Public holidays
Suriname: 15 public holiday dates in 2026 (15 days off) and 15 in 2027 (15 days off), with 250 working days in 2026 and 252 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 |
| Tuesday 17 February 2026 | 2026-W08 | Chinese New Year | Yes |
| Tuesday 3 March 2026 | 2026-W10 | Holi | Yes |
| Friday 20 March 2026 | 2026-W12 | Eid al-Fitr | Yes |
| Friday 3 April 2026 | 2026-W14 | Good Friday | Yes |
| Monday 6 April 2026 | 2026-W15 | Easter Monday | Yes |
| Friday 1 May 2026 | 2026-W18 | Labor Day | Yes |
| Wednesday 27 May 2026 | 2026-W22 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Wednesday 1 July 2026 | 2026-W27 | Day of Freedoms | Yes |
| Sunday 9 August 2026 | 2026-W32 | Indigenous People Day | Yes |
| Saturday 10 October 2026 | 2026-W41 | Day of the Maroons | Yes |
| Sunday 8 November 2026 | 2026-W45 | Diwali | Yes |
| Wednesday 25 November 2026 | 2026-W48 | Independence 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 |
| Saturday 6 February 2027 | 2027-W05 | Chinese New Year | Yes |
| Tuesday 9 March 2027 | 2027-W10 | Eid al-Fitr | Yes |
| Monday 22 March 2027 | 2027-W12 | Holi | Yes |
| Friday 26 March 2027 | 2027-W12 | Good Friday | Yes |
| Monday 29 March 2027 | 2027-W13 | Easter Monday | Yes |
| Saturday 1 May 2027 | 2027-W17 | Labor Day | Yes |
| Sunday 16 May 2027 | 2027-W19 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Thursday 1 July 2027 | 2027-W26 | Day of Freedoms | Yes |
| Monday 9 August 2027 | 2027-W32 | Indigenous People Day | Yes |
| Sunday 10 October 2027 | 2027-W40 | Day of the Maroons | Yes |
| Thursday 28 October 2027 | 2027-W43 | Diwali | Yes |
| Thursday 25 November 2027 | 2027-W47 | Independence 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holi | Tuesday 3 March 2026 | Monday 22 March 2027 | +19 days |
| Chinese New Year | Tuesday 17 February 2026 | Saturday 6 February 2027 | −11 days |
| Eid al-Fitr | Friday 20 March 2026 | Tuesday 9 March 2027 | −11 days |
| Eid al-Adha | Wednesday 27 May 2026 | Sunday 16 May 2027 | −11 days |
| Diwali | Sunday 8 November 2026 | Thursday 28 October 2027 | −11 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 |
A shift ignores the year: +19 days means 19 days later in the calendar.
| Month | 2026 | 2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 21 | 20 | −1 |
| February | 19 | 20 | +1 |
| March | 20 | 19 | −1 |
| April | 20 | 22 | +2 |
| May | 19 | 21 | +2 |
| June | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| July | 22 | 21 | −1 |
| August | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| September | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| October | 22 | 20 | −2 |
| November | 20 | 21 | +1 |
| December | 22 | 23 | +1 |
| Q1 | 60 | 59 | −1 |
| Q2 | 61 | 65 | +4 |
| Q3 | 65 | 64 | −1 |
| Q4 | 64 | 64 | 0 |
| Year | 250 | 252 | +2 |
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 start of the year in the traditional lunisolar calendar, also called the Spring Festival, celebrated by Chinese communities around the world. Customs include red envelopes, firecrackers, lion and dragon dances and red lanterns. Korea celebrates its own lunar New Year as Seollal and Vietnam as Tết.
At work: Very welcome to mention. It is one of the most important holidays in Chinese culture, so plan deadlines and shipments around it.
Holi is a major Hindu festival of colours, love and spring. It celebrates the love between Radha and Krishna and the triumph of good over evil, and marks the arrival of spring. In the Caribbean, in Guyana, Suriname and elsewhere, it is known as Phagwah.
At work: Very welcome to mention, and a cheerful one.
Eid al-Fitr, the "festival of breaking the fast", is the first of the two main festivals in Islam. It falls on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar, and marks the end of the month-long, dawn-to-dusk fasting of Ramadan. It begins with a communal prayer and is followed by visits to relatives, giving gifts and sharing meals.
At work: Very welcome to mention. Its date follows the lunar calendar and shifts every year, so keep plans flexible. During Ramadan itself, colleagues who fast may prefer meetings earlier in the day and not over lunch.
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.
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.
Eid al-Adha, the "festival of the sacrifice", is the second of the two main festivals in Islam. It falls on the 10th of Dhu al-Hijja, the last month of the Islamic calendar. It honours the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son at God's command. The Eid prayer is held in the morning, followed by the ritual sacrifice of a livestock animal, and celebrations carry on for the three following days.
At work: Very welcome to mention. As with Eid al-Fitr, the date follows the lunar calendar, so keep plans flexible.
1 July is Ketikoti ("the chain is cut"), officially Dag der Vrijheden (Day of the Freedoms), an annual celebration that marks Emancipation Day in Suriname.
At work: Very welcome to mention with respect. A day off.
9 August is Indigenous People Day, a public holiday in Suriname, a country whose first inhabitants included the Lokono, Kalina and Wayana.
At work: Welcome to mention. A day off.
10 October is the date in 1760 on which the Ndyuka Maroons, runaway enslaved people who established a culture in the interior, were the first to sign a peace treaty with the Dutch colonists, which offered them territorial autonomy.
At work: Welcome to mention with respect. A day off.
Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights, with variations celebrated by Jains and Sikhs. It symbolises the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. Celebrants light their homes, temples and workplaces with oil lamps, candles and lanterns, and the festival is marked with fireworks. It is connected to Rama's return to his kingdom after defeating the demon king Ravana, and to Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity.
At work: Very welcome to mention, especially among Hindus. The celebrations generally last five or six days, so some colleagues may be away.
Marks 25 November 1975, when Suriname became independent from the Netherlands.
At work: Very welcome to mention. A day off.
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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