Holidays

Information about our holidays and days of celebration or commemoration: when they are, how they came about and traditions around the world.

• New Years 1 January.
• Twelfth Night 5 January
• Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year) — Date varies between mid January and mid February
• Waitangi Day 6 February
• St Valentine’s Day 14 February
• St Patrick’s Day 17 March
• Easter — somewhere between 22 March and 25 April
• ANZAC Day 25 April
• Matariki — Māori New Year Pipiri / June
• Winter Solstice — the longest night
• Labour Day — the fourth Monday in October
• Halloween 31 October
• Guy Fawkes 5 November
• Armistice Day 11 November
• Cup and Show Week and Canterbury Anniversary
• Courage Day (International Day of the Imprisoned Writer) — 15 November
• Christmas 25 December