Holidays and events in Canada. National holidays in Canada What holiday is August 1st in Canada?
Canada is a multinational state, and therefore the country has a huge variety of holidays. In addition to national ones, many regions celebrate their own memorable dates. Canada is a Christian country, and therefore it celebrates Christmas, Easter and other religious holidays on a grand scale. Another favorite folk festival can be called Halloween. National holidays in Canada are given special attention; Canadians throughout the country celebrate Independence Day; all regions, with the exception of Quebec, celebrate Queen Victoria Day. One of the country's most famous festivals is the Canadian Tulip Festival, held annually in Ottawa.
Preparations for the celebration of Christmas begin on Christmas Eve. Children are put to bed early this evening so that Santa Claus can bring them gifts. At this time for festive table The whole family, relatives and friends gather. On December 25, holiday services are held in churches; Canadians spend the whole day having fun, rejoicing and congratulating each other, exchanging gifts, including with strangers. IN New Year's Eve Many cities usually host holiday concerts, and drinking alcohol is prohibited during mass celebrations. Easter is another symbolic religious holiday. On this day, Canadians give each other Easter baskets with painted eggs and sweets in the shape of Easter bunnies. Children especially get a lot of sweets.
On July 1, all residents of the country celebrate Canada Day, a national holiday associated with the country's independence. The holiday takes place in the open air, with lush parades, carnivals, air shows, performances, and barbecue areas and other treats. In the evening, colorful fireworks traditionally thunder. Mass concerts are held in the capital of the country, at which even the monarch of the country is usually present. In Quebec, another holiday is celebrated on this day - Moving Day. On July 1, the lease agreement ends, and many residents traditionally move out of their rental housing and move to other apartments. But Quebec Canadians are indifferent to national holidays - they are predominantly descendants of French settlers, and therefore do not consider themselves part of the country. Copyright www.site
On June 24, Quebec celebrates the National Day of Quebec, coinciding with the day of John the Baptist. On this day, mass celebrations, concerts and fireworks take place throughout the region. Another national holiday in Quebec is National Patriots Day. On this day, they remember the events that took place during the Patriot Rebellion in the 19th century, which consisted of French Canadians. The holiday is a symbol of the struggle for independence and national self-identification of the French-speaking population of the country. On the first Monday in August, Canada celebrates Civic Day. This day is a national holiday and is not associated with any official holiday. On the first Monday of September another holiday takes place - Labor Day. The holiday is organized in honor of all workers; Canadians like to spend it outdoors; fairs and festivals are held in cities.
Ottawa annually hosts Winterlude, a winter festival that attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists to the city. Winterlude is a real celebration of winter; the entire city becomes an exhibition site for ice sculptures, ice skating rinks are organized for figure skating, hockey, numerous snow slides are being created. Dow Lake, the main skating rink, can host thousands of people at once. Another famous Canadian holiday is the Calgary Stampede cowboy festival in Calgary. Rodeo competitions take place in the city for 10 days. In addition to them, visitors to the holiday can go to exciting wagon races in the style of the Wild West and visit an agricultural fair. As part of the festival, dances of Indian tribes take place, attractions are installed, and a parade takes place.
Francofolie de Montreal is the largest francophone festival in the world. It takes place in mid-June and brings together musicians performing in a variety of styles - rock, chanson, pop, country, folk, punk, hip-hop. Over the course of two weeks, more than 250 performances are given in Montreal. Other famous music Festival takes place in Quebec in July outdoors. The festival program consists of three concert venues in different places cities: for pop stars, for ethnic music and for different genres. The country's largest film festival is the Toronto Film Festival, which is one of the largest in the world. American and European film stars are gathering in Toronto in September to receive the prestigious award.
Canada, like all countries of the world, has its own holidays, which are considered federal and provincial for certain regions. Some of them are official and “red” days in the calendar, when everyone rests. Residents love it when Canada's national holidays fall on weekends, creating mini-vacations or long weekends. Some of them are assigned to a specific date, for example, New Year- January 1, and some of them are floating, like Easter or Good Friday, held the same way as in Russia.
New Year
This holiday in Canada is not as beloved as in Russia and less fussy, because it takes place after Christmas, for which they prepare and wait very carefully. Most often, the New Year is celebrated on the street with friends or relatives, and they go to the city square where a concert is taking place. It ends with the chiming of the chimes, and some residents go home, while others can go to the skating rink, where they can have a good time listening to live music.
