Christmas holidays 2026
Flanders
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Christmas holidays
The christmas holidays 2026 runs from 20 December to 4 January.
The Christmas break lasts about two weeks, from just before Christmas until early January. It is one of the few periods when all three Belgian communities follow virtually the same dates.
The break includes two major public holidays: Christmas on 25 December and New Year's Day on 1 January. Saint Nicholas Day on 6 December falls just outside this period, but the Christmas season itself revolves around family gatherings and togetherness.
For many families, it is also a moment to wrap up the past year and look ahead.
Activities during the christmas holidays
Christmas markets are the main attraction, with Winter Wonders in Brussels and the Ghent Winter Festivities as the most popular destinations. Ice rinks appear in many cities, including the striking rink on the Groenplaats in Antwerp.
For snow fun, families head to the High Fens or Signal de Botrange. The Atomium and Mini-Europe in Brussels are also popular with families spending the holidays in the city.
Many theatres and cultural centres programme special shows and Christmas concerts. The end-of-year period is also ideal for visiting the light festivals held in cities such as Ghent and Bruges.
Practical info about the christmas holidays
Many shops are open during the break, but on Christmas Day and New Year's Day almost everything is closed. Public transport runs on an adjusted schedule around the holidays, with less frequent buses and trains on 25 December and 1 January.
Childcare is available on a limited basis, as many organisations close between Christmas and New Year. Parents who need care should enquire early with their municipality.
The winter sales start on 3 January, making the final days of the break particularly lively in shopping centres.
Did you know this about the christmas holidays?
The Christmas break is one of the only school holiday periods where the three communities maintain nearly identical dates. This makes it the most "national" school holiday in the country.
Even after the 2022-2023 school reform in Wallonia-Brussels, the length of the Christmas break remained unchanged. The Christmas market tradition is relatively young: the first edition of Winter Wonders in Brussels dates back only to 2001.
Since then, it has grown into an event attracting more than two million visitors each year.