Public Holidays and Flag Days

The Finnish holiday calendar is slightly different than in the United States. This can be seen especially around Christmas and New Year, where there may be two three-day holiday sequences. Around Easter, there is a long weekend with Friday and Monday as holidays.

Please note that public holidays may affect public transportation. In addition public service offices, banks and post offices will be closed.

Read more about the public holidays in Finland.

* day off/schools and universities are closed - not counted towards personal travel days 

Public Holidays and Flag Days

New Year / Uuden vuoden aatto

December 31

New Year’s day / Uudenvuodenpäivä *

January 1

Epiphany / Loppiainen *

January 6

J.L. Runeberg Day / (National Flag Day)

 

Kalevala Day, Day of Finnish Culture (National Flag Day)

February 28

Shrove Tuesday (Mardi Gras) / Laskiaistiistai

 

Minna Canth’s Day, Day of Equality (National Flag Day)

March 19

Palm Sunday/ Palmusunnuntai

 

Easter / Pääsiäinen

  • Good Friday / Pitkäperjantai *
  • Easter Sunday / 1. Pääsiäispäivä *
  • Easter Monday / 2. Pääsiäispäivä *

 

Mikael Agricola Day, Day of Finnish Language (National Flag Day)

April 9

National Veterans’ Day (National Flag Day)

April 27

May Day Eve / Vappuaatto  (National Flag Day)

April 30

May Day 1st of May, Finnish Labour Day / Vapunpäivä (National Flag Day) * May 1

Ascension Day / Helatorstai *

 

Mother’s Day (National Flag Day)

Second Sunday in May

Europe Day (National Flag Day)

May 9

J.V. Snellman Day, Day of Finnish Heritage (National Flag Day)

May 12

Whitsunday / Helluntaipäivä

 

Remembrance Day

 

Flag Day of Defence Forces

June 4

Midsummer / Juhannus *

  • Midsummer's Eve 
  • Midsummer Day, Day of the Finnish Flag (National Flag Day)

 

Eino Leino Day, Celebration of Poetry and Summer (National Flag Day)

July 6

Aleksis Kivi Day, Day of Finnish Literature (National Flag Day)

October 10

United Nations Day (National Flag Day)

October 24

All Saints’ Day / Pyhäinpäivä

 

Svenska Dagen, Day of the Swedish Identity (National Flag Day)

November 6

Father’s Day / Isänpäivä (National Flag Day)

Second Sunday in November

Finnish Independence Day / Itsenäisyyspäivä *

December 6

Saint Lucy’s Day / Lucian päivä

December 13

Christmas / Joulu

  • Christmas Eve / Jouluaatto *
  • Christmas Day / Joulupäivä *
  • Boxing Day / Tapaninpäivä *

December 24-26