Christmas Day in Belgium
View the global Christmas Day guide
Christmas Day is an annual holiday celebrated on 25 December.
Christmas Day is a Belgian statutory holiday on 25 December, called Kerstmis or Noël. The fixed date can require a substitute day in an undertaking when it falls on Sunday or another ordinary inactive day.
Christmas Day
Holiday
Belgium
Country
2026
Next Date Year
Friday
Day
Dec
25
December 25, 2026
Christmas Day Date in Belgium
Date
December 25, 2026
Day
Friday
Public Holiday
Yes
Bank Holiday
No
Date Confirmed
Yes
Christmas Day Dates in Belgium
Christmas Day 2026
- Confirmed
Christmas Day 2027
- Confirmed
Christmas Day 2028
- Confirmed
About Christmas Day
Christmas Day is one of the most widely observed holidays around the world. Traditions and public holiday arrangements vary by country.
History of Christmas Day
Christmas Day is fixed on 25 December and commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. It is the final date in Belgium’s statutory list of ten public holidays.
Importance of Christmas Day
Christmas combines Christian significance with a fixed statutory holiday and year-end operational planning.
How Christmas Day Is Celebrated in Belgium
Church services, family gatherings and seasonal customs shape Christmas observance. These practices are cultural and religious; the employment rules address work, pay and substitute rest.
Office Impact
Private-sector workers generally may not be employed on this statutory holiday, except where Belgian law permits Sunday work. The employer owes holiday remuneration and, where applicable, compensatory rest or a substitute day under the federal rules.
Bank Impact
The National Bank of Belgium publishes its own closure calendar and lists this observance for 2026. Commercial-bank hours and payment-system availability should be checked separately because the NBB list is not a universal retail-bank schedule.
School Impact
Belgium’s education calendars are community-specific. Families should consult the calendar for the relevant Flemish, French-speaking or German-speaking system and the individual school.
Travel Information
Christmas transport is governed by operator-specific holiday timetables. The statutory holiday list alone is not evidence of a particular service level.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Christmas Day in Belgium?
It is 25 December.
What if Christmas falls on Saturday or Sunday?
The substitute-day rule depends on whether the date is an ordinary inactivity day in the undertaking.
What are the local names?
Kerstmis and Noël.