National and Provincial Public Holidays
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New Year鈥檚 Day |
January 1 |
Common ways to celebrate include counting down the seconds before midnight on New Year鈥檚 Eve, attending parties and festivals, and watching fireworks. |
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Family Day (Alberta) |
Third Monday in February |
Family Day is associated with no specific celebrations, although it was originally created to give people time to spend with their families. |
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Saint Patrick's Day |
March 17 | Initially a religious holiday to commemorate the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick鈥檚 Day has since evolved into a global celebration of Irish culture. |
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Good Friday |
Friday before Easter Sunday |
Good Friday is a Christian holiday and is part of a four-day 鈥淓aster Weekend鈥. |
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Easter Monday |
Monday after Easter Sunday |
There are several traditional ways to celebrate Easter, both religious and non-religious. Easter eggs and rabbits are common symbols of the holiday and many people celebrate by painting eggs or hunting for hidden, colourful eggs filled with candies and chocolates. |
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Victoria Day |
Monday preceding May 25 |
Also commonly referred to as the 鈥淢ay long weekend鈥, this holiday honours Queen Victoria鈥檚 birthday. It unofficially marks the start of the summer camping season, and many Canadians go camping or hiking on this weekend. |
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Canada Day |
July 1 |
Canada Day celebrates the birthday of Canada. Common ways to celebrate include attending barbecues, festivals, parades, and viewing fireworks. |
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Civic Holiday |
First Monday of August |
Also commonly referred to as the 鈥淎ugust long weekend鈥, there is no particular celebration associated with this holiday, but it is a popular time to go camping. |
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Labour Day |
First Monday of September |
Labour Day is the last long weekend of summer. No specific activities are associated with its celebration, but it is also a popular time to go camping or spend time outdoors. |
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Thanksgiving |
Second Monday in October |
Thanksgiving is usually celebrated by eating a turkey dinner with family or friends. Pumpkin pie is a favourite dessert. Many families will also take a moment to reflect on what they are grateful for. Canadian Thanksgiving is not to be confused with American Thanksgiving, which occurs in November. |
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Remembrance Day |
November 11 |
Remembrance Day honours veterans and members of the armed forces. Many people wear poppies on their lapels before and on Remembrance Day to show respect and support for Canadian troops. In some assemblies or ceremonies, a moment of silence is observed. |
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Christmas Day |
December 25 |
Christmas is a Christian holiday, however many non-religious Canadians observe it. Most families have their own traditions, but common ones include decorating a Christmas tree and exchanging gifts. |
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Boxing Day |
December 26 |
Boxing day is the day after Christmas. It is a popular day to go shopping, as there are often many discounts and sales offered by retailers. |
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Valentine鈥檚 Day |
February 14 |
In Canada, Valentine鈥檚 day is a celebration of love. Romantic partners will often spend time together on a date. Gifts of flowers and chocolates are common. Many school-aged children will distribute "valentines" or small cards to the students in their class. |
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Halloween |
October 31 |
Canadians often decorate their houses with skeletons, cobwebs and other 鈥渟pooky鈥 items for this holiday. Children usually dress up in costume and go 鈥渢rick-or-treating鈥 door-to-door, where they collect candy from neighbours. Adults may attend costume parties or visit haunted houses. In Canada, costumes can be scary, but they are just as likely to be based in pop-culture. |
Many other holidays and celebrations are also observed in Canada by families of different cultures, faiths, and traditions.