Christmas 2026 is a good one in the UK. Christmas Day is a Friday, and because Boxing Day falls on a Saturday, its bank holiday moves to Monday 28 December 2026. Add New Year's Day on Friday 1 January 2027 and only a few workdays are left in between.
Book off: Tue 29, Wed 30 and Thu 31 Dec 2026.
Bank holidayBook offWeekend
Every option, from 1 to 8 days of leave
Each row shows the longest break you can get for that many days of leave. A row only appears if one more day makes the break longer.
| Days of leave | Days off in a row | Dates | Book off |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Thu 24 Dec – Mon 28 Dec 2026 | Thu 24 Dec 2026 |
| 2 | 6 | Wed 23 Dec – Mon 28 Dec 2026 | Wed 23 and Thu 24 Dec 2026 |
| 3 | 10 | Fri 25 Dec 2026 – Sun 3 Jan 2027 | Tue 29, Wed 30 and Thu 31 Dec 2026 |
| 4 | 11 | Thu 24 Dec 2026 – Sun 3 Jan 2027 | Thu 24, Tue 29, Wed 30 and Thu 31 Dec 2026 |
| 5 | 12 | Wed 23 Dec 2026 – Sun 3 Jan 2027 | Wed 23, Thu 24, Tue 29, Wed 30 and Thu 31 Dec 2026 |
| 6 | 13 | Tue 22 Dec 2026 – Sun 3 Jan 2027 | Tue 22, Wed 23, Thu 24, Tue 29, Wed 30 and Thu 31 Dec 2026 |
| 7 | 16 | Sat 19 Dec 2026 – Sun 3 Jan 2027 | Mon 21, Tue 22, Wed 23, Thu 24, Tue 29, Wed 30 and Thu 31 Dec 2026 |
| 8 | 17 | Fri 18 Dec 2026 – Sun 3 Jan 2027 | Fri 18, Mon 21, Tue 22, Wed 23, Thu 24, Tue 29, Wed 30 and Thu 31 Dec 2026 |
United Kingdom, Christmas 2026 and New Year 2027.
If you have a little more leave, book 8 days off (Fri 18, Mon 21, Tue 22, Wed 23, Thu 24, Tue 29, Wed 30 and Thu 31 Dec 2026) and get 17 days off in a row (Fri 18 Dec 2026 – Sun 3 Jan 2027).
Scotland
Scotland keeps 2 January as a bank holiday. In 2027 it falls on a Saturday, so the substitute day is the Monday after, and the break runs a day longer:
| Days of leave | Days off in a row | Dates | Book off |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Thu 24 Dec – Mon 28 Dec 2026 | Thu 24 Dec 2026 |
| 2 | 6 | Wed 23 Dec – Mon 28 Dec 2026 | Wed 23 and Thu 24 Dec 2026 |
| 3 | 11 | Fri 25 Dec 2026 – Mon 4 Jan 2027 | Tue 29, Wed 30 and Thu 31 Dec 2026 |
| 4 | 12 | Thu 24 Dec 2026 – Mon 4 Jan 2027 | Thu 24, Tue 29, Wed 30 and Thu 31 Dec 2026 |
| 5 | 13 | Wed 23 Dec 2026 – Mon 4 Jan 2027 | Wed 23, Thu 24, Tue 29, Wed 30 and Thu 31 Dec 2026 |
| 6 | 14 | Tue 22 Dec 2026 – Mon 4 Jan 2027 | Tue 22, Wed 23, Thu 24, Tue 29, Wed 30 and Thu 31 Dec 2026 |
| 7 | 17 | Sat 19 Dec 2026 – Mon 4 Jan 2027 | Mon 21, Tue 22, Wed 23, Thu 24, Tue 29, Wed 30 and Thu 31 Dec 2026 |
| 8 | 18 | Fri 18 Dec 2026 – Mon 4 Jan 2027 | Fri 18, Mon 21, Tue 22, Wed 23, Thu 24, Tue 29, Wed 30 and Thu 31 Dec 2026 |
Scotland, Christmas 2026 and New Year 2027.
Northern Ireland has the same Christmas dates as England and Wales. See the Scotland planner or the Northern Ireland planner for the rest of the year.
Booking Christmas leave in the UK
- Notice. Unless your contract says otherwise, you must give notice of at least twice the length of the leave, plus one day: 3 days' notice for 1 day off (GOV.UK: booking time off).
- Company shutdowns. Many employers close between Christmas and New Year and ask you to use leave for it. They are allowed to, with notice of at least twice the length of the shutdown, so check before you plan to use those days elsewhere.
- Leave years. If your leave year runs January to December, these December days come from your 2026 allowance. If it runs April to March, they come from the same pot as Easter 2027.
Christmas 2027: a look ahead
Next year is different. Christmas Day and Boxing Day 2027 are on a weekend, so the bank holidays move to the Monday and Tuesday after:
| Days of leave | Days off in a row | Dates | Book off |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Fri 24 Dec – Tue 28 Dec 2027 | Fri 24 Dec 2027 |
| 2 | 6 | Thu 23 Dec – Tue 28 Dec 2027 | Thu 23 and Fri 24 Dec 2027 |
| 3 | 10 | Sat 25 Dec 2027 – Mon 3 Jan 2028 | Wed 29, Thu 30 and Fri 31 Dec 2027 |
| 4 | 11 | Fri 24 Dec 2027 – Mon 3 Jan 2028 | Fri 24, Wed 29, Thu 30 and Fri 31 Dec 2027 |
| 5 | 12 | Thu 23 Dec 2027 – Mon 3 Jan 2028 | Thu 23, Fri 24, Wed 29, Thu 30 and Fri 31 Dec 2027 |
| 6 | 13 | Wed 22 Dec 2027 – Mon 3 Jan 2028 | Wed 22, Thu 23, Fri 24, Wed 29, Thu 30 and Fri 31 Dec 2027 |
| 7 | 16 | Sat 25 Dec 2027 – Sun 9 Jan 2028 | Wed 29, Thu 30 and Fri 31 Dec 2027 and Tue 4, Wed 5, Thu 6 and Fri 7 Jan 2028 |
| 8 | 17 | Sat 18 Dec 2027 – Mon 3 Jan 2028 | Mon 20, Tue 21, Wed 22, Thu 23, Fri 24, Wed 29, Thu 30 and Fri 31 Dec 2027 |
United Kingdom, Christmas 2027 and New Year 2028.
Frequently asked questions
How many days off do I need for Christmas 2026 in the UK?
The best value is to book 3 days off (Tue 29, Wed 30 and Thu 31 Dec 2026) and get 10 days off in a row.
Is Christmas Eve a bank holiday?
No. Christmas Eve is a normal working day in the UK, but some employers give a half day or the whole day off. If yours does, you need one day less.
When does the Boxing Day bank holiday fall in 2026?
On Monday 28 December 2026, because 26 December 2026 is a Saturday.
Open the UK plannerHow to maximise annual leave in 2026 (UK)
How we work it out. Every date and number here comes from our holiday data, checked against official government sources (see About). Always confirm days off with your employer.