Christmas Day in Djibouti
Christmas Day falls on December 25. Djibouti’s official gazette makes it a public, non-working and paid holiday across the republic.[1]
Legal status and history
Djibouti’s legal record establishes the holiday in a 1977 decree. Article 1 of Arrêté n° 77-609/PR/CAB adds December 25, Christmas Day, to the public, non-working and paid holidays in the Republic of Djibouti. The decree was published in December 1977, with the official journal listing its edition in January 1978.[1]
The Labour Code says public, non-working and paid holidays are set by law or regulation. It applies to employment relations across the country, but excludes people appointed to permanent public-administration posts, who are covered by the civil-service statute. The holiday decree describes Christmas as a holiday in the republic.[1][2] The Christmas decree names December 25 and does not state a substitute date if it falls on a weekly rest day.[1]
Religious meaning and local observance
In Christian tradition, Christmas is the celebration of the Nativity, or birth of Jesus; the Vatican’s liturgical reference identifies the feast with December 25.[4]
The official holiday decree establishes December 25 as a public, non-working and paid holiday in Djibouti.[1]
Work and practical planning
Djibouti’s 2019 weekly-rest order says paid public holidays are days when work is legally suspended. It bars employers from putting employees to work on paid holidays, except at establishments whose activity cannot be interrupted.[3]
The exception does not give a complete list of Christmas opening hours. Travelers and residents should check directly with the service they need.[3]
Frequently asked questions
Is Christmas Day a public holiday in Djibouti?
Yes. A 1977 decree makes December 25 a public, non-working and paid holiday in the Republic of Djibouti.[1]
When is Christmas Day observed?
Christmas Day is observed on December 25. The decree does not set a substitute date when the holiday coincides with a weekly rest day.[1]
Are banks, shops and transport open?
The law suspends work on paid public holidays but allows exceptions for establishments that cannot interrupt their activity. Check with each provider for opening hours.[3]
Sources and references
Sources used for Christmas Day in Djibouti:
- Arrêté n° 77-609/PR/CAB portant additif à l’arrêté n° 77-0347/INT/AA du 04 octobre 1977, réglementant les jours fériés chômés et payés en République de Djibouti.- Journal Officiel de la République de Djibouti
- Loi n° 133/AN/05/5ème L portant Code du Travail.- Journal Officiel de la République de Djibouti
- Arrêté n° 2019-193/PR/MTRA fixant les modalités d’exécution et les conditions d’aménagement du repos hebdomadaire.- Journal Officiel de la République de Djibouti
- Solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord or Christmas- Vatican News