Christmas Day in Sint Maarten
Christmas Day falls on December 25 and is an official public holiday in Sint Maarten. Local heritage documentation describes it as part of a longer Christmas season marked by family gatherings, decorations, food, gifts and church attendance.[1][2]
Legal status
Sint Maarten’s labor guidance lists Christmas and Boxing Day as public holidays and says public holidays are extra days off rather than part of an employee’s annual vacation. The guidance says the Vacation Regulation applies to employees working under a verbal or written working agreement, with some exclusions.[2]
A 2015 national ordinance also includes the first and second Christmas days among statutory holidays for specified parts of the law, including rules applying to work by civil servants on those days.[3]
Christmas on the island
The Government of Sint Maarten’s national inventory of intangible cultural heritage describes Christmas celebrations as usually extending from around December 1 to January 1. It records parties during the season, shopping in Philipsburg, decorated homes, Christmas trees and lights, and gifts exchanged among families, friends and colleagues.[1]
Church attendance is among the Christmas observances, alongside social and family activities.[1]
Food and drink are part of the season. The inventory identifies ham as a dish served on special occasions during the Christmas season, and notes that sorrel drink is mostly consumed during the Christmas holiday season.[1]
What to expect
Christmas Day’s public-holiday status does not mean every business has the same opening pattern. In a government notice for the 2025 Christmas season, the general rule under the National Ordinance on Shop Closure was that businesses in Philipsburg closed on Christmas Day. That notice granted a specific exemption for shops in Philipsburg to open from 6:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; it also listed categories such as pharmacies, bars and restaurants, hotels, airport and harbor shops, funeral parlors, gas stations and some bakeries as exceptions to the closure rule.[4]
That notice documents arrangements for one Christmas season, not a standing schedule for every year. Check holiday opening hours with banks, government offices and schools, and check public transport with the relevant provider before making plans.[4]
Frequently asked questions
When is Christmas Day in Sint Maarten?
Christmas Day is December 25. The Government listed December 25 as Christmas Day in its public notice for the 2025 Christmas season.[4]
Is Christmas Day a day off for employees?
The Government’s labor guidance lists Christmas as a public holiday and says public holidays are extra days off for employees covered by the Vacation Regulation, subject to the regulation’s scope and exclusions.[2]
Are shops open on Christmas Day?
Opening arrangements can vary. A government notice for the 2025 Christmas season stated a general shop-closure rule but gave an exemption for Philipsburg shops to open during specified hours. Check for a current notice before visiting.[4]
Which Christmas days are included among statutory holidays?
The first and second Christmas days are included among statutory holidays in specified legal provisions.[3]
Sources and references
Sources used for Christmas Day in Sint Maarten:
- First National Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) Inventory of Sint Maarten- Government of Sint Maarten
- 3. Vacation and Public Holidays- Government of Sint Maarten
- Landsverordening tot wijziging van diverse landsverordeningen in verband met de invoering van Constitution Day- Government of Sint Maarten
- MANDATORY BUSINESS CLOSURE AND EXEMPTION FOR SHOPS IN PHILIPSBURG ON ST. MAARTEN’S DAY (NOVEMBER 11, 2025), CHRISTMAS DAY (DECEMBER 25, 2025), AND NEW YEAR’S DAY (JANUARY 1, 2026)- Government of Sint Maarten