Canada Day Holiday
The main national day takes place on July 1st, because it was then that the British British Act was signed in 1867. North America, where three provinces merged into one and formed the state of Canada.
Governor Charles Stanley Monk encouraged all residents to observe this date, but it did not become official until 1917. Until 1879, the holiday had a different name - Dominion Day, as Canada was once called.
Everything changed after World War II, when the government organized a special celebration, which was celebrated with a banner ceremony, followed by a concert and fireworks.
On October 27, 1982, the holiday was renamed and became Canada Day. On July 1st, events such as parades, festivals, carnivals, music concerts and fireworks take place each year. Holidays and traditions of Canada are respected by the entire population; the moment is especially solemn when the citizenship oath is signed for a new resident in the main square of the capital. There are no other standards; each province is thinking through its own program.
Civil holiday in Canada
This is an interesting holiday that does not have any historical, revolutionary background. It was created back in the 19th century, just to avoid working on that day.
Even then, the entire British Empire legalized the day at the beginning of August as a bank holiday, and the famous banker, politician, as well as archaeologist and biologist John Lubbock recommended that this day be considered “prudent and satisfactory.”
Today, every year, the first Monday of August is considered a Civic Holiday, although the name differs depending on the province.
Christmas Eve and Christmas
There are a lot of Catholics in Canada for whom sacred holidays are important. On the eve of Christmas, on Christmas Eve, everyone is preparing for the main holiday when Jesus Christ was born. On the street, everyone is decorated with colorful lights, gifts are prepared and food is purchased for dinner the next day. In towns in Labrador and Newfoundland, fish are sold and the proceeds are distributed to the poor.
Catholic Christmas is one of the main and brightest holidays. After all, the country is home to more than 77% Christians, 43% of whom are Catholics. In houses, in main buildings and shops, Christmas trees are installed, shop windows and the entrance to the house are decorated with Christmas wreaths. This is a holiday when relatives gather around the table, whom you may not see for a whole year, but on this day everyone unites.
Good Friday, Easter, Easter Monday
Just like Christmas - sacred holiday Just as Good Friday is a very important time for Canadians. It is the darkest day on the church calendar and is an official holiday for all of Canada, as the government believes it is important to allow Catholics and Protestants to focus on mourning Jesus.
Traditionally, Catholics wear dark clothes, blow out candles, cover mirrors, and are not distracted by any activities or events.
On Easter Sunday comes Easter, a holiday for which even non-believers prepare, thinking about how to set the table and decorate the house. The symbol is considered to be made in the form of a basket, and eggs and sweets are placed in it. This is a popular, beautiful public holiday in Canada, when people not only visit each other and go to church, but also go to fairs and markets where they sell delicious treats. On this day, they try to bring special joy to children: together they decorate the house, give gifts, go to church and eat sweets. However, in Canada there are two worldviews of this holiday - some prepare symbols such as a hare and colored eggs, and others - a candle and fire.
The day after Easter, i.e. Monday, is officially designated as a day off when people bless food and consecrate their home for the entire next year. But in reality, only a few institutions do not work on this national holiday, while the rest go to work.
Quebec national holiday
When the French began to settle in Canada, along with them came the religious holiday of John the Baptist, which begins on June 23 and ends only the next day. Today this day is considered Quebec Day - this is one of the largest "French" cities outside of France. French is the native language of 80% of the population.
John the Baptist Day is a patriots' day that originated in 1834, when one of the newspaper publishers, Ludger Duvernay, felt that the French also needed a national holiday, which is still celebrated on a grand scale in this province.
Victoria Day
Queen Victoria was born on May 24, 1819, and this day was for a long time the main holiday of the British Empire. But many years passed before it became considered national and official, and only since 1901 has it been celebrated everywhere on the Monday before May 25th. This is the day when they remember Queen Victoria, who did a lot for Canada, and as a sign of respect, Canadians name the city and street after her, and her portrait is located on the 20 banknote. However, no magnificent celebrations are held, and the day is simply an additional day off.
Tulip Festival, International Earth Day, Boxing Day
What holidays in Canada are interesting and unusual, as well as universally known and gathering a large number of of people?
The Tulip Festival takes place in Ottawa during the first week of May. One of the best events of spring, when the capital is buried in flowers brought from Holland.
