The Netherlands recognises relatively few official holidays, and — unusually — employers are not legally required to give them as paid days off. King's Day on 27 April and Liberation Day on 5 May give the calendar its spring shape.

How people take the days

Ascension Thursday is the standard bridge to Friday. Liberation Day is a full day off only every fifth year for most sectors; in other years it depends on your collective labour agreement.

If you're visiting

King's Day turns Amsterdam into a nationwide street market and the canals into a traffic jam — book far ahead and expect closed roads. On other holidays supermarkets often open, banks don't.

If you live here

Check your CAO rather than the national calendar: which days you get paid for is bargained sector by sector. Statutory leave is four times your weekly hours, typically 20 days, with most contracts adding more.

What these days actually mean

Observance, business closures and transport impact for the next few dates.

Christmas Day

25 Dec 2026

Public

Observance: The central Christian winter feast; in most countries the household gathering matters more than the church service.
Business: Near-total closure of retail, offices and banks. Expect the preceding afternoon to shut early too.
Transport: Skeleton or suspended services in many countries. Book intercity travel well ahead.

St. Stephen's Day

26 Dec 2026

Public

Observance: Officially recognised as a public holiday, so most people have the day off work.
Business: Expect offices, banks and the majority of shops to be closed.
Transport: Public transport usually runs a Sunday or holiday timetable.

General guidance based on this day's official classification, not country-specific reporting.

NLNetherlands · 2026

How the holiday year works in Netherlands