Röd dag: what a Swedish red day is, and all of them for 2026 and 2027
| Day | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| NyårsdagenRed day | Thursday, 1 January 2026 | Friday, 1 January 2027 |
| Trettondedag julRed day | Tuesday, 6 January 2026 | Wednesday, 6 January 2027 |
| LångfredagenRed day | Friday, 3 April 2026 | Friday, 26 March 2027 |
| PåskdagenRed day | Sunday, 5 April 2026 | Sunday, 28 March 2027 |
| Annandag påskRed day | Monday, 6 April 2026 | Monday, 29 March 2027 |
| Första majRed day | Friday, 1 May 2026 | Saturday, 1 May 2027 |
| Kristi himmelsfärdsdagRed day | Thursday, 14 May 2026 | Thursday, 6 May 2027 |
| PingstdagenRed day | Sunday, 24 May 2026 | Sunday, 16 May 2027 |
| Sveriges nationaldagRed day | Saturday, 6 June 2026 | Sunday, 6 June 2027 |
| MidsommardagenRed day | Saturday, 20 June 2026 | Saturday, 26 June 2027 |
| Alla helgons dagRed day | Saturday, 31 October 2026 | Saturday, 6 November 2027 |
| JuldagenRed day | Friday, 25 December 2026 | Saturday, 25 December 2027 |
| Annandag julRed day | Saturday, 26 December 2026 | Sunday, 26 December 2027 |
- The date
- Set by law: lag (1989:253) om allmänna helgdagar lists the public holidays. Every Sunday is one too.
- Day off?
- By definition: a röd dag is an allmän helgdag, a public holiday, printed in red in Swedish calendars.
Swedish calendars print Sundays and public holidays in red, so Swedes call public holidays röda dagar, red days. The official term is allmän helgdag. They are set by a short law from 1989, lag om allmänna helgdagar.
Two things surprise newcomers. First, the three most important days, julafton, midsommarafton and nyårsafton, are not red days by law, but in practice almost everyone has them off. Second, Sweden does not move holidays: when a red day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, there is no extra day off by law, though some collective agreements give one.
How it works in practice
- Most offices, schools and authorities close. Shops, restaurants and public transport usually stay open, with Sunday hours, but many shops close or close early on julafton, juldagen, midsommarafton and nyårsdagen.
- Working on a red day often pays more: unsocial hours pay (OB-tillägg) under collective agreements.
- Many workplaces finish early on the day before a red day, especially before the big eves.
Words for Röd dag
Nouns are given with en or ett where you would use them that way. Words in our dictionary are linked, with their forms and pronunciation.
| Swedish | English |
|---|---|
| en röd dag | a red day, public holiday |
| en allmän helgdag | a public holiday (official term) |
| en helgdag | a holiday |
| en helgdagsafton | the eve of a holiday |
| en afton | an eve |
| en almanacka | a calendar, almanac |
| en kalender | a calendar |
| en flaggdag | a flag day |
| ledig | off work |
| stängt | closed |
| öppettider | opening hours |
| söndagsöppet | Sunday opening hours |
| OB-tillägg | unsocial hours pay |
| ett kollektivavtal | a collective agreement |
| långfredagen | Good Friday |
| Kristi himmelsfärdsdag | Ascension Day |
| pingstdagen | Whit Sunday |
| första maj | May Day |
Phrases you will hear
- Är det en röd dag i morgon?Is tomorrow a public holiday?
- Har affären öppet på röda dagar?Is the shop open on public holidays?
- Jag får OB-tillägg om jag jobbar på juldagen.I get extra pay if I work on Christmas Day.
- Det är stängt på långfredagen.It's closed on Good Friday.
Learn more Swedish
See every holiday and the full list of red days in the Swedish holiday calendar, and pick up one new word a day with the Swedish word of the day. Dates and weekdays are easier with our guide to days and months in Swedish and the Swedish numbers tool.
Sources
- Lag (1989:253) om allmänna helgdagar, Riksdagen: which days are public holidays.
Dates are calculated from the rules above and were checked against the law and published calendars. Last checked 7 October 2026. Customs vary between regions and families; this page describes the common ones.