The history of the appearance of this holiday in Canada is interesting because during the World War there was a hiding place. The Royal Family from the Netherlands, and at this time Queen Margaret was born. To officially confirm the birth of the queen, it is necessary that this takes place on the territory of the country. The Canadian government used a trick
and the room where the child was born was recognized as Dutch territory.
Today, the tulip festival is the gratitude of the Dutch to the country that sheltered them at one time. The festival begins with the Tulip Ball, where you can taste National dishes and drinks, and more than 5 million flowers bloom annually during the holiday.
Another celebration that can be attributed to unusual holidays Canada - Earth Day, which takes place on April 22. Almost every schoolchild takes part in every possible way to remind everyone what planet we live on and how it needs to be protected. It is not for nothing that Canada, according to UNESCO, is one of the most favorable countries to live in, and the government is fighting to ensure that factories control the emissions of harmful substances and install purification devices.
The Gift Festival is no less original than the Tulip Festival and takes place on December 26, after Christmas. At first it was the feast of St. Stephen, who was the first Christian martyr. It was then that they began to prepare gifts and boxes of money that were intended for the poor.
Jazz Festival
Every year in June for the past 30 years there has been a main holiday jazz, which was included in the Guinness Book of Records. Popular artists and millions of spectators come to Montreal, and concerts are held on the coast of the Lawrence River, where a variety of music is played from night to morning, from classic jazz to indie rock. Music is heard not only on the coast, but also in the city at concert venues.
Patriotic holidays
As mentioned earlier, the province of Quebec has a national holiday on June 24th. In addition, there are also other major holidays in Canada that are considered patriotic.
In 1995, the country's Prime Minister Jean Chrétien declared February 15 as Flag Day. Interestingly, it was only in 1965 that the maple leaf flag was raised for the first time. Previously, it was considered to be an image of the cross of St. George, when the territory was owned by the British. The flag then changed when ownership passed to the French. The banner of the Orleans dynasty was used as an image - with lilies.
On the third Monday of February, another civil holiday in Canada is celebrated - Heritage Day, which has received public recognition. Heritage refers to the totality of physical and cultural resources. This day on the calendar reminds all residents of the country that you need to know history and be proud of where you live.
The population of Canada is a fusion of two nations, the French and the English, which is why there are two official anthems, the day of which is celebrated on June 27th. First, the Canadians sang the British “Oh God Save the Queen,” then they created a new anthem, “The Maple Leaf Forever,” and the French Canadians proposed another song, “Oh Canada,” which gained popularity. Only since 1980 has it received official status as the national anthem.
Family holidays
There are many people who honor national and Religious holidays in Canada, but there are other important days that are associated with family.
Mother's Day is a very important holiday in Canada when everyone thanks their mothers for their affection, love and kindness. Back in 1914, American Anna Jarvis convinced the president to create this holiday to thank not only her mother, who raised 11 children, but also all mothers for their work. A little later, Canadians also joined this holiday.
On the third Sunday in June, Father's Day is celebrated - as a veneration of fatherhood and limitless responsibility to the family. This is a popular men's holiday when adult children visit their parents, have dinners and walk together.
There is also such a holiday as Grandparents' Day, when the older generation is honored. A traditional event is a picnic or barbecue, when maximum attention is paid to grandparents.
March, April. Good Friday. Easter and Monday after Easter.
The second to last Monday in May. Celebrations in honor of Queen Victoria.
First Monday in August. Civil holiday.
First Monday in September. Labor Day.
Second Monday in October. Thanksgiving Day.
Traditional holidays
Third Monday of February. Heritage Day.
Local holidays in different seasons of the year
Spring
Caribou Carnival(late March, Yellowknife). Celebrating the arrival of spring, dog sledding.
Toonik Tyme Festival(a week in mid-April, Iqaluit). Real igloos are built, traditional games and celebrations are held.
Beaches Easter Parade(Easter couple; April, Toronto). This annual parade has become a very popular event. It follows a route along Queen St. E., between Victoria Park and Woodbine Avenue.
Festival show(April October, Niagara Falls). Theater festival featuring classic plays by George Bernard Shaw and his contemporaries.
Tulip Festival(mid-May, Ottawa). At the epicenter of all the events of the holiday is a bright sea of millions of tulips.
Shakespeare Festival(late May – mid-September, Vancouver). During the festival, right on the beach of the English Bay, the most famous plays of the great playwright are performed in open areas.
