Festive table on Christmas Day in Switzerland

Christmas Day

Public holiday All 26 cantons Falls on: Friday 3 free days without leave

Christmas Day falls on Friday, 25 December in 2026. All 26 cantons designate it as a public holiday; Saturday's St Stephen's Day has a different cantonal scope.

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

Date, scope and what changes

A public holiday in every canton

Public holiday. Christmas Day 2026 falls on Friday, 25 December 2026. All 26 cantons, with no municipal exception in the existing official overview.

Friday already creates a long weekend. For Saturday, 26 December, the canton and any municipal caveats need a separate check.

Only Swiss National Day on 1 August has federal constitutional holiday status. Christmas Day applies nationwide through cantonal holiday rules.

Date
25 December.
Scope
All 26 cantons
All 26 cantons, with no municipal exception in the existing official overview.
Planning
25 December 2026 to 27 December 2026
3 free days without leave
3 free days without leave

Christmas Day starts a three-day weekend

Christmas Day starts a nationwide three-day weekend on Friday; 26 December follows a separate cantonal rule.

Check St Stephen's Day separately. Christmas Day starts a nationwide three-day weekend on Friday; 26 December follows a separate cantonal rule.

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

Calendar effect
25 December 2026 to 27 December 2026
25 December.

Assumption: Monday-Friday working week.

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Christmas

Check 25 and 26 December together

Christmas Day is a public holiday in all 26 cantons. The status of 26 December depends on the canton and, in some places, the municipality; Appenzell Ausserrhoden does not observe it in 2026.

Christmas Day in Switzerland
Christmas Day is a public holiday in all 26 cantons. The status of 26 December depends on the canton and, in some places, the municipality; Appenzell Ausserrhoden does not observe it in 2026.

Christmas Day is observed in every canton. St Stephen's Day on 26 December has a narrower, year-dependent scope and must be checked separately.

Church services, festive meals and visits are common on 25 December. Local opening rules still apply to businesses and attractions.

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. Federal Customs: holiday operations : Federal operations list; cantonal law controls holiday scope.
  7. Canton of Uri: public holidays 2026 : current official cantonal list for 2026.
  8. Canton of Ticino: public holidays 2026 : current official cantonal list for 2026.
  9. Canton of Zurich: public holidays : Official source for the stated scope.
  10. Canton of Bern: Public Holidays Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  11. Canton of Lucerne: Rest Days Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  12. Canton of Uri: Public Rest Days Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  13. Canton of Schwyz: public holidays : 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 Fribourg: public holidays : Official source for the stated scope.
  19. Solothurn Labour Inspectorate: public holidays : Official source for the stated scope.
  20. Canton of Solothurn: Rest Days Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  21. Canton of Basel-Stadt: Rest Days Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  22. Canton of Basel-Landschaft: Public Holidays Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  23. Canton of Schaffhausen: rest-day law : Official source for the stated scope.
  24. Appenzell Ausserrhoden: Work Ordinance : Official source for the stated scope.
  25. Appenzell Ausserrhoden: public holidays 2026 : Official source for the stated scope.
  26. Appenzell Ausserrhoden: working and rest times : Official source for the stated scope.
  27. Appenzell Innerrhoden: Rest Days Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  28. Appenzell Innerrhoden: public holidays 2026 : Official source for the stated scope.
  29. Canton of St Gallen: Rest Days Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  30. Canton of Graubünden: Rest Days Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  31. Canton of Aargau: working time and public holidays : Official source for the stated scope.
  32. Canton of Aargau: Public Holidays Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  33. Canton of Thurgau: Rest Days Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  34. Canton of Vaud: public holidays 2026 : Official source for the stated scope.
  35. Canton of Valais: Public Holidays Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  36. Canton of Neuchâtel: public holidays : Official source for the stated scope.
  37. Canton of Geneva: public holidays 2026 : Official source for the stated scope.
  38. Canton of Jura: public holidays : Official source for the stated scope.
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