2024 UK holidays list presents for you a great way to plan out the year 2024 so that you can organize your work schedule to free up space for time with family and friends.
Team of 123NewYear are aware of how important personal life can be for people so they had taken upon themselves this painstaking task of creating a list of UK holidays so that you were aware of which holiday was on which day and date.
Take a look at the list below and see where you can fit in a long weekend or a just a day of blissful time with near and dear ones who deserve your time.
| Buddhist Calendar | Sikh Calendar | Hindu Calendar |
| Muslim Calendar | Christian Calendar | Jewish Calendar |
| Bahai Calendar | Rastafari Calendar | Zoroastrian Calendar |
| Pagan Calendar | Jain Calendar | Shinto Calendar |
| Name of the holiday | Date | Day of the week | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Year 2024 | 1st Jan | Tuesday | New Year being ushered in by the Big Ben is truly a sight that is worth watching. The pomp and show with which people of United Kingdom celebrate the New year is quite an amazing sight. | |
| Hogmanay | 1st Jan | Tuesday | This day is the extension of new year celebrations though the word literally translates to Last day of the year. Black bun whisky or salt among other options are considered great symbolic gifts to be exchanged on this day. | |
| Epiphany | 6th Jan | Sunday | Christmas decorations are a wonderful sight but beyond this day it is considered to bring bad luck so it must be taken down on or before this day. It is the 12th day after Christmas when 3 wise men referred to as Magi visited to bless baby Jesus. | |
| Orthodox Christmas Day | 7th Jan | Monday | Some Orthodox churches use the revised Julian calendar while others use the older version of the Julian calendar. December 25 is the Christmas in the revised version while this date is observed as Christmas Day by the Orthodox Christians who follow the older version. | |
| Orthodox new year | 14th Jan | Monday | Orthodox Churches followed the Julian calendar instead of the newer Gregorian but it was revised in 1923 which is more similar to the Gregorian Calendar. Orthodox Christians who still follow the traditional Julian Calendar celebrate this day as New Year instead of 1st January. | |
| Burns’ Night | 25th Jan | Friday | It is celebrated in the memory of the bard poet Robert Burns. Celebrations include the display of Scottish flag drinking whiskey and preparing authentic Scottish dishes like cock-a-leekie soup; haggis; neeps and tatties | |
| Tu B’Shevat (Arbor Day) | 21st Jan | Monday | Many Jewish communities across the United Kingdom observe it on the 15th day of the Jewish month Shevat by eating fruit and planting trees. Adults plant trees in the memory of loved one or friend while children also plant a new tree. According to traditions a boy plants a cedar tree and a girl plants cypress tree. | |
| Shrove Tuesday | 5th March | Tuesday | This day marks the last day before devout Christians start fasting during the period of Lent; time that Jesus spent in the wilderness. This event is also known as Pancake Tuesday or Pancake Day. Pancakes are made prior to this day and pancake events like pancake races are held. | |
| Ash Wednesday | 6th March | Wednesday | It is observed as the first day of a 40 day period known as Lent. Christians visit churches so that they can be cleansed before they start fasting. They bear the cross symbol on the head to show that they are repentant of all wrongdoing. | |
| Valentine’s Day | 14th Feb | Thursday | Many stories are related to this day from the pagan fertility festival to it being a day of remembrance for St Valentine. In modern times couples in love share this day to symbolize their love by exchanging gifts; cards and flowers. | |
| Chinese New Year | 5th Feb | Tuesday | Chinese people follow the Chinese calendar which is a lunar calendar. It is also known as the spring festival. China is located in the Northern Hemisphere and this is a time that marks the beginning of a new cycle of sowing and various farming activities. Celebrations include food and dance. | |
| Purim | 20th March | Wednesday | A royal death decree was announced against Jews around the 4th BCE. Jews across the united Kingdom celebrate this day to signify the escape of the Jewish community from certain death. | |
| St. David’s Day | 1st March | Friday | St David was a patron saint of Wales and thus is revered by all people belonging to the Welsh community. Celebrations involve special church services; choir recitals and parades. | |
| Mothering Sunday | 31st March | Sunday | It is celebrated on the 4th Sunday of the period called Lent. Traditionally this was a day when people returned to the Church where they were baptized and went to as a child. In modern times it has become a celebration of Motherhood where mother figures are paid respect to with gifts and special attention. | |
| St. Patrick’s Day | 17th March | Sunday | St Patrick a patron saint of Ireland was believed to be the one who banished all snakes from Ireland. This day is observed and celebrated to commemorate this great saint. | |
