The first reading of the draft Parliamentary Act that establishes Christmas Eve as a public holiday took place in the Sejm on 8 November this year. The draft assumed introducing of the solution as early as this year.

However, during the parliamentary work, the deputies decided that 24 December should be a public holiday from 2025. In addition, three Sundays preceding Christmas Eve would be shopping Sundays - instead of the current two.

Importantly, due to the amendment requested by the Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy, Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk, the Act guarantees trade workers every second Sunday free from work in trade (and trade-related activities such as laying out goods) in December. In practice, this means that they will work maximum on two Sundays in December.

Poles agree - Christmas Eve should be free

According to public opinion polls, the idea of the free Christmas Eve is supported by approximately 70 per cent of Poles (IBRiS survey of 18 November 2024 - 67.5 per cent of respondents support this demand; United Surveys of 25-27 October 2024 - 67.3 per cent of respondents’ support; SW Research of 30 October 2024 - 74 per cent of respondents’ support).

24 December in Europe

Christmas Eve is a statutory holiday in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Hungary.

Poland has 13 public holidays per year. Most EU countries have a similar number of days off per year. Bulgarians and Cypriots have 16 days off, Austrians, Slovaks and Slovenes 15 days, Italians 14 days.