In Finland, statutory public holidays comprise eleven church holidays alongside May Day and Independence Day. In 2026, nine days off fall on a weekday, counting Midsummer Eve and Christmas Eve, according to the University of Helsinki Almanac Office. Many collective agreements also make Christmas Eve and Midsummer Eve paid holidays, so whether you get them off depends on yours.

Finland's public holidays in 2026, with dates

Under the Church Act, Finland's church holidays are Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day, Epiphany, Good Friday, Easter Day, Easter Monday, Ascension Day, Whit Sunday, Midsummer Day and All Saints' Day. In addition to the church holidays, May Day and Independence Day are national holidays and paid public holidays in Finland.

Counting Midsummer Eve and Christmas Eve, between 7 and 10 days off fall on a weekday each year, and in 2026 there are nine, according to the University of Helsinki Almanac Office.

The 2026 public holidays and eves, with their dates:

Which days are days off, and which only usually are

In the Almanac Office's list of the Finnish calendar, the days marked as paid public holidays are New Year's Day, Epiphany, Good Friday, Easter Day, Easter Monday, May Day, Ascension Day, All Saints' Day, Independence Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Christmas Day and Boxing Day are each a church holiday and a paid public holiday; Boxing Day is also called the second day of Christmas. Easter Saturday is not a public holiday, but it is not counted as a weekday for annual leave.

Independence Day is a public holiday and has been a paid holiday for a large part of the population since 1929. Parliament approved Finland's declaration of independence on 6 December 1917.

Midsummer Eve and Christmas Eve are not church or national holidays. However, many collective agreements define them as paid public holidays. Midsummer Eve, the Friday before Midsummer Day, is a paid holiday for a large part of the population. Christmas Eve is also a paid holiday for a large part of the population. Christmas is the most important holiday of the year in Finland, and its main event is Christmas Eve, 24 December, when gifts are usually exchanged. How the Christmas and Midsummer breaks and the July holiday season shape the working year is covered in Finnish business culture.

Counting Midsummer Eve and Christmas Eve, eleven days off can fall on a weekday in the Finnish calendar, but 1 to 4 of them always fall at a weekend, so they never all fall on weekdays in the same year.

Fixed and moving dates

Six holidays have fixed dates:

The others move:

In 2027 there are eight weekday days off, and in the leap year 2028 nine.

What is open on a public holiday

Many shops and offices close on public holidays such as Christmas and Easter. If you are planning your first steps after moving to Finland, allow for many offices being closed on these days.

The Act on the opening hours of retail trade and of barbers and hairdressers (945/2009) was repealed from 1 January 2016, so no law now sets shop opening hours on holidays.

Alko, the state alcohol company, is the exception: the Alcohol Act sets its hours. It may sell alcoholic drinks from 9 to 21 Monday to Friday and from 9 to 18 on Saturdays. Alko may not sell on church holidays, May Day, Mothers' Day, Fathers' Day and Independence Day, and it stops selling after 18 o'clock on New Year's Eve and May Day Eve, and after 12 o'clock on Christmas Eve and Midsummer Eve.

Over Easter 2026, Kela closed its service points, customer service numbers and OmaKela chat from Good Friday to Easter Monday, and its phone service on Maundy Thursday closed at 13.00. However, Kela benefits can still be managed online: Kela's e-service OmaKela can be used to apply for benefits, send documents and report changes at any time of day, any day of the week, holidays included. If a payday falls on a weekend or a holiday, the wage or salary is paid on the previous weekday.

All Saints' Day is a day for commemorating the dead, when people bring candles to the graves of their loved ones; it is a solemn, quiet occasion, not a carnival like Halloween. In 2026 the gates of Helsinki's cemeteries are open around the clock from Thursday 29 October at 7am until Monday 2 November at 10pm.

Public holidays at work — Sunday work and annual leave

Under the Working Hours Act, work on a Sunday or a national holiday (sunnuntaityö, Sunday work) may be required only if it was agreed in the employment contract or the employee consents, unless the work by its nature is regularly done on those days. The Act does not list which days count as a national holiday; check your collective agreement or employment contract. The Act sets how Sunday work is paid (more in employment rights in Finland):

By law, regular working hours are at most 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week.

For annual leave in Finland, the Annual Holidays Act counts as weekdays every day except Sundays, church holidays, Independence Day, Christmas Eve, Midsummer Eve, Easter Saturday and May Day. So a church holiday, Independence Day, May Day, Easter Saturday, Midsummer Eve or Christmas Eve inside your leave does not use up a leave day, while an ordinary Saturday does. Annual leave is earned in these weekdays: two and a half for each full holiday credit month, or two a month if the employment has lasted less than a year by the end of the holiday credit year.

Flag days

Finland has two types of flag day: official flag days set in the decree on flag flying, and customary flag days (University of Helsinki Almanac Office). May Day, Midsummer Day and Independence Day are both holidays and flag days.

There are seven official flag days a year, on which state agencies and institutions, and public buildings in the Åland Islands, must fly the Finnish flag, and everyone else is recommended to fly it too. The flag is also flown on election days and when the President takes office. The official flag days are:

Customary flag days are days the Board of the University Almanac Office has decided to include in the State Calendar of Finland.

The flag is flown from 8 a.m. until sunset, and in summer no later than 9 p.m. Two days are different: for the Day of the Finnish Flag, the flag is raised at 6 p.m. on Midsummer Eve and flies through the night until 9 p.m. on Midsummer Day. On Independence Day the flag is lowered at 8 p.m.