Stratford Festival(May – November, Stratford). World famous theater festival.
Festival of Birds and Their Friends(late May, Wodena, Saskatchewan). During the festival you can take a tour of the wild places.
Vancouver International Festival(last weekend in May, Vancouver). Performances for children aged three years and older.
Summer
Pride Week(early June, Toronto). A holiday of gays and lesbians, during which a fun, magnificent parade is organized.
Canadian Grand Prix(early June, Montreal). Formula 1 event - its future is not yet determined.
Midnight Craze(Midnight Madness; mid-June, Inuvik). Celebrating the summer solstice.
Mosaic – Festival of Cultures(first weekend in June), Regina. Cultural events from all over the world.
Pyrotechnic festival with fireworks and special effects(beginning of June – end of July, Montreal).
Jazz Festival(June, Vancouver). The week is dedicated to jazz music, so beloved in Vancouver. Folk music festival.
"Franco"– a festival of French Canadians, which attracts artists from all over the world (second half of June, Ottawa). Performance in French only. The ticket price for all three days of the festival is 20CAD.
Banff Arts Festival(mid-June - mid-August), Banff. Two months of opera, music, drama.
International Jazz and Blues Festival "Quebec Nights"(end of June, Quebec).
International jazz festival (late June – July, Victoria). Musicians play jazz and blues on all the streets of the city.
Exhibition Red River(late June – July, Winnipeg). A huge fair with lots of entertainment.
Montreal International Jazz Festival(late June – early July, Montreal). Hundreds of free concerts throughout the city, more than 1 million listeners.
International Tattoo of Nova Scotia(late June – July, Halifax). More than 2000 people take part.
Canada Day(July 1, Ottawa). A holiday for everyone: concerts, performances, entertainment, fireworks. Tulip Festival. As a token of gratitude to the Canadians who sheltered us during the Second World War royal family The Netherlands, the Dutch send more than 3 million tulips to Ottawa every year. This event is accompanied by concerts and numerous entertainments.
Folk of the Rocks(second weekend, Yellowknife). Inuit drummers, dancers and singers perform.
Klondike Days(July, Edmonton). Dedicated to the city's past.
Calgary Stampede(mid-July, Calgary). A ten-day celebration with all sorts of Western “stuff”.
Molson Indy(mid-July, Toronto). Auto racing.
Quebec City International Summer Festival(second week, Quebec). Ten days of music and dance, about a hundred theatrical performances.
Festival of Humor (Just for Laughs)(July 14 – 25, Montreal). Twelve-day humor festival.
Canadian Open Tennis Championships(July – August, Montreal). Major international tennis tournament.
Caribana(July – August, Toronto). One of the largest and most fun Caribbean celebrations in North America, held in Toronto Islands Park. Latin American music, fiery rhythms, and dances fill the streets. Big impressive parade on university Avenue.
Summer Music Festival(July – August, Toronto). Canadian National Exhibition.
High Altitude Games in Antigonish(mid-July, Antigonish). The very first traditional highland games in North America with music and dancing.
Montreal International Film Festival(August, Montreal).
Medieval holiday honoring the first Europeans to set foot in America(early August, Quebec). The old quarters of Quebec are turning into medieval city. Costume parades, equestrian tournaments... thousands of participants.
Royal St John's Regatta(August 4, St. John's). It is considered the oldest sporting event in North America.
Wikwemikong Powwow(first weekend of August, Manitoulin Island). Ojibwe festival with dancing and drumming competitions.
Discovery Days(mid-August, Dawson City). Dedicated to the time of the “gold rush”.
First Nations Festival(mid-August, Victoria). Three days of exhibitions, dancing and traditional indigenous feasting.
Folklorama(mid-August, Winnipeg). Multicultural festival of cuisine, performances and arts from different cultures.
Victoria Park: Arts and Crafts Fair(mid-August, Moncton). The largest fair selling arts, crafts and antiques.
Halifax International Buskers Festival(second week of August, Halifax). The best street event in the whole world.
Canadian National Show(August – September, Toronto). An annual fair with spectacular air shows and concerts.
Folklore festival(mid-August, Saskatoon). Multicultural holiday of Saskatchewan.
Days of Canadian Culture. All summer season Numerous cultural events are organized, in which world celebrities participate.
