Public Holidays in Singapore: A Family Guide to Planning the Year

Every Singapore parent eventually learns the same lesson: the calendar decides everything. Whether you are eyeing a staycation, a day trip across the Causeway, or just a slow morning at home, the public holidays are the pegs you hang the whole year on. This is an evergreen guide built for families, covering the eleven gazetted holidays, the long weekends they create in 2026, and how to turn each one into proper time together. It is best for parents who want to plan leave early, dodge the worst of the crowds, and still keep little ones happy. Because several dates move every year, we point you to the official source for confirmation rather than asking you to trust our memory.

The 11 public holidays in Singapore

Singapore gazettes eleven public holidays a year, and the list is a small map of the country itself: secular national days sitting alongside the major festivals of the Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Christian communities. Some are fixed to the same calendar date every year; others drift because they follow the lunar or Islamic calendar. Here is the full set, with the kind of cultural context worth sharing with curious kids:

• New Year's Day (1 January, fixed) - the global start of the year, and a gentle holiday for families easing back into routine.
• Chinese New Year (two days, lunar) - the biggest family festival of the year for many households, with reunion dinners, ang bao, lion dances, and Chinatown light-ups.
• Hari Raya Puasa, or Hari Raya Aidilfitri (Islamic calendar) - marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, with open houses, new clothes, and feasting.
• Good Friday (tied to Easter) - a solemn Christian observance remembering the crucifixion, on the Friday before Easter Sunday.
• Labour Day (1 May, fixed) - International Workers' Day, a straightforward day off.
• Vesak Day (lunar) - the most important day in the Buddhist year, marking the birth, enlightenment, and passing of the Buddha.
• Hari Raya Haji, or Hari Raya Aidiladha (Islamic calendar) - the festival of sacrifice, tied to the haj pilgrimage season.
• National Day (9 August, fixed) - Singapore's birthday, with the parade, fireworks, and a citywide buzz.
• Deepavali (lunar) - the Hindu festival of lights, when Little India glows and homes are lit with oil lamps and kolam.
• Christmas Day (25 December, fixed) - the Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus, and the start of the year-end festive season.

Counting the two days of Chinese New Year, that comes to eleven holidays in total. Three are secular - New Year's Day, Labour Day, and National Day - while the rest are rooted in faith and culture. For families, that spread is a quiet gift: the year is dotted with natural chances to share food, stories, and traditions across communities. If you want to go deeper on the big ones, our guides to Chinese New Year for families, Hari Raya in Singapore, and Deepavali with kids unpack what to do, where to go, and how to explain each one simply.

Why some dates change every year

This is the part that catches out a lot of planning. Four holidays land on the same calendar date every year: New Year's Day, Labour Day, National Day, and Christmas. The rest move, and they move for different reasons.

• Chinese New Year, Vesak Day, and Deepavali follow lunar or lunisolar reckoning, so they slide around the Gregorian calendar from one year to the next.
• Hari Raya Puasa and Hari Raya Haji follow the Islamic lunar calendar, which is shorter than the solar year, so these holidays creep about eleven days earlier each year. Their exact dates can also depend on moon sighting, so they are sometimes subject to confirmation until closer to the time.
• Good Friday is tied to the date of Easter, which is itself calculated from the spring full moon, so it shifts every year too.

There is one more rule that quietly works in your favour. When a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is granted as a holiday in lieu. If a holiday lands on a day that is your rest day, a substitute may also apply, so how it plays out can depend on your work week. Spotting one early can hand you an instant long weekend.

Singapore public holidays in 2026 and the long weekends they create

To make this concrete, here are the gazetted dates for 2026 as published by MOM, with the long weekends they naturally create. Three holidays fall on a Sunday in 2026, which means three bonus Mondays off. Note that Hari Raya Puasa and Hari Raya Haji are subject to confirmation, so double-check those two on MOM before planning around them.

• New Year's Day - Thursday, 1 January.
• Chinese New Year - Tuesday and Wednesday, 17 to 18 February.
• Hari Raya Puasa - Saturday, 21 March (subject to confirmation).
• Good Friday - Friday, 3 April. A natural three-day weekend.
• Labour Day - Friday, 1 May. Another three-day weekend.
• Hari Raya Haji - Wednesday, 27 May (subject to confirmation).
• Vesak Day - Sunday, 31 May, with Monday, 1 June, as the holiday in lieu.
• National Day - Sunday, 9 August, with Monday, 10 August, as the holiday in lieu.
• Deepavali - Sunday, 8 November, with Monday, 9 November, as the holiday in lieu.
• Christmas Day - Friday, 25 December, and the doorway into the year-end break.

The standouts for families in 2026 are the three Sunday holidays - Vesak Day, National Day, and Deepavali - because each tacks a Monday onto the weekend with zero leave used. Good Friday, Labour Day, and Christmas all fall on a Friday, giving three more long weekends for free. Late May is especially generous, with Hari Raya Haji mid-week and Vesak Day's long weekend just days later.

How families can plan leave around the holidays

The savviest parents treat the holiday calendar like a puzzle: a single well-placed day of annual leave can stretch a weekend into a proper break. The examples below are illustrative ways to think about bridging - your actual mileage depends on your leave balance and your partner's calendar. Always confirm dates on MOM first.

