Every so often, I’ll glance at my calendar and think, “Wait, is today a holiday?” Sometimes it’s a federal bank holiday I forgot about. Sometimes it’s a quirky national observance I never knew existed. And sometimes it matters a lot, like when I’m trying to figure out if the post office is open or whether a store closes early.
What holiday is today is one of the most searched phrases on the internet, and honestly, it makes total sense. Between federal holidays, state observances, cultural celebrations, and the ever-growing list of national awareness days, tracking every single one has become nearly impossible without a solid resource.
This guide breaks down how to find today’s holiday quickly, what types of holidays exist in the US and UK, how to plan around them, and how to use holiday awareness for everything from content creation to party planning. For the full planning resource, head over to The Complete Holiday Planning Resource.
Key Takeaways:
- The US recognizes 11 federal public holidays; the UK recognizes 8 bank holidays in England and Wales.
- There are hundreds of unofficial “national days” observed each day of the year across the US.
- Federal holidays affect mail delivery, banking, and government office hours.
- Cultural and religious holidays vary by region, community, and country.
- Several free tools and websites let you check what holiday is today in real time.
- Planning content, sales, or events around holidays requires knowing both official and unofficial observances.
!A colorful calendar marked with holiday dates and festive decorations
What Counts as a Holiday? A Clear Definition
A holiday is an officially recognized or culturally observed day set aside to commemorate, celebrate, or honor a specific event, person, group, or tradition. The word itself comes from the Old English “haligdæg,” meaning “holy day.”
Holidays fall into several distinct categories:
- Federal public holidays (US) or bank holidays (UK): Legally recognized days when government offices, banks, and many businesses close.
- Religious holidays: Observed by specific faith communities (Christmas, Eid al-Fitr, Hanukkah, Diwali).
- Cultural and ethnic holidays: Tied to specific communities or heritage groups (Lunar New Year, Juneteenth, St. Patrick’s Day).
- National observance days: Designated by proclamation or legislation but without mandatory closures (National Cancer Awareness Month, World Mental Health Day).
- Unofficial “national days”: Informal, social-media-driven observances like National Pizza Day or National Dog Day.
Understanding which category a holiday falls into helps you know whether businesses will close, whether you need to plan around it, and how widely it’s observed.
Bottom line: Not every “holiday” carries the same weight, and knowing the difference is essential for practical planning.
A Complete List of US Federal Holidays in 2025
The US government officially recognizes 11 federal public holidays under 5 U.S.C. § 6103. These are the dates when federal employees get a paid day off and when many banks, post offices, and government services close.
| Holiday | 2025 Date | Day of Week |
|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | January 1 | Wednesday |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | January 20 | Monday |
| Presidents’ Day | February 17 | Monday |
| Memorial Day | May 26 | Monday |
| Juneteenth National Independence Day | June 19 | Thursday |
| Independence Day | July 4 | Friday |
| Labor Day | September 1 | Monday |
| Columbus Day | October 13 | Monday |
| Veterans Day | November 11 | Tuesday |
| Thanksgiving Day | November 27 | Thursday |
| Christmas Day | December 25 | Thursday |
“Federal holidays are established by law and apply only to federal employees and the District of Columbia. States are not required to follow federal holiday schedules.” - U.S. Office of Personnel Management
If a holiday falls on a Saturday, it’s observed on the preceding Friday. If it falls on a Sunday, it’s observed on the following Monday. That’s why you’ll sometimes see “observed” dates that differ from the actual calendar date.
The 11 US federal holidays are the most reliable reference for determining whether government services and banks are open on any given day.
UK Bank Holidays in 2025: What’s Open and What’s Not
The UK operates with a slightly different system. Bank holidays vary by country within the UK, which trips up a lot of people. England and Wales share one schedule, while Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own.
| Holiday | England & Wales | Scotland | N. Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Jan 1 | Jan 1 | Jan 1 |
| 2nd January (Scotland only) | - | Jan 2 | - |
| St. Patrick’s Day | - | - | Mar 17 |
| Good Friday | Apr 18 | Apr 18 | Apr 18 |
| Easter Monday | Apr 21 | - | Apr 21 |
| Early May Bank Holiday | May 5 | May 5 | May 5 |
| Spring Bank Holiday | May 26 | May 26 | May 26 |
| Battle of the Boyne | - | - | Jul 14 |
| Summer Bank Holiday | Aug 25 | Aug 4 | Aug 25 |
| Christmas Day | Dec 25 | Dec 25 | Dec 25 |
| Boxing Day | Dec 26 | Dec 26 | Dec 26 |
According to GOV.UK, bank holidays affect businesses, schools, and public transport schedules across the UK, though private employers are not legally required to give employees bank holidays off unless their contract states it.
