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Berchtold's Day

Cantonal holiday 12 cantons + ZH/local areas Falls on: Friday 3 free days without leave

Berchtold's Day falls on Friday, 2 January in 2026. It applies canton-wide in twelve cantons and additionally in specifically defined areas of Fribourg and Aargau; Zurich treats it only as a local or contractual day off, not a statutory public holiday.

Author
Ferien-Kalender.ch editorial team
Last checked
Source basis
official sources and editorial review
Berchtold's Day 2026

Date, scope and what changes

Do not read 2 January the same everywhere

Cantonal holiday. Berchtold's Day 2026 falls on Friday, 2 January 2026. Canton-wide in Bern, Lucerne, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Glarus, Zug, Schaffhausen, St Gallen, Thurgau, Vaud, Valais and Jura. In Zurich, Berchtold's Day is not a statutory public holiday; time off depends on a local, contractual or public-employment rule. In Fribourg it applies in Courgevaux, Fräschels, Greng, Kerzers, Meyriez, Muntelier, Murten, Ried bei Kerzers, Ulmiz and Mont-Vully, plus Flamatt and Sensebrügg. In Aargau it applies in the districts of Aarau, Brugg, Kulm, Lenzburg, Zofingen and Zurzach, plus the municipality of Bergdietikon. In Neuchâtel, 2 January applies only when New Year's Day is a Sunday, which is not the case in 2026.

Friday extends the New Year weekend only within the stated scope; outside that area, 2 January alone does not create a statutory public holiday.

Only Swiss National Day on 1 August has federal constitutional holiday status. Berchtold's Day rests on cantonal rules and calendar conditions.

Date
2 January.
Scope
12 cantons + ZH/local areas
Canton-wide in Bern, Lucerne, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Glarus, Zug, Schaffhausen, St Gallen, Thurgau, Vaud, Valais and Jura. In Zurich, Berchtold's Day is not a statutory public holiday; time off depends on a local, contractual or public-employment rule. In Fribourg it applies in Courgevaux, Fräschels, Greng, Kerzers, Meyriez, Muntelier, Murten, Ried bei Kerzers, Ulmiz and Mont-Vully, plus Flamatt and Sensebrügg. In Aargau it applies in the districts of Aarau, Brugg, Kulm, Lenzburg, Zofingen and Zurzach, plus the municipality of Bergdietikon. In Neuchâtel, 2 January applies only when New Year's Day is a Sunday, which is not the case in 2026.
Planning
2 January 2026 to 4 January 2026
3 free days without leave
3 free days without leave

2 January off in twelve cantons

Friday is a public holiday in twelve cantons and the listed local areas; in Zurich it requires a local or contractual rule.

Extend the New Year weekend only in the verified scope. Friday is a public holiday in twelve cantons and the listed local areas; in Zurich it requires a local or contractual rule.

Leave, school closure and provider hours remain separate checks for the actual place.

Calendar effect
2 January 2026 to 4 January 2026
2 January.

Assumption: Monday-Friday working week.

Workplace applicability is not confirmed; no leave days are preselected. Local or partial employment entitlement for Berchtold's Day (2026-01-02) at the workplace in Switzerland must be confirmed with the municipality and employer.

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New Year start

Do not read 2 January the same everywhere

Berchtold's Day extends the New Year season in twelve cantons. The specific cantonal or local rule therefore decides the status of 2 January.

Berchtold's Day in Switzerland
Berchtold's Day extends the New Year season in twelve cantons. The specific cantonal or local rule therefore decides the status of 2 January.

The second day of the New Year season

Berchtold's Day is a Swiss regional holiday on 2 January, not a saint's day with one nationwide meaning. Its legal effect follows the canton or a local rule.

Local New Year customs

The date extends the New Year season in several regions. Social visits and local customs vary markedly and do not create nationwide public-holiday status.

Sources & further reading

  1. SECO: leisure and public holidays : Federal guidance distinguishing the nationwide holiday from cantonal holidays.
  2. Swiss Labour Act Art. 20a : Federal labour rule for canton-designated holidays.
  3. Federal Constitution Art. 110 : constitutional status of Swiss National Day.
  4. Historical federal compilation (2011) : Historical context only; not current scope authority.
  5. EDK school holidays : Cantonal school-holiday source.
  6. Aargau Employment Law § 6 : current official district and municipality scope.
  7. Fribourg public holidays : current official Catholic and Reformed municipality scope.
  8. Neuchâtel official holidays : 2026 calendar with conditional 2 January and 26 December observance.
  9. Canton of Zurich: statutory holidays : current official employment-law overview.
  10. Canton of Vaud: public holidays 2026 : current official cantonal calendar for 2026.
  11. Canton of Jura: official holidays : current official cantonal holiday overview.
  12. Canton of Bern: Public Holidays Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  13. Canton of Lucerne: Rest Days Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  14. Canton of Obwalden: Public Holidays Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  15. Canton of Nidwalden: Rest Days Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  16. Canton of Glarus: Rest Days Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  17. Canton of Zug: Rest Days Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  18. Canton of Schaffhausen: rest-day law : Official source for the stated scope.
  19. Canton of St Gallen: Rest Days Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  20. Canton of Thurgau: Rest Days Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  21. Canton of Valais: Public Holidays Act : Official source for the stated scope.
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