Autumn
Quebec International Film Festival(early September, Quebec).
The masters(first week, Calgary). Equestrian competition.
Molson Indy(early September, Vancouver). Molson Indy auto racing starts in the suburbs of Vancouver.
International Film Festival(September, Toronto). The prestigious film festival, one of the most famous international film festivals, is an event that is awaited all year.
Flambee des Couleurs(mid-September – October). A series of holidays dedicated to leaf fall.
Niagara Wine and Grape Festival(last week of September, Niagara Falls). Wine tasting and concerts in honor of the harvest.
International Film Festival - one of the most significant in North America(late September – mid-October, Vancouver). The programs represent more than 50 countries.
Okanagan Wine Festival(Early October, Okanagan Valley). Excursions and wine tastings.
Oktoberfest(mid-October, Kitchener-Waterloo). The largest Bavarian festival outside of Germany.
Celtic Colors(mid-October, Cape Breston Island). International Celtic Music Festival.
Royal Agricultural Winter Fair(early – mid-November, Toronto). The largest agricultural fair in the world, which includes the Royal Horse Show and the Royal Winter Garden.
Canadian rodeo(mid-November, Edmonton). This event determines the best cowboys in the country.
Winter Festival of Lights(mid-November to mid-January, Niagara Falls). Very spectacular illumination panels and concerts.
Winter
Canadian Open Sled Dog Racing(December, Fort St. Johns and Fort Nelson). Sports, entertainment for the whole family.
The Illumination Festival takes place simultaneously at Van Dusen Botanical Garden and Stanley Park(December, Vancouver).
Christmas Carolships Parade(mid-December, Vancouver). Boats decorated with Christmas lights sail around Vancouver.
Ice magic(mid January, Lake Louise). International ice sculpture competition.
Techni-Cal Challenge – Sled Dog Racing(mid-January, Minden).
Rossland Winter Carnival(last weekend of January, Rossland). Snowboarding competitions, a big parade and a lot of music and dancing.
Quebec Winter Carnival(January – February, Quebec). Canoe racing on the St. Lawrence River.
Jasper in January(last two weeks of January, Jasper). Ski races and fairs.
Banff/Lake Louise Winter Festival(last week of January, Banff, Lake Louise). Lots of fun activities.
Carnival in Quebec(early February, Quebec). An international ice sculpture competition is held as part of the carnival.
Yukon Quest – International Sled Dog Racing(February, Whitehorse). Famous race on a 1.6 km (1 mile) track from Fairbanks, Alaska to Whitehorse.
Yokon Sourdough Rendevous(February, Whitehorse). Crazy hunter competition and lots of fun.
Snow Ball(February, Ottawa). Most major festival of this kind in North America. It usually occurs in the first half of the month, when the Rideau Canal freezes over. A cheerful, noisy holiday, numerous entertainments, an ice sculpture competition.
Music Festival(Frostbite Festival) (third week of February, Upythors). The festival presents music of different genres, from jazz to rock.
Calgary Winter Festival(second week of February, Calgary). Winter festival with fun for the whole family.
Festival du Voyageur(mid-February, Winnipeg). A celebration dedicated to the history of the fur trade.
Winterlude(every weekend in February, Ottawa). Wide choose entertainment, including ice skating on the Rideau Canal.
National holidays Canada
Canadians celebrate several holidays every year. These days there is an opportunity to take a break from work or study and spend time with family and friends.
Depending on the province you live in, there are nine or ten official holidays:
* Good Friday (Easter), in March or April;
* First Monday of August (celebrated in most provinces);
* Labor Day, first Monday in September;
*Thanksgiving Day, second Monday in October;
There are also local and provincial holidays, such as Quebec's Fete nationale du Quebec - June 24th.
Government offices, banks and most companies close on public holidays. However, many services and businesses, such as theaters and restaurants, remain open. If you have to work on a public holiday, your employer must give you equivalent time off on another day or pay you overtime.
In addition to official holidays, your employer is required to provide you with paid leave. The law allows two weeks for most full-time workers. Your vacation may be extended to three weeks or more if you have been working for the same company for several years.
Sometimes you may need to leave work for religious reasons. Your employer will most likely provide this opportunity. For example, your colleague may agree to work for you if you then work for him at another time. You can also use your legal vacation days.
This coming Monday, Canada will celebrate May 1, so it’s time to talk about Canadian holidays and the features that I managed to learn about.