Pro Tip: If you’re based in Scotland or Northern Ireland and you rely on English bank holiday schedules, you’ll regularly miss or double-count holidays. Always check your specific region’s calendar.
Knowing your region’s specific bank holiday schedule is the fastest way to answer “what holiday is today” accurately.
How to Check What Holiday Is Today: The Best Tools and Methods
Finding today’s holiday takes about 30 seconds with the right tools. Here’s what I actually use and recommend:
Step 1: Check a Dedicated Holiday Calendar Website
Sites like TimeandDate.com, Calendarr.com, and PublicHolidays.us update daily and show you every official and unofficial observance for today’s date. TimeandDate.com is particularly strong for international users because it lets you filter by country and region.
Step 2: Use Your Phone’s Built-In Calendar
Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, and Samsung Calendar all automatically populate federal and regional holidays. Go to Settings in your calendar app and enable the “Holidays in [Country]” calendar to see them overlaid on your personal schedule.
Step 3: Ask a Voice Assistant
“Hey Siri, what holiday is today?” and “Alexa, what holiday is today?” both return accurate answers for major public holidays. Voice assistants are less reliable for unofficial national days or niche observances.
Step 4: Check Google Directly
Type “what holiday is today” into Google. The search engine almost always returns a featured snippet with the current date’s major observance. It pulls from both official calendars and widely recognized cultural observances.
Step 5: Follow a Holiday Social Media Account
Accounts like @NationalDayCalendar on Instagram post every national day, awareness day, and fun observance daily. It’s surprisingly useful for content creators and social media managers.
| Tool | Best For | Cost | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| TimeandDate.com | International holidays | Free | 200+ countries |
| Google Search | Quick federal holiday lookup | Free | US/UK focused |
| National Day Calendar | Unofficial national days | Free | US-centric |
| Apple/Google Calendar | Personal schedule integration | Free | Region-based |
| Voice Assistants (Siri, Alexa) | Hands-free quick checks | Free | Major holidays only |
Using a combination of Google Search and a dedicated calendar app gives you the most complete picture of what holiday is today.
National Days vs. Federal Holidays: Why the Difference Matters
This is one of the most misunderstood distinctions in holiday culture. I see it cause confusion constantly, especially on social media.
National days are informal observances. Most of them originated on the National Day Calendar website, which was founded in 2013 by Marlo Anderson. The site catalogs thousands of these unofficial days, from National Coffee Day (September 29) to National Be a Millionaire Day (May 20). None of these carry legal weight.
Federal holidays, on the other hand, are established by Congress. They determine whether government services run, whether mail is delivered, and whether banks are open.
Here’s why the confusion matters:
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A business might post about National Donut Day on social media but still be fully open with normal hours.
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Schools don’t close for national awareness days.
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No employer is legally required to recognize national days.
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Some national days get massive cultural traction (National Dog Day, for example) while others pass unnoticed.
Pro Tip: For social media content planning, national days are gold. For business operations planning, stick to federal and state holidays only.
For more context on holidays with contested or evolving status, check out Is Valentine’s Day a Holiday? History and Status Explained.
Understanding the difference between national days and federal holidays prevents both missed business planning and overhyped social media posts.
Religious and Cultural Holidays to Know in 2025
Religious and cultural holidays don’t always land on the same date each year. Many are tied to lunar calendars, making them “floating” observances that shift annually.
Here’s a reference snapshot for 2025:
| Holiday | Tradition | 2025 Date(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epiphany | Christian | January 6 | Observed in many Catholic/Orthodox communities |
| Lunar New Year | Chinese/East Asian | January 29 | Year of the Snake |
| Ash Wednesday | Christian | March 5 | Start of Lent |
| Purim | Jewish | March 13-14 | |
| Holi | Hindu | March 14 | |
| Palm Sunday | Christian | April 13 | |
| Passover | Jewish | April 12-20 | |
| Easter | Christian | April 20 | |
| Eid al-Fitr | Muslim | ~March 30 | Depends on moon sighting |
| Eid al-Adha | Muslim | ~June 6 | Approximate |
| Rosh Hashanah | Jewish | September 22-24 | |
| Yom Kippur | Jewish | October 1-2 | |
| Diwali | Hindu/Sikh/Jain | October 20 | |
| Hanukkah | Jewish | December 14-22 | |
| Christmas | Christian | December 25 | |
| Kwanzaa | African American | Dec 26 - Jan 1 |
These dates affect school districts, businesses with diverse workforces, and families observing multiple traditions. Many schools in large urban districts now close for Eid and Diwali in addition to federal holidays.
