Dutch Public Holidays

The following national holidays are celebrated on the same day in the whole country. There is no law that stipulates that certain public holidays are days off for employees. There is therefore no legal right to a day off on a public holiday. Your collective labor agreement (cao) or employment contract states whether you are free on public holidays.

New years day (nieuwjaarsdag)                       January 1st

Good Friday (Goede Vrijdag)                          The Friday before Easter

Easter (Pasen)                                                    On the Sunday and Monday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox

Ascension Day (Hemelvaartsdag)                Always on a Thursday, this day is the 40th day of Easter.

Whitsunday (Pinksteren)                                The celebration of the Pentecost, seven weeks after Easter. Two official holidays, Sunday and Monday.

King’s birthday (Koningsdag)                         April 27th

The national holiday in honor of the king’s birthday with many festivities including flea markets and parties. Orange clothing is rampant. Traditionally, the king visits a couple of cities of the country. Amsterdam is the unofficial center of King’s Day.

Remembrance Day (Dodenherdenking)      May 4th

A day of remembrance for war victims. Flags fly at half-mast from sunrise till sunset, and there is a remembrance service at De Dam in Amsterdam. At 8pm, all activities stop while the nation observes two minutes of silence.

Liberation Day (Bevrijdingsdag)                  May 5th

The nation celebrates liberation from Germany in WWII. Dutch schools are closed, and while it is not a vacation day for employees, many open-air concerts are organized.

Prince’s Day (Prinsjesdag)                             The third Tuesday in September

The king rides from his palace to Parliament in a golden coach, and at the Ridderzaal in The Hague, reads the State of the Union, which states the government policy for the coming year.

Saint Maarten’s Day (Sint Maarten)           November 11th

Children go trick or treating with lanterns at doors and sing special songs for treats, similar to Halloween.

St. Nicholas’s Day (Sinterklaas)                   December 5th

Mid November, Sinterklaas and his Pieten helpers sail from Spain to the Netherlands. From that day until the 5th of December, children can put their shoes at the chimney or door and hope to find some treats or small presents the next morning. On the 5th of December itself, they celebrate Sinterklaas’ birthday, and family and friends exchange gifts. A poem accompanies each gift. Sometimes the presents will be camouflaged and may look like something else, called a surprise.

Christmas (Kerstmis)                                    December 25th & 26th

The first day is a family day, and the second day is for seeing friends. On the second day, many shops are open, and numerous restaurants offer special menus. Only after Sinterklaas will people put up their Christmas tree.

New Year’s Eve (Oudejaarsavond)             December 31st