United Kingdom Holidays

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This royal throne of kings, this scepter’d isle,
This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,
This other Eden, demi-paradise,
This fortress built by Nature for herself
Against infection and the hand of war,
This happy breed of men, this little world,
This precious stone set in the silver sea…

— Richard II

This tiny scepter’d isle has done more than any other to leave its mark upon the world. The United Kingdom spread its language to North America and Oceania, and its cultural norms to places as different as South Africa, India, and East Asia. To this day even Japan drives on the wrong side of the road due to Britain’s nebulous influence. (Although you could blame the Romans for this if you go back far enough.)

Unlike their American cousins, the Brits have ghastly amounts of vacation time to take at their leisure. [Rhymes with pleasure.] Thus, they feel no need to flood the calendar with extra holidays.

The only national public holidays are:

New Year’s Day (January 1)

Good Friday (Friday before Easter)

Easter Monday (day after Easter)

May Day (May 1 but observed 1st Monday in May)

Spring Bank Holiday (last Monday in May)

August Bank Holiday (last Monday in August)

Christmas (December 25)

Boxing Day (December 26)

But there are plenty of Regional Holidays and Celebrations:

Up Helly Aa (Scotland, last Tuesday in January)

Burns Night (Scotland, February 25)