Major US and Canadian Holidays and Dates

January 1 * C New Year’s Day. Observed Friday or Monday if it falls on a weekend. New Year’s traditionally brought in with a celebration at midnight; New York Times’ Square revelry televised and broadcast at the appropriate time, offset for the various time zones.
January 15 + Martin Luther King, Jr.’s, Birthday. Observed the third Monday in January. This day was signed into law in 1986 by President Reagan, after almost two decades of pressures. The greatness of the tribute can be measured in that the only other nationally observed individual’s birthday is George Washington’s. In other countries this is also rare: (apart from Christ, Buddha, and Muhammad), Simón Bolívar (July 24) in Ecuador and Venezuela, Mahatma Gandhi (October 2) in India, Benito Pablo Juárez (March 21) in Mexico, and Quaid-i-Azam (December 25) in Pakistan.
January 19 L Robert E. Lee’s Birthday. Observed on the third Monday in January in some Southern States.
January 20 Inauguration Day.
February 2 Groundhog Day.
February 12 L Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday. Observed on the first Monday in February in some states.
February 14 Valentine’s Day.
February 22 + George Washington’s Birthday. Observed as President’s Day on the third Monday in February.
March 17 St. Patrick’s Day.
March 21 Spring begins around March 21.
March/April ~ [Canada only] Good Friday
March/April ~ Easter Sunday.
March/April ~ [Canada only] Easter Monday.
April 1 April Fools Day.
April Daylight Savings. First Sunday in April: 1 a.m. is 2 a.m. - ‘Spring forward’ (not in Arizona, Hawaii, parts of southern Indiana).
April 13 Jefferson Day. His birthday observed in some Southern States, particularly Alabama.
April 14 Pan American Day.
April 15 Federal Income Taxes due (16th if 15th is a Sunday).
April 22 Earth Day.
May 1 May Day.
May 5 Cinco de Mayo. Holiday informally celebrated in many parts of the US. See Cinco de Mayo.
May Mother’s Day. Second Sunday in May.
May + Armed Forces Day. Third Saturday in May.
May [Canada only] Victoria Day. Last Monday before May 25th.
May 30 * Memorial Day. Observed the last Monday in May. Created in 1948 as a "prayer for peace" day.
June 3 L Jefferson Davis’s Birthday. First Monday in June. Observed in many Southern States.
June 14 Flag Day.
June Father’s Day. Third Sunday in June.
June 21 Summer begins.
July 1 [Canada only] Canada Day.
July 4 * Independence Day. Observed Friday or Monday if it falls on a weekend, although all celebrations (fireworks, etc.) occur on the 4th.
August/September Burning Man, the week prior to Labor Day. The Man burns the Saturday night before Labor Day.
September + C Labor Day. Observed first Monday in September.
September 17 Citizenship Day.
September 21 Autumn begins around September 22.
September Native American Day. Forth Friday in September.
October 12 * Columbus Day. Observed second Monday in October.
October [Canada only] Thanksgiving Day. Second Monday in October.
October 24 United Nations Day.
October Daylight savings last Sunday in October: 2 a.m. is 1 a.m. - ‘Fall Back’ (not in Arizona, Hawaii, parts of southern Indiana).
October 31 Halloween.
November L Election Day, Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
November 11 * Veteran’s Day. Observed Monday or Friday if it falls on a weekend. Created as Armistice Day in 1926 to honor those who died in World War I. [C Remembrance Day in Canada.]
November * Thanksgiving. Observed on the fourth Thursday in November. (First Monday in October in Canada)
November Saturday after Thanksgiving – busiest shopping day of the year.
December 21 Winter begins.
December 25 * C Christmas Day. Observed Monday or Friday if it falls on a weekend.
December 26 [Canada only ] Boxing Day.

* Officially designated national holidays.
+ Usually observed by federal workers.
~ Moveable days in reference to Easter.
C Major holiday in Canada as well as the US.
L Legal holiday for the mentioned region; the national and federal holidays are all legal nationally.

Last updated 11 April 2003 © Jeremy Smith 2003

Main UK Public and Bank Holidays and Dates

January 1 †(since 1974) New Year's Day. Observed following Monday if it falls on a weekend.
January 2 [Scotland only] Bank Holiday.
January 13 Hilary festival.
January Bank Holiday.
February 1 Imbolc (Celtic festival, goddess Brigit).
March 1 St. David (Wales), (Mad March Hare Day).
March ~ Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday)
March/April ~ * Good Friday.
March/April Easter.
March/April ~ + Easter Monday [not Scotland].
March 17 [Northern Ireland only] St. Patrick's Day.
March Simnel Sunday
March 25 ¼ Lady Day (Feast of the Annunciation).
March ~ Mothering Sunday [Mother's Day]. Fourth Sunday in Lent.
April 23 St. George (England).
May 1 May Day [not Scotland]. Beltane (Celtic festival, ‘bright fire’, beginning of the light half of the year).
May †(since 1978) May Day Bank Holiday, observed first Monday in May.
May 9 [Channel Islands only] Liberation Day
May ~ Whitsuntide (Whit Sunday and Whit Monday). Seventh Sunday after Easter.
May + Spring Bank Holiday, also known as Whitsun Holiday (last Monday in May, early May in Scotland).
May [Scotland only] May bank holiday (late May).
May Commonwealth Day (formally called Empire Day).
June 21 ¼ Midsummer's Day
July Orangemans' Day - Northern Ireland only (second Monday in July).
July 12 [Northern Ireland only] Anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne.
July 15 St. Swithin's Day.
August 1 Lammas [Lughnasadh](Celtic festival, harvest, god Lugh).
August + Late Summer Bank Holiday (last Monday in August, early August in Scotland).
September 29 ¼ Michaelmas Day (Feast of St. Michael)
November 1 All Saint's Day. Samhain (Celtic festival, beginning of the dark half of the year).
December 24 Christmas Eve.
December 25 ¼* Christmas Day. Observed following Monday if it falls on a weekend.
December 26 + Boxing Day (St. Stephen’s Day), observed the day after Christmas (or Monday or even Tuesday to avoid weekend collisions).
December 31 New Year's Eve.

~ Moveable days in reference to Easter
¼ Quarter Days - traditionally when quarter payments are due.
* Common Law or Public holiday
+ Bank (Statutory) holiday
† Holiday by Royal proclamation.

Sittings (law): Hilary (Jan-Mar), Easter (Apr-May), Trinity (May-Jul), Michaelmas (Oct-Dec).
terms (Oxford): Hilary (Jan-Mar), Trinity (Apr-Jun), Michaelmas (Oct-Dec).
terms (Cambridge): Lent (Jan-Mar), Easter (Apr-Jun), Michaelmas (Oct-Dec).

The UK has no national day (like July 4th in US).

Last updated 11 April 2003 © Jeremy Smith 2003