Provinces in Canada have greater autonomy than regions in Russia, and even non-working holidays can be different for each province. Although, still, the majority public holidays is the same in all provinces. As elsewhere on the site, below we will talk about the province of Ontario.
You need to start the story from the beginning, that is, from the new year. But I suggest they finish it, since it goes along with Christmas, and is rather associated with the end of the year :) So let's see what holiday is next on the list.
Family day
Family Day is celebrated on the third Monday of February (February 19 this year), and is a holiday in only a few provinces. It became a non-working day in Ontario for the first time in 2008. An interesting thing to note about Canadian holidays is that most of them occur on Monday, and thus the weekend is automatically extended by one day, without the need to reschedule anything. In this regard, the expression “long weekend” is common here. And it’s always a tradition when friends and colleagues at work ask you what your plans are for the long weekend. Every Friday before such an event, you can often hear similar questions from colleagues.
Good Friday
Good Friday is celebrated on (believe it or not) the Friday before Easter. Catholic Easter, by the way, usually does not coincide with Orthodox Easter, and most often takes place 1-2 weeks earlier. This year this day fell on March 30th.
Victoria Day
Queen Victoria is one of the most famous, if not the most famous figure in the British (Canadian) monarchy. Her reign lasted over 63 years in the mid-19th century. Many streets in Toronto (Queen street, Victoria street) and throughout Canada are named after her and her relatives. Victoria Day is celebrated on the last Monday before 25 May, that is, between 18 and 24 May, and coincides with the Queen's birthday (24 May 1819). Queen Victoria turns 200 next year.
Canada Day
Canada Day is not tied to a Monday and is celebrated on the anniversary of the signing of the British North America Act, which took place on July 1, 1867. This act united three provinces (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and the Province of Canada) into one state of four provinces (the Province of Canada was divided into Quebec and Ontario). If a holiday falls on a weekend, then the next Monday becomes a non-working day. This is exactly what happened this year. If it is the middle of the week (for example, Tuesday), then additional weekends are not transferred, and Monday in this case will be a working day between two weekends.
Civic Holiday
Apparently, the strangest holiday. Most of people (including me) do not know its purpose. Quick search on the Internet also did not give concrete results. Each province assigns its own meaning to this holiday, and even in Ontario its meaning has changed several times. Most people view this holiday simply as “another opportunity to relax.” This somehow reminds me of November 4th in Russia :)
Labor Day
Labor Day is the very holiday with which I began this article. Almost all over the world it is celebrated on May 1, and in Canada and the USA - on the first Monday of September. This year it will be September 3rd.
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day. Despite the fact that this holiday is celebrated to a greater extent only in Canada and the United States, it is known throughout the world. I think, first of all, thanks to Hollywood films. Interesting feature The holiday is that in Canada it is celebrated on the second Monday of October, and in the USA on the fourth Thursday of November. It’s also funny that, despite the fact that the reasons for celebration in these two countries are different, at the same time the stories are the same as a carbon copy.
Thanksgiving is originally an expression of gratitude for the harvest. Both in Canada and the USA, this is associated with stories about a ship whose crew, after long and difficult voyages, finally landed ashore. Some of the crew died during the voyage, while others were unable to survive the winter. The rest were forced to settle on land, trying to grow something on infertile soil. And suddenly they received a rich harvest. In gratitude to the Lord, people organized a holiday.
The Canadian and American versions differ in minor details and in that they were different ships with different crews.
Currently, the main symbol of Thanksgiving is a huge roast turkey. After American Thanksgiving (which, remember, is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November), comes Black Friday - a day of huge discounts, which marks the beginning of the Christmas period.
Christmas Day
Catholic Christmas is celebrated on December 25, and, unlike Russia, is the main holiday in the Christmas-New Year pair. Both films from the Home Alone series are dedicated to this holiday.
Boxing Day
Box opening day 🙂 The day after Christmas, December 26th. It is worth noting that during the Christmas period, many people take vacations or time off, thus giving themselves a weekend of approximately equal duration New Year's holidays in Russia. Some companies officially do not work at all this week, giving their employees additional days off. In our company, the day before Christmas and the day before New Year are working hours only in the first half of the day, and everyone leaves work at lunchtime.
New Year
New Year's Day, January 1st, ends the long weekend. On January 2, the whole country goes back to work.
