Public/banking holidays in Singapore commemorate ten separate events and festivals, important to the nation, seven of the holidays being religious in nature, while the other three are “secular”.
The dates below are the official dates released by the Ministry of Manpower on 6th April 2016.
- 1st Jan 2017, Sun – New Year’s Day
- 2nd Jan 2017, Mon – New Year’s 2nd Day
- 28th Jan 2017, Sat – Chinese New Year
- 29th Jan 2017, Sun – 2nd Day of Chinese New Year
- 14th Apr 2017, Fri – Good Friday
- 1st May 2017, Mon – Labour day
- 10th May 2017, Wed – Vesak Day
- 25th Jun 2017, Sun – Hari Raya Puasa
- 9th Aug 2017, Tue – National Day
- 1st Sep 2017, Fri – Deepavali
- 25th Dec 2017, Mon – Christmas Day
New Year’s Day
People in Singapore celebrate New Year’s Day on 1 January every year, as in most of the countries using the Gregorian Calendar. Not all shops are open at their usual times at this day. On 31 December, New Year’s Eve, most of the people stay up past midnight and celebrate the countdown into New Year.
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year is the biggest and widely celebrated holiday in Singapore and Chinese community and around the world. In 2017 celebrations in Singapore begin a few weeks or even up to a month before the festival arrives. Families buy new clothes and clean their homes. The most significant part of this festival is the reunion dinner on New year’s Eve where families gather for a sumptuous meal at home or nowadays often in a restaurant.
Good Friday & Easter Sunday
On Good Friday Jesus Christ was put dead on a wooden cross. It is said that on the third day after his death, the scriptures, i.e. Bible, records his resurrection – of becoming alive again. And due to this on Easter Sunday, the Sunday following Good Friday.
Labour Day
Labour Day is a public holiday, also known in many places as May Day. It is the day that commemorates the eight-hour day for workers. In Singapore, the Labour Day Public holiday does not mean that shops close. On the contrary, often stores have Labour Day sales.
Vesak Day
Vesak Day is a holy day in Buddhism. On Vesak Day, it is common to decorate of temples with flags and flowers. The main theme of Vesak Day is to practice love, peace and harmony as taught by the Buddha.
Hari Raya Puasa
Hari Raya Puasa is celebrated at the end of the month of the festival called Ramadan also known as EID or Aidilfitri. For Hari Raya Puasa people thoroughly clean and decorate their homes and put on new clothes. The men often wear Kurta Pajama with kain samping (a short sarong), while the baju kurung in often worn by women. Early in the day on Hari Raya Puasa, Muslims go to the mosque to pray, then to visit the graves. In the evening at mosques, they recite the takbir.
National Day
Singapore’s National Day is the celebration of the Independence of Singapore from Malaysia on 9 August 1965. Two years earlier, Singapore, Sarawak, Malaya Federation And Sabah become Malaysia. On this Day National Day Parade is held on Marina Bay. There is also a speech by Prime Minister, fireworks National Anthem and following events and parties in the evening.
Hari Raya Haji
Hari Raya Haji, or sacrifices Festival, is celebrated by Muslims throughout the world. The festival is starts after 70 days of the month of Ramadan, on the 10th day of Islamic month of Dhul Hijja and lasts up to 4 days. Hari Raya Haji is also famous as greater Eid, Kurban Bayram, Eid al-Bakr and Bakrid.
Deepavali
Deepavali, or Diwali, is a festival that comes in the mid-October and mid-November. This festival celebrates light overcoming darkness known as Festival of Lights. Deepavali is a one day holiday in Singapore, it is the important festival of Hindu. The Common Saying is that Lord Ram came back after 14 years Banvas. Before Deepavali, people clean homes and celebrate it with fireworks at night and with lights and lamps.
Christmas Day
Christmas in Singapore is celebrated in surprising big style, considering that only one-sixth of the population is Christian. Singaporeans decorate the Christmas trees a little differently, often with candies, ribbon and teddy bears. In the evening people go church for praying and gatherings. On Christmas, people enjoy shopping and give gifts to each other.