A midweek National Day, a flexible holiday law, and a calendar quirk might just align to give UAE residents one of the longest weekends of the year.
National Day 2025 – The possibility of a very long weekend
The UAE will celebrate its 54th National Day on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, marking more than half a century since the unification of the Emirates. National Day, also called Eid Al Etihad, commemorates the 1971 federation of six emirates, with Ras Al Khaimah joining in 1972, and symbolizes the country’s independence from British treaties and the start of nationhood under Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. By law, December 2 and 3 are official National Day holidays across the UAE. In 2025, these dates fall on Tuesday and Wednesday, placing the celebration midweek. However, due to updates in the UAE’s public holiday law, there’s potential for this to turn into a much longer break. Here’s how it could play out:
- Commemoration Day is officially recognized on November 30, but is typically observed on December 1.
- If December 1 (Monday) is also declared a holiday, either in addition to or replacing December 3, residents would get a 4-day or even 5-day weekend when combined with the Saturday-Sunday weekend before it.
Nothing has been officially confirmed yet, but similar decisions in past years, and the UAE’s ongoing focus on improving work-life balance, make this scenario increasingly likely.
- Saturday, November 29, 2025 – Regular weekend
- Sunday, November 30, 2025 – Official date of UAE Commemoration Day(not typically a day off)
- Monday, December 1, 2025 – Observed Commemoration Day(could potentially be declared a public holiday)
- Tuesday, December 2, 2025 – UAE National Day (official public holiday)
- Wednesday, December 3, 2025 – Second official day off for National Day (may be shifted to Monday, December 1, under the public holiday law)
The law that could give UAE National Day weekend a 5-day break
In 2024, the UAE introduced a key revision to its public holiday law aimed at enhancing work-life balance. This legal amendment, announced in the summer of 2024, allows non-Eid public holidays to be moved to the beginning or end of the week if they happen to fall midweek or on weekends. The intent is to help residents benefit more from their holidays through longer, uninterrupted breaks.The official wording states:“With the exception of Eid holidays, the Cabinet may – pursuant to a resolution it issues – transfer any of the public holidays referred to in Article (1) of this Resolution to the beginning or end of the week.”
- The law applies to non-Eid holidays, including New Year’s Day, Islamic New Year, Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday (PBUH), and National Day
- The two major religious holidays, Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha, are excluded from this flexibility. If they fall on a weekend, they cannot be moved.
Previously, if a holiday like the Islamic New Year fell on a Sunday, already part of the weekend, workers in the private sector didn’t get an extra day off. For instance, in 2024, Muharram 1 fell on Sunday, July 7, rendering the paid holiday ineffective for many. Under the new rule, that holiday could now be shifted to a Friday or Monday, ensuring residents still benefit. In short: the National Day holiday falling midweek in 2025, combined with Commemoration Day on Monday, sets the stage for either a 4-day or 5-day holiday, depending on how the government chooses to apply this flexibility.
Commemoration Day – Its role in the holiday equation
UAE Commemoration Day honors the memory of Emiratis who have given their lives in service to the nation. While officially designated as November 30, but usually not with a public holiday, it has been observed on December 1 in recent years, especially when aligning with National Day schedules. Here’s why Commemoration Day matters in this scenario:
- If December 1 (Monday) is officially added as a public holiday in 2025, and paired with December 2 and 3, residents would get three consecutive weekdays off.
- Combine this with the standard Saturday-Sunday weekend (November 29–30), and the result is a 5-day break.
- Alternatively, a more probable scenario is that the Cabinet moves the December 3 holiday to Monday, December 1, effectively offering a 4-day weekend instead.
The UAE’s local governments also have discretion to declare additional public holidays not explicitly listed in federal resolutions. This means that emirates such as Dubai or Abu Dhabi could theoretically extend the break by adding Commemoration Day to the public holiday calendar as part of the National Day celebrations.
How the UAE celebrates National Day
UAE National Day on December 2 is always a big deal, and 2025 is set to be no different. Expect the skies to light up with fireworks and laser shows across landmarks like Burj Khalifa, Dubai Festival City, and the Abu Dhabi Corniche.Streets and buildings will be draped in the national colors, red, green, white, and black, and everyone from kids to grandparents gets into the spirit with festive outfits and flag displays. Traditional dances like Al Ayallah and Al Harbiya, along with poetry and music, bring the country’s heritage to life. In Dubai, the Rashid Boulevard parade steals the spotlight with marching bands, eye-catching floats, and surprise characters. The highlight, though, is the official celebration attended by the rulers of all seven emirates, a powerful show of unity and national pride.
Final word
While the official announcement is still pending, the calendar setup, holiday law, and past practice suggest there’s a good chance of an extended 5-day UAE National Day weekend. Whether it ends up being four or five days, UAE residents can likely expect a meaningful and festive holiday period this winter. Stay tuned for the official word, but maybe don’t book your December 1 meetings just yet.
