Christmas Day in Fiji
Christmas Day is a public holiday across Fiji, observed on 25 December. For many people it is a Christian celebration of Jesus’s birth, marked by church worship, family visits, music and shared meals.[1][2][3]
Public holiday and weekend rules
Fiji’s Employment Relations Act names Christmas Day as a public holiday that must be kept in all workplaces. The Act also provides for public holiday pay: workers are generally paid for the hours they would normally have worked, and a worker who works on the holiday receives an additional single rate, subject to the Act’s conditions.[1]
If Christmas Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the Act makes the following Monday a public holiday. That rule gives the holiday a weekday observance in those cases; it does not mean every worker is necessarily off duty on 25 December.[1]
Christian roots in Fiji
Christmas commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ in Christian belief. Christianity took root in Fiji through early missionary work: three Tahitian teachers of the London Missionary Society arrived in 1830, and the Wesleyan Methodist mission began work in 1835. Fiji’s Christian history is one strand of a society that also includes other faiths and traditions.[2][3]
The holiday’s public meaning in Fiji can extend beyond church communities. A Fiji Government Christmas message describes it as a time of family, community and faith, and calls for sharing with neighbours and helping people in need.[3]
How people celebrate
Fiji’s Prime Minister has described Christmas celebrations that include church worship, carols, decorated trees, gifts, feasting and visits with family and friends. The same message recalls choirs visiting and singing, and presents the holiday as both a celebration and an occasion for worship and praise.[2]
The public messages support a picture of celebrations centred on faith, family and community, but they do not establish that every household follows the same customs. They also do not verify particular Christmas dishes or regional differences, so those details should not be assumed to apply across the country.[2][3]
Planning for the day
Christmas Day is a public holiday in Fiji, with workplace status and pay governed by law.[1]
The law recognizes that some workers may work on a public holiday and sets out additional pay for that work. Essential services and other employers may therefore continue operating; the legal designation alone does not tell visitors which particular services will be available.[1]
Frequently asked questions
Is Christmas Day a public holiday in Fiji?
Yes. The Employment Relations Act lists Christmas Day as a public holiday to be kept in all workplaces, with statutory public holiday pay provisions for workers.[1]
When is Christmas Day observed if it falls on a weekend?
If 25 December falls on Saturday or Sunday, the following Monday must also be a public holiday under Fiji’s Employment Relations Act.[1]
Are shops, banks and buses open on Christmas Day?
Check opening hours with government offices and banks before you go.[1]
What can visitors expect people to do for Christmas in Fiji?
A Fiji Government Christmas message describes church worship, carols, gifts, feasting and visits with family and friends. Customs vary, so ask locally about specific services or events.[2]
Sources and references
Sources used for Christmas Day in Fiji:
- Employment Relations Act 2007- Government of Fiji; hosted by the University of the South Pacific
- PRIME MINISTER HON. SITIVENI RABUKA’S 2023 CHRISTMAS MESSAGE- Fiji Government
- Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma- World Council of Churches