“Religious and cultural observances that are not federal holidays may still significantly affect your employees, students, or customers. Inclusive holiday planning requires awareness beyond the federal calendar.” - Society for Human Resource Management
For any organization serving diverse communities, tracking cultural and religious holidays is just as important as tracking federal ones.
How Holiday Awareness Helps With Content Planning and Marketing
I spend a lot of time looking at how brands use holiday content, and the ones that do it well plan months in advance. Whether you’re running a small business, managing social media, or creating content for a blog, knowing what holiday is today, next week, and next month shapes everything.
Planning a Holiday Content Calendar
- Start with federal holidays (they anchor your schedule).
- Layer in religious and cultural observances relevant to your audience.
- Add national days that align with your niche (a food blog covers National Pizza Day; a pet brand covers National Dog Day).
- Build content 4-6 weeks ahead for major holidays, 1-2 weeks ahead for national days.
Cost of Holiday Marketing
| Content Type | Average Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Social media graphics (custom) | $25-$150 per graphic | Designer rates vary |
| Email holiday campaign | $200-$2,000 | Depends on list size and platform |
| Blog post (outsourced) | $75-$500 | Based on word count and expertise |
| Paid holiday ads | $500-$5,000+ | Budget varies widely by platform |
| Holiday video content | $500-$10,000 | DIY vs. professionally produced |
Pro Tip: The highest-engagement national days for content are National Coffee Day, National Pet Day, National Pizza Day, and World Mental Health Day. These consistently drive strong organic reach with minimal paid promotion.
For seasonal content inspiration, check out Best Christmas Holiday Movies to Watch This Season.
Aligning your content calendar with today’s holidays and upcoming observances is one of the most cost-effective ways to boost organic reach.
What to Look For When Choosing a Holiday Tracking Tool
Not every holiday tracking tool is equal. Here’s my criteria breakdown for picking the right one:
| Criteria | What to Look For | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Regional accuracy | Can filter by US state or UK country | Bank holidays vary by region |
| Coverage depth | Lists both federal and unofficial days | Useful for content creators |
| Update frequency | Updates annually with confirmed dates | Floating holidays change yearly |
| Calendar integration | Syncs with Google/Apple Calendar | Reduces manual tracking |
| Export options | Downloadable CSV or iCal file | Useful for business planning |
| Mobile accessibility | Responsive or dedicated app | Quick lookups on the go |
| International scope | Covers non-US/UK holidays | Essential for global teams |
For most individual users, a combination of Google Calendar (with holiday calendars enabled) and a quick Google search covers 95% of use cases. For businesses with international teams or complex editorial calendars, a dedicated tool like Calendarr or Time Zone Pro adds significant value.
The best holiday tracking tool is the one you’ll actually check consistently, and the simpler the interface, the more likely you are to use it.
FAQ: What Holiday Is Today
What holiday is today in the US? The answer changes daily. For federal public holidays, there are 11 per year, and you can check the current one at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s website or on any major calendar app. For unofficial national days, a site like NationalDayCalendar.com lists every observance for today’s date and updates in real time.
Is today a federal holiday if it falls on a weekend? Not quite. When a federal holiday falls on a Saturday, the federal government observes it on the preceding Friday. When it falls on a Sunday, it’s observed on the following Monday. So if Christmas is on a Sunday, December 26 (Monday) is the official federal holiday observance.
Does the UK observe US holidays? No. The UK has its own system of bank holidays, which differ by country (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland). US federal holidays like Thanksgiving and the 4th of July are not observed in the UK. The only overlap is Christmas Day, which both countries recognize.
Why does my bank say it’s closed today but I don’t see a federal holiday? Some banks observe additional state holidays or take bank-specific closures. The Federal Reserve publishes a list of days banks are closed, which includes all 11 federal holidays. Check the Federal Reserve’s holiday schedule or call your bank directly.
Is today a national day if it’s not a federal holiday? Almost certainly. The National Day Calendar lists multiple unofficial national days for every single day of the year. These are not legally recognized but are widely shared on social media and used by brands for promotional content.
When should I NOT rely on national days for business planning? Don’t use unofficial national days to justify closing your business, adjusting payroll, or planning government-dependent activities like mail delivery. National days carry no legal standing. For operational planning, only federal and state holidays matter.
How do I know if today’s holiday affects school closures? School closure policies vary by district. Federal holidays typically result in school closures, but religious and cultural holidays depend entirely on the district. Contact your school district directly or check their published academic calendar, which usually lists all closures at the start of the school year.
What’s the difference between a public holiday and a bank holiday? In the US, “public holiday” and “federal holiday” are often
