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How Many Public Holidays Does Singapore Have Each Year?
How Many Public Holidays Does Singapore Have Each Year?
Singapore has 11 public holidays each year, representing the country's diverse cultural, religious, and national celebrations.
Public holidays in Singapore are days on which the public may take a day off from work or school‚ to celebrate a festival‚ or spend time with family members․ The number of such holidays does not greatly vary from year to year․ Some holidays vary in date annually‚ depending on religious or lunar calendars․
Understanding how Singapore's public holiday system works may help people decide when to take a vacation or annual leave‚ or organize an event․
Singapore's 11 Public Holidays: What Are They?
Singapore maintains a diverse set of public holidays that reflect the country's multi-ethnic and multi-religious heritage․
There are 11 public holidays:
- New Year's Day
- Chinese New Year (2 days)
- Hari Raya Puasa
- Good Friday
- Labour Day
- Vesak Day
- Hari Raya Haji
- National Day
- Deepavali
- Christmas Day
These are government gazetted holidays which are observed throughout the country․
Why Are There 11 Public Holidays In Singapore?
This meant observing the major cultural and religious festivals of the different ethnic groups in Singapore‚ and promoting racial harmony among them․
The holiday calendar reflects the important days of the Chinese‚ the Malays‚ the Indians‚ the Eurasians as well as that of national importance‚ thus allowing all groups to have the opportunity to celebrate their important days in the spirit of mutual respect․
As a result‚ the public holiday calendar of Singapore is often said to reflect its multicultural heritage․
Do the Dates of Public Holidays Change?
While the number of public holidays is unchanged‚ their dates vary from year to year․
Chinese New Year‚ Hari Raya Puasa‚ Hari Raya Haji‚ Vesak Day and Deepavali‚ all of which fall on lunar or religious calendars‚ do not have a set date‚ and as such the exact date varies from year to year․
There are a larger number of holidays‚ such as New Year's Day‚ Labour Day‚ National Day and Christmas Day‚ which fall on fixed dates․
What Happens If a Public Holiday Falls on a Weekend?
If a public holiday falls on a Sunday‚ the following Monday is usually declared a public holiday․
However‚ where a public holiday falls on a Saturday‚ most employees have no right to a substitute holiday on another weekday (unless entitled to them under their contract with their employer)․
These provisions help to ensure workers receive their benefits on public holidays․
How Do Public Holidays Benefit Employees?
Public holidays are paid days off of work for employees‚ to enable them to recharge․
Singaporeans use the public holidays to visit family and relatives‚ celebrate religious festivals‚ travel‚ or enjoy leisure activities․ Public holidays that fall close to the weekends create long weekends which Singaporeans are likely to use for short trips and staycations․
Thus‚ it is a popular time for vacation as people try to maximize time off work․
Final Thoughts
Singapore recognizes 11 public holidays every year‚ comprising national celebrations and observances of cultural or religious importance․ Some public holidays have varying dates each year‚ as they are based on lunar or religious calendars․ The number of public holidays has been unchanged․ Understanding Singapore's public holidays can better help you to plan your travel‚ annual leave and family plans for the rest of the year․