2 April 2026
Christmas Shutdown 2026: Public Holiday Dates & Leave Plan
Christmas 2026 public holidays in Australia, the part-day Christmas Eve states, and how three leave days turn into a 10-day break across the Christmas–New Year shutdown.
Christmas 2026 is one of the cleanest shutdown windows in years. Christmas Day lands on a Friday (25 December 2026), so the public holidays stack neatly and you need fewer leave days than usual to cover the whole break.
Christmas 2026 public holiday dates
| Holiday | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| Christmas Day | 25 December 2026 | Friday |
| Boxing Day (Proclamation Day in SA) | 26 December 2026 | Saturday |
| Additional public holiday | 28 December 2026 | Monday |
| New Year's Day | 1 January 2027 | Friday |
Because Boxing Day (26 December) falls on a Saturday, every state adds a substitute public holiday on Monday 28 December — Boxing Day observed in most states, and Proclamation Day holiday observed in South Australia. That gives you Christmas Friday, the weekend and a Monday public holiday: four days off before spending any leave.
How many leave days do you need?
To bridge from Christmas to New Year, take just the gap between Tuesday 29 and Thursday 31 December — three leave days. With the public holidays and both weekends, that runs Friday 25 December to Sunday 3 January: 10 days off for 3 days of leave. To add one more day, take Monday 4 January (the first working day of 2027) as a fourth leave day for an 11-day break.
Confirm the exact count for your state with the Leave Planner, since state holidays can extend it further.
Part-day Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve
Three jurisdictions add part-day public holidays in the evenings. Christmas Eve (24 December) is a part-day holiday in Queensland (from 6pm), South Australia and the Northern Territory (from 7pm), and New Year's Eve (31 December) is a part-day holiday in South Australia and the NT (from 7pm). These change penalty rates and trading hours rather than giving a full day off.
Workplace shutdowns
Many Australian workplaces — construction, manufacturing, professional services and the public sector — mandate a shutdown between Christmas and New Year. If yours does, you may be required to use annual leave to cover those days. Confirm your shutdown dates in writing early; December leave requests are the most competitive of the year.
What's open and closed
- Closed or reduced: government offices, banks, professional services, many retailers and most B2B businesses.
- Open: supermarkets (reduced hours on the public holidays), petrol stations, hospitals, restaurants and tourism venues.
- Boxing Day sales: major retailers open on Monday 28 December (the observed holiday) for the busiest shopping day of the year.
Frequently asked questions
Are 25 and 26 December public holidays in Australia in 2026?
Yes. Christmas Day (Friday 25 December) and Boxing Day (Saturday 26 December) are public holidays nationally; in South Australia the 26th is the Proclamation Day holiday. Because the 26th is a Saturday, every state adds a substitute holiday on Monday 28 December.
Is Christmas Eve a public holiday in Australia?
Only in part. Christmas Eve (24 December) is a part-day public holiday from the evening in Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory. Elsewhere it is an ordinary working day.
Is 1 January a public holiday in 2027?
Yes. New Year's Day, Friday 1 January 2027, is a national public holiday. The 2nd and 3rd of January fall on the weekend, so the next working day is Monday 4 January.
How long is the Christmas break in Australia in 2026?
With three leave days (29–31 December) you can take a continuous 10-day break from 25 December to 3 January; a fourth leave day on Monday 4 January stretches it to 11 days.