Christmas on a Saturday: how Australia's additional public holidays work (2026 and 2027)
In 2027 Christmas falls on a Saturday and Boxing Day on a Sunday. Most of Australia gets Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December off, but the weekend days stay public holidays too. That difference changes pay, rosters and how software should count working days.
Additional day vs substitute day
| Additional day (most of Australia) | Substitute / observed day (UK, NZ, Canada) | |
|---|---|---|
| Weekend date | Stays a public holiday | Usually not a holiday any more; the day off moves |
| Weekday added | Yes, the next free weekday | Yes, the observed weekday |
| Who benefits from the weekend date | People working that Saturday or Sunday still get public holiday rates | Depends on the country's rules |
| Example | Boxing Day Sat 26 Dec 2026 + Mon 28 Dec | UK: Boxing Day substitute Mon 28 Dec 2026 |
For a Monday-to-Friday office the result looks the same, a Monday off. The difference shows up for weekend workers, penalty rates and rostering, and for anyone writing software that needs to know whether 26 December is still a holiday (in Australia, it is).
The clash rule: Christmas Saturday, Boxing Sunday
Additional days walk forward past days that are already taken:
| Year | Christmas | Boxing Day | Additional days (NSW and most states) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Sunday | Monday | Tue 27 Dec (for Christmas) |
| 2026 | Friday | Saturday | Mon 28 Dec (for Boxing Day) |
| 2027 | Saturday | Sunday | Mon 27 Dec + Tue 28 Dec |
| 2028 | Monday | Tuesday | None |
New Year's Day works the same way: 1 January 2028 is a Saturday, so Monday 3 January 2028 is an additional day. South Australia's Boxing Day equivalent (Proclamation Day) and some territory rules differ in detail, so check the state if you are in SA.
A naive rule ("weekend holiday, add the next Monday") gives Christmas and Boxing Day 2027 the same Monday and quietly loses a day off. The Tooltern calculator and the Anvil API both apply the walk-forward rule; we fixed exactly that clash in both in November 2026.
Anzac Day and Australia Day are different
- Anzac Day stays on 25 April. Whether a weekend Anzac Day brings an extra Monday depends on the state: in 2026 (Saturday) the ACT, NSW and WA add Monday 27 April; Victoria, Queensland, SA, Tasmania and the NT do not. NSW's extra Monday was declared for 2026 and 2027 specifically.
- Australia Day is a substitute in every state and territory: when 26 January is a weekend, the following Monday is the holiday instead and the weekend date itself is not a public holiday. The next weekend Australia Day is Saturday 26 January 2030, so the holiday is Monday 28 January 2030 (then Sunday 26 January 2031, holiday Monday 27 January).
Count it yourself
# 2027 in NSW: look for the two "(additional day)" entries in late December
curl -s 'https://api.oddlathe.com/v1/holidays?region=au-nsw&year=2027'
# working days in the Christmas week 2027 (Mon 27 to Fri 31 Dec, both included)
curl -s 'https://api.oddlathe.com/v1/workdays?region=au-nsw&from=2027-12-27&to=2027-12-31'
Or open Bank Holidays, choose your state and year, and the summary shows every additional day with its working-day count. Nothing leaves your browser.
Related
NSW public holidays 2026 · Matariki dates and NZ mondayisation · UK substitute days · Why countdowns are a day off · Bank holidays calculator · Anvil holidays API
Questions
Christmas 2027 is on a Saturday. Which days are public holidays in Australia?
In NSW and most states: Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 December stay public holidays, and Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December are additional public holidays.
What is the difference between an additional and a substitute public holiday?
An additional day is added while the weekend date stays a public holiday. A substitute day replaces the weekend date, which stops being a holiday for most people.
Is there an additional day for Boxing Day 2026?
Yes. Boxing Day is Saturday 26 December 2026, and Monday 28 December is the additional public holiday.
Does every state add a Monday when Anzac Day is on a weekend?
No. In 2026 only the ACT, NSW and WA add Monday 27 April. Other states keep only 25 April.
Why do some calculators show only one extra day for Christmas 2027?
They add 'the next Monday' to both Christmas and Boxing Day, so both land on 27 December. The correct rule walks forward past taken days, giving Monday 27 and Tuesday 28.
Published · updated .