| March equinox | 20th Mar | Wednesday | There are two equinoxes around the year. This equinox announces the arrival of spring. It is also the day on which sun shines over the equator and the length of day and night become equal. | |
| Palm Sunday | 14th April | Sunday | Jesus’s triumphant entry into the city of Jerusalem is marked on this day. It also marks the beginning of the Holy week. The commemoration involves special services and making small crosses using palm leaves that are blessed by the priest and used to create ash for next year’s Ash Wednesday. | |
| Daylight Saving Time | 31st Mar | October | On this day clocks around United Kingdom move 1hour faster at 1 am. People also get 2 hours more daylight than usual. Sunset and sunrise will be 1 hour late. The day signifies the beginning of summer. | |
| Maundy Thursday | 18th April | Thursday | It is observed as the day of Jesus Christ’s last supper. Celebrations involve Monarchs handing out a red and white purse to selected senior citizens; men and women. Red purse contains allowance for provisions like clothing and the white purse contains Maundy coins to match the Monarch’s age. | |
| Good Friday | 19th April | Friday | This day is observed to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Special services are held in churches across the world. | |
| Holy Saturday | 20th April | Saturday | This day marks the end of the Holy week as well as the season of Lent. It is celebrated by some with Easter Vigil Services while some church hold services in complete darkness followed by candle lighting. | |
| First day of Passover | 19th April | Friday | The celebrations last for eight days. People spend Passover with family and friends with ceremonial meals called Seders. Some invite poor Jewish people who are weak or live alone. Certain communities also organize communal Seders. | |
| Easter Sunday | 21st April | Sunday | This day marks the celebrations for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. People attend special services at church which might be much more elaborate than usual Sunday services. Easter egg hunt are special events held on this day. | |
| Easter Monday | 22nd Apr | Monday | It is a holiday that is observed by all banks across United Kingdom except Scotland. It is the Monday after Easter Sunday. | |
| Last Day of Passover | 27th Apr | Saturday | This is the last day of Passover. It is celebrated by Jews who observe Passover for seven days unlike other who do so for eight days. Jewish people do not work on this day and commemorate this day with ceremonial meals called Seders. | |
| Yom Hashoah | 1st May | Wednesday | Also known as Holocaust Remembrance day it is day when Jews across the United Kingdom pay tribute to the people who died during the Holocaust period. | |
| Isra and Miraj | 3rd Apr | Wednesday | This day is observed on the 27th day of Rajab which is the 7th month in the Islamic calendar. It is observed by Muslims to commemorate the journey of Prophet Mohammad from Mecca to Jerusalem and his ascent to heaven. | |
| Yom Haátzmaut | 8th May | Wednesday | The independence day of Israel. This day is celebrated on the 5th day of Iyar a month in the Jewish calendar. | |
| St. George’s Day | 23rd April | Tuesday | The anniversary death of St George England’s patron saint. According to legend he was a soldier in the Roman army and is said to have killed a dragon and saved a princess. | |
| Shakespeare Day | 23rd April | Tuesday | It is observed to commemorate the life of the great Shakespeare and his literary works. | |
| Lag Ba’Omer | 22nd May | Wednesday | A traditional day of celebrations and joy for the people of Jewish community as it marks the end of mourning practices seen during the Omer period. | |
| Early May Bank Holiday | 6th May | Monday | Many stories revolve around observance of this day from pagan legends to commemorating the end of WW II. It is a bank holiday and also called May Day. | |
| Ascension Day | 30th May | Thursday | After his resurrection; it is believed that Jesus Christ met with his disciples for 40 days and on the 40th day he took them all to the Mount of Olives where they bore witness as Christ ascended to Heaven. This event is commemorated on this day with hymns and prayers. | |
| Ramadan begins | 5th May | Sunday | Ramadan is the ninth month of Islamic calendar when Muslims across the world hold fasts from sunrise to sunset followed by feasts called Iftar feasts. | |
| Pentecost | 9th June | Sunday | Pentecost is celebrated to commemorate the 50th day after Easter when the Holy Spirit descended from heaven and gave the Apostles the “gift of tongues’ to help spread the message of Jesus Christ among Jews across the world. | |
| Shavuot | 8th June | Saturday | It is one of the most important Jewish festivals. This festival is celebrated following Passover by 50 days. It also marked the beginning of the Wheat harvest. | |
| Whit Monday | 10th June | Monday | It was a bank holiday but since the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 the holiday has been moved to the last Monday in May. | |
| Trinity Sunday | 16th June | Sunday | Following Pentecost this day is observed to celebrate a doctrine rather than a historical event. It celebrates the Christian belief in Trinity – Father; Son and Holy Spirit. | |
