With the end of 2026 approaching, attention is turning to the December Christmas holiday after a gap in public holidays in November. This year, Christmas Day on December 25 falls on a Friday, allowing a three-day holiday without any annual leave, and taking one extra day of leave on Monday, December 28, completes a four-day golden holiday.

■ Christmas on Friday the 25th... Three-Day Holiday Without Annual Leave

In November 2026, no legal public holidays fall on weekdays. After the Hangeul Day holiday in October ends, there are no weekday holidays to look forward to until Christmas.

In contrast, Christmas Day on December 25 this year falls on a Friday. The following day, the 26th, is a Saturday, and the 27th is a Sunday, creating a three-day holiday without any additional annual leave. For those working five days a week, this means a year-end rest opportunity extending from Friday through Sunday. Compared to November, the significance of this holiday is even greater. For this reason, the Christmas holiday starting on December 25 is drawing interest from office workers planning year-end rest or travel.

■ One Day of Annual Leave on Monday the 28th Makes a '4-Day Golden Holiday'

The rest period varies depending on whether annual leave is used. By taking one day of annual leave on Monday, December 28, workers can rest for four consecutive days from Friday the 25th through Monday the 28th. This is a way to extend the existing three-day holiday to four days with a single day of leave. Conversely, without using leave on the 28th, workers will enjoy a three-day holiday from the 25th to the 27th and return to work as usual on Monday.

■ Impact on Year-End Spending and Travel Plans

The Christmas holiday may also affect year-end spending and travel schedules. It provides relatively ample time for planning family gatherings, domestic trips, and accommodation bookings. In particular, the ability to extend the rest period by using one day of annual leave suggests it may align with year-end vacation plans.

■ Days Off Vary by Work Schedule

However, not all workers will get three or four days off equally. Shift workers, weekend workers, those in public services and certain service industries may have different actual days off depending on their work arrangements. The use of leave on the 28th also depends on each workplace's vacation policies.

There are no additional legal public holidays in December besides Christmas. This means the official year-end holiday opportunities are effectively concentrated on Christmas. The dates to watch on the 2026 calendar for December are the 25th and the 28th. If Christmas on Friday the 25th is the starting point of a three-day holiday, Monday the 28th is the day when one day of annual leave can complete four days of rest. Attention is focused on whether the December Christmas holiday, arriving after the holiday gap in November, can become a special time of rest to close out the year.

[Actual days off and availability of annual leave may vary depending on individual work arrangements and workplace regulations. This article was written with the assistance of AI.]