According to Greek law every Sunday of the year is a public holiday. In addition, there are six obligatory, official public holidays: New Year's Day, 25 March, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, 15 August and 25 December. Two more days, 1 May and 28 October, are regulated by law as optional but it is customary for employees to be given the day off. There are, however, more public holidays celebrated in Greece than are announced by the
Ministry of Labour
The Ministry of Labour ('' UK''), or Labor ('' US''), also known as the Department of Labour, or Labor, is a government department responsible for setting labour standards, labour dispute mechanisms, employment, workforce participation, training, a ...
each year as either obligatory or optional. The list of these ''non-fixed'' National Holidays rarely changes and has not changed in recent decades, giving a total of twelve National Holidays each year.
A public holiday that occurs on a Sunday is not transferred to another date, with the exception of 1 May, which is regarded by the locals more as a ''general strike'' than a public holiday.
In addition to the national holidays, some public holidays that are not celebrated nationwide, but only by a specific professional group or a local community. For example, many municipalities have a ''patron Saint'' also called 'Name Day' or a ''Liberation Day'', and at this day is customary for schools to have a day off.
National holidays
Profession-specific holidays
Bibliography
* Tomkinson, John L
Festive Greece: A Calendar of Tradition'' Athens: Anagnosis, 2003,
*
tp://ftp.teiser.gr/Logistikis/Asfalistiko_Dikaio/6.pdf Τ.Ε.Ι. Σερρών, Τμήμα Λογιστικής
External links
*List of the various days envisaged as non-working days pursuant to Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 1182/71 of 3 June 197
{{Greece topics
Public holidays in Greece,
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
Events in Greece
Labour in Greece
Holidays
A holiday is a day set aside by Norm (social), custom or by law on which normal activities, especially business or work including school, are suspended or reduced. Generally, holidays are intended to allow individuals to celebrate or commemorate ...