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St Stephen's Day

St Stephen’s Day 2023, 2024 and 2025

Saint Stephen’s Day is a public holiday throughout many cantons of Switzerland. The holiday falls on 26 December every year, and businesses tend to close down both for Christmas and Saint Stephen’s.

YearDateDayHolidayCantons
202326 DecTueSt Stephen's Day National except GE, JU, NE,
SO, VS, VD & ZG
202426 DecThuSt Stephen's Day National except GE, JU, NE,
SO, VS, VD & ZG
202526 DecFriSt Stephen's Day National except GE, JU, NE,
SO, VS, VD & ZG
202626 DecSatSt Stephen's Day National except GE, JU, NE,
SO, VS, VD & ZG
Please scroll down to end of page for previous years' dates.

Saint Stephen’s Day is basically like “second Christmas”. First Christmas is a bit different in Switzerland, where the angelic being “Christkindli” brings the gifts instead of the more familiar Saint Nick. And he doesn’t sneak in, but openly hands out the presents in front of a candle-lit Christmas tree.

On the day after Christmas, after having filled themselves already the day before with traditional Christmas delicacies, people traditionally sit around eating “Saint Stephen Day’s pie”, which is stuffed with turkey and ham.

Many may take time to relax and recover from the busy holiday season on Saint Stephen’s Day. It’s a good transition day between festivities and work as usual.

Previous Years

YearDateDayHolidayCantons
202226 DecMonSt Stephen's Day National except GE, JU, NE,
SO, VS, VD & ZG
202126 DecSunSt Stephen's Day National except GE, JU, NE,
SO, VS, VD & ZG
202026 DecSatSt Stephen's Day National except GE, JU, NE,
SO, VS, VD & ZG
201926 DecThuSt Stephen's Day National except GE, JU, NE,
SO, VS, VD & ZG
201826 DecWedSt Stephen's Day National except GE, JU, NE,
SO, VS, VD & ZG
201726 DecTueSt Stephen's Day National except GE, JU, NE,
SO, VS, VD & ZG