Public holidays
New Zealand: 13 public holiday dates in 2026 (13 days off) and 16 in 2027 (16 days off), with 250 working days in 2026 and 250 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 |
| Friday 2 January 2026 | 2026-W01 | Day after New Year's Day | Yes |
| Friday 6 February 2026 | 2026-W06 | Waitangi Day | Yes |
| Friday 3 April 2026 | 2026-W14 | Good Friday | Yes |
| Monday 6 April 2026 | 2026-W15 | Easter Monday | Yes |
| Saturday 25 April 2026 | 2026-W17 | Anzac Day | Yes |
| Monday 27 April 2026 | 2026-W18 | Anzac Day | Yes |
| Monday 1 June 2026 | 2026-W23 | King's Birthday | Yes |
| Friday 10 July 2026 | 2026-W28 | Matariki | Yes |
| Monday 26 October 2026 | 2026-W44 | Labour Day | Yes |
| Friday 25 December 2026 | 2026-W52 | Christmas Day | Yes |
| Saturday 26 December 2026 | 2026-W52 | Boxing Day | Yes |
| Monday 28 December 2026 | 2026-W53 | Boxing Day | Yes |
| Date | ISO week | Holiday | Day off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 1 January 2027 | 2026-W53 | New Year's Day | Yes |
| Saturday 2 January 2027 | 2026-W53 | Day after New Year's Day | Yes |
| Monday 4 January 2027 | 2027-W01 | Day after New Year's Day | Yes |
| Saturday 6 February 2027 | 2027-W05 | Waitangi Day | Yes |
| Monday 8 February 2027 | 2027-W06 | Waitangi Day | Yes |
| Friday 26 March 2027 | 2027-W12 | Good Friday | Yes |
| Monday 29 March 2027 | 2027-W13 | Easter Monday | Yes |
| Sunday 25 April 2027 | 2027-W16 | Anzac Day | Yes |
| Monday 26 April 2027 | 2027-W17 | Anzac Day | Yes |
| Monday 7 June 2027 | 2027-W23 | King's Birthday | Yes |
| Friday 25 June 2027 | 2027-W25 | Matariki | Yes |
| Monday 25 October 2027 | 2027-W43 | Labour Day | Yes |
| Saturday 25 December 2027 | 2027-W51 | Christmas Day | Yes |
| Sunday 26 December 2027 | 2027-W51 | Boxing Day | Yes |
| Monday 27 December 2027 | 2027-W52 | Christmas Day | Yes |
| Tuesday 28 December 2027 | 2027-W52 | Boxing Day | Yes |
| Holiday | 2026 | 2027 | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matariki | Friday 10 July 2026 | Friday 25 June 2027 | −15 days, changes month |
| 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 |
| King's Birthday | Monday 1 June 2026 | Monday 7 June 2027 | +6 days |
| Labour Day | Monday 26 October 2026 | Monday 25 October 2027 | −1 day |
A shift ignores the year: +19 days means 19 days later in the calendar.
| Month | 2026 | 2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 20 | 19 | −1 |
| February | 19 | 19 | 0 |
| March | 22 | 21 | −1 |
| April | 19 | 21 | +2 |
| May | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| June | 21 | 20 | −1 |
| July | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| August | 21 | 22 | +1 |
| September | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| October | 21 | 20 | −1 |
| November | 21 | 22 | +1 |
| December | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| Q1 | 61 | 59 | −2 |
| Q2 | 61 | 62 | +1 |
| Q3 | 65 | 66 | +1 |
| Q4 | 63 | 63 | 0 |
| Year | 250 | 250 | 0 |
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.
The second day of the new year, 2 January, is a public holiday in New Zealand, which makes the New Year break two days long. When it falls on a weekend, the day off is moved to a weekday.
At work: A day off. Colleagues in New Zealand will be away.
New Zealand's national day, on 6 February, marks the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, an agreement between the Crown and Māori chiefs that is regarded as the nation's founding document. It became a public holiday in 1974. Events include ceremonies at Waitangi, hui (gatherings), citizenship ceremonies and reflection on New Zealand history, and the commemoration has also been a focus of protest.
At work: Fine to mention. If 6 February falls on a weekend, the public holiday is observed on the following Monday. Keep greetings simple.
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.
A national day of remembrance on 25 April for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) soldiers who fought at Gallipoli in 1915, and for all New Zealanders who served and died in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping. It is solemn, so a greeting like 'Happy Anzac Day' does not fit.
At work: A public holiday in New Zealand. When 25 April falls on a weekend the day off may be taken on the Monday, so check the card.
The official birthday of the King, a holiday in places where King Charles III is head of state. It is celebrated on a chosen official day, usually around late May or June, not on his actual birthday of 14 November. The Falkland Islands keep 14 November itself. Most such places release a Birthday Honours list at this time.
At work: Fine to mention. A day off, often a Monday, so a long weekend. The date differs by place, so check the calendar.
Matariki is the Pleiades star cluster, and the celebration of its first rising in late June or early July marks the start of the new year in the Māori lunar calendar. Traditionally it was a time to look at the stars for the year to come, to remember those who died in the past year and to share food. It was first a public holiday in New Zealand in 2022.
At work: Very welcome to mention. A public holiday on a Friday, so a long weekend; its date moves each year, so check the card.
New Zealand's Labour Day, on the fourth Monday of October, traces back to the eight-hour working day movement that started in the Wellington colony in 1840, led by the carpenter Samuel Duncan Parnell. The first Labour Day was held on 28 October 1890.
At work: A Monday off, so a long weekend.
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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