1. Map the whole year early. As soon as MOM publishes the dates, drop them into a shared family calendar so both parents can coordinate leave before the good hotel rooms vanish.
2. Bridge the mid-week holidays. When a holiday sits on a Tuesday or Thursday, one day of leave on the adjacent Monday or Friday folds it into the weekend. In 2026, Hari Raya Haji on a Wednesday could be bridged either side if your leave allows.
3. Stack the late-May cluster. With Hari Raya Haji and the Vesak Day long weekend close together in 2026, a few days of leave in between can join them into one extended escape without burning a fortnight of leave.
4. Hold leave for the school holidays too. Public holidays are not the same as school breaks, so balance bridge days against the times the kids are actually off school. Our school holiday activities guide helps fill those longer stretches.
5. Book accommodation ahead. Hotels, resorts, and attractions fill up fast around long weekends, and prices climb the later you leave it. Earlier almost always wins.

One honest caveat: do not treat any leave hack as a guarantee. Rest-day rules, shift work, and company policy all affect how holidays in lieu apply to you, so use these ideas as a planning lens rather than a promise.

What to do with the kids on each major holiday

A free day at home is lovely, but most families want at least a loose plan, especially with restless little ones. The happy thing about Singapore's holidays is that each comes with a ready-made theme you can lean into.

Festival days: lean into the celebration

• Chinese New Year - reunion meals, the Chinatown light-up, and lion dance performances are sensory delights for children. Expect crowds; go early and keep snacks handy.
• Hari Raya Puasa - the Geylang Serai bazaar in the run-up and the festive lights make for a colourful, walkable family outing. Open houses are a warm way for kids to learn about the celebration.
• Deepavali - Little India transforms with lights and decorations, and the street displays are stroller-friendly window shopping even if you buy nothing.
• Vesak Day - a calmer, reflective holiday, and a gentle introduction to Buddhist customs for older children.

National Day: the citywide party

The 9 August celebrations bring the parade, the fireworks, and a flag-waving buzz that even toddlers enjoy from a distance. If the main venue feels like too much with young kids, many neighbourhoods get a heartland view of the fireworks, and watching the broadcast from home with a small spread of finger food is a perfectly valid family tradition.

Quiet fixed-date holidays: keep it simple

New Year's Day, Labour Day, and Christmas are less about big public events and more about whatever your family enjoys, whether that is a park morning, an indoor play session, or a relaxed meal out. For rainy-day or peak-heat backups, museums, indoor play gyms, and public libraries are reliable, air-conditioned, and usually buggy-friendly. Festivals are also a lovely, low-pressure way to teach children about Singapore's communities.

Practical tips for holiday outings with kids

A few habits make holiday outings far less stressful, especially with babies and toddlers.

• Plan around naps and meals. Holiday crowds and late nights tip younger children over the edge fast, so a flexible, low-ambition itinerary usually beats a packed one.
• Beat the crowds with timing. Arrive when attractions open, or aim for the late-afternoon lull. Festive precincts like Chinatown and Little India are quietest on a weekday morning.
• Mind the Causeway. The Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints get extremely busy before and after long weekends, so build in buffer time and avoid travelling on the holiday itself if you can.
• Check opening hours first. Some attractions, clinics, and eateries keep different hours or close on public holidays, so confirm on the venue's official site before you head out.
• Pack the basics. Water, snacks, sun protection, a light raincover for the stroller, and a spare set of clothes cover most outing surprises.
• Expect festive pricing. Flights, hotels, and tour packages often cost more around long weekends and school holidays, so build that into the budget.

Frequently asked questions

How many public holidays does Singapore have?

Singapore has eleven gazetted public holidays each year, counting the two days of Chinese New Year. Employees covered by the Employment Act are entitled to these as paid holidays.

Which Singapore public holidays change every year?

Chinese New Year, Good Friday, Hari Raya Puasa, Vesak Day, Hari Raya Haji, and Deepavali all move from year to year because they follow the lunar, lunisolar, or Islamic calendars, or the date of Easter. New Year's Day, Labour Day, National Day, and Christmas Day are fixed to the same calendar date annually.

What are the public holiday dates for 2026?

For 2026, MOM gazetted New Year's Day on Thursday 1 January, Chinese New Year on 17 to 18 February, Hari Raya Puasa on Saturday 21 March (subject to confirmation), Good Friday on Friday 3 April, Labour Day on Friday 1 May, Hari Raya Haji on Wednesday 27 May (subject to confirmation), Vesak Day on Sunday 31 May, National Day on Sunday 9 August, Deepavali on Sunday 8 November, and Christmas Day on Friday 25 December. Because dates can shift and a couple are confirmed closer to the time, always verify on the MOM public holidays page before booking.

What happens if a public holiday falls on a Sunday?

When a gazetted public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is granted as a paid holiday in lieu. If a holiday falls on a day that is your rest day, a substitute day off may also apply, so the exact day off can depend on your own work week. In 2026, Vesak Day, National Day, and Deepavali each fall on a Sunday, giving the Monday after as the holiday in lieu.

Are public holidays the same as school holidays?

No. Public holidays are single days off across the country, while Singapore's school terms have their own scheduled breaks set by the Ministry of Education. If you are timing trips around the children's term dates, check the MOE school calendar separately, and plan your leave around both.

Where can I find the official public holiday dates?

The Ministry of Manpower publishes the official, gazetted dates each year, usually well ahead of the new year. Its public holidays page is the source to trust before you book anything.

Once your dates are locked in, the fun part begins. Browse the rest of our family guides on the Fussy Mama blog for outing ideas, festival how-tos, and ways to fill those precious days off.