| Corpus Christi | 20th June | Thursday | The name translates to Body of Christ. It commemorates the Last Supper before Jesus Christ’s crucifixion. | |
| Lailat al-Qadr | 31st May | Friday | It is believed to be the night when Allah revealed the Quran to Prophet Mohammad. This occasion is also known as “Night of Destiny” | |
| Eid-ul-Fitar | 4th June | Tuesday | This day marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. Muslims visit mosques and pray to Allah. It also marks the start of the month of Shawwal. | |
| Father’s Day | 16th June | Sunday | The third Sunday of June is observed as a tribute to Fathers and father figures | |
| Summer Solstice | 21st June | Friday | This is also known as the June Solstice. The sun’s zenith reaches the northernmost point from the Equator. | |
| Orangemen’s Day | 12th July | Friday | Celebrated as a bank holiday in Northern Ireland. It is celebrated to commemorate the Battle of Boyne. | |
| Tisha B’Av | 10th Aug | Saturday | Av is a month in the Jewish calendar and this day is observed on the 9th day of the same month. This day serves as a reminder about the oppression and suffering the Jews faced throughout history. | |
| Assumption of Mary | 15th Aug | Thursday | This day is observed by Christians who believe that the body of Mother Mary did not decay according to natural process after her death. They believed that instead it was ’Assumed” into Heaven to be reunited with her soul. Observance involves holding fasts and attending special services. | |
| Bakri Eid | 11th August | Sunday | Ibrahim was ready to sacrifice his own son and Muslims commemorate this day by sacrificing goats; cows and sheep. | |
| Summer Bank Holiday | 26th August | Monday | This day marks the end of the summer holidays when people of United Kingdom return to work or school. | |
| Rosh Hashanah | 29th Sep | Sunday | The new year of Jewish calendar. Many celebrate it for two days while some celebrate it for a day. It is the time when God reviews and judges the past year’s behavior. It is celebrated with meals and other celebrations. | |
| Muharram | 10th Sep | Tuesday | This is considered to be the month that starts the Islamic new year. Muslims may spend the day praying | fasting or getting ready to celebrate the 10th day of Ashura day mourning for Husayn ibn Ali Prophet Muhammad’s grandson. |
| Yom Kippur | 8th Oct | Tuesday | Considered to be the holiest day of the Jewish Calendar. It is also known as “Day of Atonement”. The day is usually spent fasting and praying. | |
| September Equinox | 23rd Sep | Monday | Second time in the year when the sun resides over the equator giving night and day equal length. It marks the beginning of Autumn season. | |
| First Day of Sukkot | 13th October | Sunday | It is considered to be a good time for Jewish people and marks the start of the Sukkot period a 7 day feast also known as Feast of Tabernacles | |
| Last Day of Sukkot | 20th October | Sunday | It marks the end of Feast of Tabernacles and special prayers and rituals are held to commemorate the day. | |
| Shmini Atzeret | 20th October | Sunday | Many Jews believe that the period of Sukkot reaches perfection on the eighth day. It is supposed to be the day when God judges the world for rainfall in the coming year. A special prayer is read during the services called “Teffilat Geshrem” | |
| Feast of St. Francis of Assisi | 4th Oct | Friday | St. Francis the founder of Catholic church’s Franciscan Order is remembered for his kindness towards animals and nature.Special services are held on this day to bless pets of all kinds cats; dogs and even tortoises. | |
| First Day of Hanukkah | 22nd Dec | Sunday | This day commemorates the victory of Maccabees over the Syrian Greeks. It is an important day for Jews who celebrate it with lighting a candle. This gives the festival the other name “Festival of Lights” | |
| Winter Solstice | 22nd Dec | Sunday | It is supposed to be the shortest day in the Northern Hemisphere and longest in the Southern Hemisphere. | |
| Christmas Eve | 24th Dec | Tuesday | It is the evening before Christmas. It is not a holiday but marks the final preparations that would be needed for a joyful and merry Christmas. | |
| Christmas | 25th Dec | Wednesday | Christmas is of great importance to Christians all around the world. It is the birthday of Jesus Christ. Celebrations include gifts; meals with family and friends along with lively and beautiful decorations that include a Christmas tree; fairy lights and much more. | |
| Last Day of Hanukkah | 30th Dec | Monday | Last day of a festival that commemorates the victory of Maccabees over the Syrian Greeks. It is celebrated with hymns and prayers. | |
| Boxing Day | 26th December | Thursday | Many stories revolve around this day but all of them involve boxes of gifts or food being handed out to employees or servants by employers. In modern times it has taken the shape of an important day for sporting events and beginning of post-Christmas sales | |
| New Year’s Eve | 31st Dec | Tuesday | This is celebrated as the last evening of the last month in the Gregorian Calendar. The celebrations signify the end of a year and beginning of the new year. |