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The 11 major public holidays in Singapore reflect the cultural and religious diversity of the country. They include the Chinese New Year, the Buddhist holiday Vesak Day, the Muslim holidays Hari Raya Puasa and Hari Raya Haji, the Hindu holiday Deepavali, and the Christian holidays of Good Friday and Christmas Day. This represents a carefully calibrated distribution of public holidays among the religious and ethnic communities in the country. Because of this, certain special days traditionally celebrated by locals have not been given public holiday status. These include Christian holidays such as Ascension Day; Muslim holidays such as Awal Muharram and Mawlid, the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad; and Hindu holidays such as Thaipusam.
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The days observed as general public holidays in Singapore are declared in the schedule to the Holidays Act.[1] According to the Ministry of Manpower, which issues a yearly list of the dates on which public holidays fall, the holidays were "chosen and agreed upon after close consultation with different community and religious leaders in Singapore".[2] Other factors taken into account were the impact on business costs and statutory leave provided for under the Employment Act.[3] Thus, some religious holidays such as Easter Monday, Awal Muharram (the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad) and Thaipusam were removed from the list of public holidays to improve business competitiveness.[2]
There are generally 11 public holidays a year. However, every 32 or 33 years, Hari Raya Puasa is celebrated twice a calendar year. This occurred in 1968, 2000 and 2007, giving Singaporeans 12 public holidays in those years.[2]
If any public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following day which it not itself a public holiday is declared to be a public holiday in Singapore.[4] Thus, since National Day (9 August) in 2009 landed on a Sunday, the following Monday (10 August) was a public holiday. In 2010, as Chinese New Year was celebrated on Sunday, 14 February, and Monday, 15 February, the next day, Tuesday, 16 February, was also declared a public holiday. The President is empowered to declare any day to be observed as a public holiday in addition to or substitution for any day specified in the schedule to the Holidays Act, and may also declare any day in a year to be observed as an additional public holiday when in that year two public holidays fall on the same day.[5]
It is legal for employers to agree to give their employees other holidays in substitution for one or more public holidays.[6] No act or thing relating to any Government department or public authority, any judicial proceeding, any transaction, instrument or any other act or thing is rendered invalid where it is done or executed on a Sunday or public holiday.[7]
In September 2009, a campaign by Zuji, an online travel agent, resulted in 5,616 people voting for another public holiday. One of the reasons given by the company for organizing the campaign was that well-rested employees are more productive.[2]
| 2012 date[8] | English name | Chinese name | Malay name | Tamil name | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January[note 1] | New Year's Day | 元旦/新年 | Tahun Baru | புத்தாண்டு | |
| 23–24 January | Chinese New Year | 农历新年 | Tahun Baru Cina/Hari Raya Cina | சீனப் புத்தாண்டு | Date varies according to the Chinese calendar. |
| 6 April | Good Friday | 受难节 | Hari Jumaat Agung | புனித வெள்ளி | Date varies; this is the Friday before Easter Sunday, which is the first Sunday after the first Paschal Full Moon following the official vernal equinox. This Christian holiday commemorates the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. |
| 1 May | Labour Day | 劳动节 | Hari Buruh | தொழிலாளர் தினம் | Celebrates the economic and social achievements of workers |
| 5 May | Vesak Day | 卫塞节 | Hari Wesak | விசாக தினம் | Date varies according to the Chinese calendar (15th day of the 4th month). Celebrates the birth, enlightenment and parinibbana of Gautama Buddha. |
| 9 August | National Day | 国庆日 | Hari Kebangsaan | தேசிய தினம் | Celebrates the independence of Singapore. |
| 19 August[note 1] | Hari Raya Puasa | 开斋节 | Hari Raya Puasa | நோன்புப் பெருநாள் | Date varies according to the Islamic calendar. Celebrates the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. |
| 26 October | Hari Raya Haji | 哈芝节 | Hari Raya Haji | ஹஜ்ஜிப் பெருநாள் | Date varies according to the Islamic calendar. The holiday commemorates the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismael as an act of obedience to Allah. |
| 13 November | Deepavali | 屠妖节 | Hari Deepavali | தீபாவளித் திருநாள் | Date varies according to the Hindu calendar. The holiday celebrates the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after defeating the demon king Ravana and vanquishing of the demon Naraka by Lord Krishna. |
| 25 December | Christmas Day | 圣诞节 | Hari Krismas/Hari Natal | கிறிஸ்துமஸ் பண்டிகை | This Christian holiday celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. |
