | Friday 3 April 2026 | Friday 26 March 2027 | −8 days, changes month |
| Easter Monday | Monday 6 April 2026 | Monday 29 March 2027 | −8 days, changes month |
| Ascension Day | Thursday 14 May 2026 | Thursday 6 May 2027 | −8 days |
A shift ignores the year: +19 days means 19 days later in the calendar.
| Month | 2026 | 2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 21 | 19 | −2 |
| February | 19 | 19 | 0 |
| March | 21 | 20 | −1 |
| April | 19 | 21 | +2 |
| May | 19 | 20 | +1 |
| June | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| July | 23 | 22 | −1 |
| August | 21 | 22 | +1 |
| September | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| October | 22 | 21 | −1 |
| November | 21 | 22 | +1 |
| December | 22 | 23 | +1 |
| Q1 | 61 | 58 | −3 |
| Q2 | 60 | 63 | +3 |
| Q3 | 66 | 66 | 0 |
| Q4 | 65 | 66 | +1 |
| Year | 252 | 253 | +1 |
Weekdays by the local weekend (Sunday and Saturday), minus the public holidays most people have off.
The first day of the calendar year in the Gregorian calendar, 1 January. Cultures and religions that follow a lunisolar or lunar calendar celebrate their New Year at other points of the year. Japan celebrates New Year on 1 January, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, instead of with the Chinese calendar that was in use until 1873.
At work: Fine to mention, and a natural moment to wish colleagues well.
25 January is the birthday of Gilberto François "Betico" Croes, the Aruban political leader called the Father of the Aruban People and Libertador. He helped Aruba win its Status Aparte, autonomy from the Netherlands Antilles.
At work: Very welcome to mention. A day off.
Carnival Monday is the Monday after the weekend of the grand Carnival parades, and it is an official day of rest so that everyone can recover from the parades and festivities of the previous weeks.
At work: Welcome to mention. Expect a quiet, tired country and closed offices.
18 March marks the adoption in 1976 of Aruba's flag and of its anthem "Aruba Dushi Tera". The celebration commemorates the Kingdom of the Netherlands giving Aruba an autonomous status (Status Aparte).
At work: Very welcome to mention. A day off.
A solemn Christian holy day commemorating the crucifixion and death of Jesus, observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum. It falls on the Friday immediately before Easter Sunday.
At work: Fine to mention the long weekend. It is a sombre day for those who observe it, so avoid "Happy Good Friday". Its date moves every year with Easter, so check the calendar when planning spring deadlines.
Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus and is the most important feast of the Christian year. Families go to church and share a festive meal, and in many places Easter eggs are decorated and broken together as a symbol of the empty tomb. Easter is a moveable feast, with its date set by a lunisolar calendar. Easter Monday, the day after, is a public holiday in more than 50 predominantly Christian countries.
At work: Widely welcome to mention. Colleagues may be away for the whole long weekend.
Koningsdag, 27 April (or the 26th if that is a Sunday), marks the birthday of King Willem-Alexander. The country turns orange: it is known for its nationwide vrijmarkt, a free market where people sell used items, and for "oranjegekte", orange-craziness.
At work: Very welcome to mention. A day off.
International Workers' Day, on 1 May, honours workers and the labour movement. The date was chosen to commemorate the 1886 general strike in the United States that culminated in the Haymarket affair, and the day was adopted in support of a "great international demonstration" for the eight-hour day.
At work: Fine to mention the day off. In some countries it has a political side, so keep it about the break.
Ascension Day is a Christian feast commemorating Jesus's ascension into heaven. It is held 39 days after Easter Sunday, which is the 40th day of Easter, so it always falls on a Thursday.
At work: Where it is a holiday, everyone is off on Thursday.
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on 25 December. Eastern Christian Churches that follow the older Julian calendar celebrate it on 25 December of that calendar, which currently corresponds to 7 January. It is a public holiday in many countries, and many non-Christians celebrate it culturally too.
At work: Widely welcome to mention. Plan important meetings before the break. If you're unsure whether someone celebrates it, "Happy holidays" is a safe choice.
Boxing Day is celebrated on 26 December, the day after Christmas. It was once a day to donate gifts to those in need and has become part of the Christmas festivities. It originated in the United Kingdom and is celebrated in several Commonwealth nations. It is usually concurrent with Saint Stephen's Day, which in parts of Europe is the second day of Christmas.
At work: Fine to mention. It is part of the Christmas break.
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