Happy Ascension Day – do you know the Danish public holidays?

Another spring holiday is upon us in Denmark, and this time it is one celebrated in many countries: Ascension Day. If you are employed with a company that has entered into a collective agreement with Finansforbundet, the day after Ascension Day, i.e. Friday, will also be a day off work for you.

The following ten days are public holidays in Denmark: New Year's Day, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, Ascension Day, Whit Sunday, Whit Monday, Christmas Day, Boxing Day.

Christmas Eve (24 December), New Year's Eve (31 December) and 1 May, however, are not officially public holidays. But if you are employed with a company that has entered into a collective agreement with Finansforbundet, the first two days will also be days off work for you.

Special holiday in Denmark

The most unique public holiday in Denmark, Great Prayer Day, held on the fourth Friday after Easter, was introduced in 1686 and abolished as a public holiday as of 2024; there is, however, widespread demand for its reinstatement.

Whit Monday is celebrated in many places, but unlike in many other countries, it is a widely observed public holiday in Denmark. 

Constitution Day on 5 June, which is the day on which Denmark’s first constitution was signed in 1849, is not officially a public holiday, but many people have the day or half a day off. And once again, if you are employed with a company that has entered into a collective agreement with Finansforbundet, it will be a day off work for you. 

That is because you are typically entitled to time off with full pay on a total of four additional public holidays each year – worth more than DKK 12,000 a year if you were to buy them yourself.