The following tables list school term holidays observed by all students in national schools.[9]
| Term | 2012 dates | Holiday after term |
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | ||
| Term 1 | 3 January – 9 March | 10 March – 18 March |
| Term 2 | 19 March – 25 May | 26 May – 24 June |
| Semester 2 | ||
| Term 3 | 25 June – 31 August | 1 September – 9 September |
| Term 4 | 10 September – 16 November | 17 November – 31 December |
| Semester | Term | 2012 dates | Holiday after term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | |||
| Semester 1 | Term 1 | 31 January – 9 March | 10 March – 18 March |
| Term 2 | 19 March – 25 May | 26 May – 24 June | |
| Semester 2 | Term 3 | 25 June – 31 August | 1 September – 9 September |
| Term 4 | 10 September – 23 November | 24 November 2012 – 6 January 2013 | |
| Year 2 | |||
| Semester 1 | Term 1 | 9 January – 9 March | 10 March – 18 March |
| Term 2 | 19 March – 25 May | 26 May – 24 June | |
| Semester 2 | Term 3 | 25 June – 31 August | 1 September – 9 September |
| Term 4 | 10 September – 30 November | 1 December – 31 December | |
| Semester | Term | 2012 dates | Holiday after term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | |||
| Semester 1 | Term 1 | 31 January – 9 March | 10 March – 18 March |
| Term 2 | 19 March – 25 May | 26 May – 24 June | |
| Semester 2 | Term 3 | 25 June – 31 August | 1 September – 9 September |
| Term 4 | 10 September – 23 November | 24 November 2012 – 6 January 2013 | |
| Year 2 | |||
| Semester 1 | Term 1 | 9 January – 9 March | 10 March – 18 March |
| Term 2 | 19 March – 25 May | 26 May – 24 June | |
| Semester 2 | Term 3 | 25 June – 31 August | 1 September – 9 September |
| Term 4 | 10 September – 23 November | 24 November 2012 – 6 January 2013 | |
| Year 3 | |||
| Semester 1 | Term 1 | 9 January – 9 March | 10 March – 18 March |
| Term 2 | 19 March – 25 May | 26 May – 24 June | |
| Semester 2 | Term 3 | 25 June – 31 August | 1 September – 9 September |
| Term 4 | 10 September – 30 November | 1 December – 31 December | |
The following table list scheduled school holidays observed by students in national schools.
| 2012 date[9] | English name | Chinese name | Malay name | Tamil name | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 July[note 2] | Youth Day | 青年节 | Hari Belia | இளைஞர் தினம் | |
| 10 August | Day after National Day | 国庆日隔天 | Hari selepas Hari Kebangsaan | தேசிய தினதிற்கு அடுத்த நாள் | |
| 7 September | Teachers' Day | 教师节 | Hari Guru | ஆசிரியர் தினம் | Date varies (first Friday of September); Celebrations are normally conducted the day before and students usually get half a day off. |
| 5 October | Children's Day | 儿童节 | Hari Kanak-kanak | குழந்தையர் தினம் | Date varies (first Friday of October); observed in primary schools only |
The following special days are observed or celebrated by significant segments of the Singaporean population, but are not public holidays.
| Date | English name | Chinese name | Malay name | Tamil name | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full moon day in Thai, 10th month of the Tamil calendar (mid-January – mid-February) | Thaipusam | 大宝森节 | Hari Thaipusam | தைப்பூசம் | Date varies according to Tamil calendar |
| 14 February | Valentine's Day | 情人节 | Hari Valentine | காதலர் தினம் | Originally the feast day of St. Valentine, a Roman Catholic saint |
| 15 February | Total Defence Day | 全民防卫日 | Hari Total Defence | முழுமைத் தற்காப்பு தினம் | 15 February 1942 was the date of the surrender of Singapore by the British to the Japanese and the start of the Japanese Occupation of Singapore. |
| 8 March | International Women's Day | 国际妇女节 | Hari Wanita Antarabangsa | அனைத்துலக பெண்கள் தினம் | |
| Sunday after first Paschal Full Moon on or after vernal equinox (22 March – 25 April) | Easter | 复活节 | Hari Easter (Paskah) | ஈஸ்டர் | Date varies according to a lunisolar calendar |
| 1 April | April Fool's Day | 愚人节 | Hari April Fool | முட்டாள்கள் தினம் | |
| 5th Solar Term (early April) | Qingming Festival | 清明节 | Perayaan Qingming / Cheng Beng | சிங் மிங் தினம் | Date varies according to lunar calendar |
| 2nd Sunday of May | Mother's Day | 母亲节 | Hari Ibu | அன்னையர் தினம் | Date varies |
| 18 May | International Museum Day | 国际博物馆日 | Hari Muzium Antarabangsa | அனைத்துலக அருங்காட்சி தினம் | |
| 5th day of 5th lunar month | Dragon Boat Festival | 端午节 | Pesta Kapal Naga | நாகக் கப்பல் பந்தயம் | Date varies according to lunar calendar |
| 3rd Sunday of June | Father's Day | 父亲节 | Hari Bapa | தந்தையர் தினம் | Date varies |
| 15th day of 7th lunar month | Hungry Ghost Festival | 中元节 | Hari Festival Hantu | பசிகொண்ட பூத விழா | Date varies according to lunar calendar |
| 1 July | Singapore Armed Forces Day | 新加坡武装部队日 | Hari Angkatan Tentera Singapura | சிங்கப்பூர் ஆயுதப்படை தினம் | |
| 21 July | Racial Harmony Day | 种族和谐日 | Hari Keharmonian Kaum | இன நல்லிணக்க நாள் | The first incident of the 1964 race riots in Singapore took place on 21 July 1964. |
| 15th day of 8th lunar month | Mid-Autumn Festival / Moon Cake Festival | 中秋节 | Pesta Kuih Bulan / Pesta Tanglung | திங்கள் விழா | Date varies according to lunar calendar |
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