Mark these dates in your diary…

If working from home is getting too much recently, don’t worry as you’ll soon be able to relax for a few days. We have a guide to the full list of UAE public holidays for 2020.

Remember, Islamic holidays are based on the phases of the moon, so exact dates may vary – we’ll keep you updated closer to the time when the official holiday is announced.

May 22 to May 26 (days dependent on moon): Eid Al Fitr

Eid Al Fitr roughly means ‘breaking of the fast’ and is the holiday marking the end of Ramadan. It’s dependent on the sighting of the moon, and automatically begins after the end of Ramadan. The government has confirmed that both the public and private sector will be off work for five days, if 29 Ramadan falls on the Friday and you normally have Friday and Saturday off.

July 29 (dependent on moon) – Arafat Day

This holiday marks the second day of the yearly pilgrimage to Haj, and will likely mean a day off. It’s dependent on the moon, but likely to fall on Wednesday July 29.

July 30 (dependent on moon) – Eid Al Adha

The second Eid holiday honours Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son, we typically get three days off for this holiday – so combined with Arafat Day, we’ll likely get at least a four-day weekend, but it could be longer.

August 23 – Hijri, Islamic New Year

Islamic New Year in 2020 will be celebrated with a public holiday on Sunday August 23.

October 29 – Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) Birthday

The Prophet Muhammad’s birthday will be marked with a public holiday on Thursday October 29, 2020.

December 1 – Commemoration Day

Formerly referred to as Martyr’s Day, this holiday honours the Emiratis who have died while protecting their country. It falls on a Tuesday in 2020, and combined with two days off for UAE National Day, will mean a five-day weekend.

December 2 and 3 – UAE National Day

2020 will mark the UAE’s 49th birthday, celebrating the unification of the seven emirates in 1971. We’ll get two days off on Wednesday December 2 and Thursday December 3, so combined with Commemoration Day, will mean five days off for those that usually have Friday and Saturday as their weekend.

Images: Getty