Public holidays in the Principality of New Eiffel, a micronation that was surrounded by the United Kingdom, were largely based around New Eiffel's state religion Christianity (Calvinism), the holidays and celebrations of England, and the philosophy that observing a large number of frivolous holidays would improve the mental well-being of citizens. At the time of New Eiffel's dissolution, the micronation was observing seventeen fixed public holidays, nineteenth unofficial holidays, and a further three local holidays that were celebrated in the cities of Plitvice and Új Repülő respectively. Due to the inconvenience of important dates in New Eiffel's history aligning with other public holidays (Independence Day takes place on 31 December, New Year's Eve), New Eiffel only observed a single historical public holiday—New Eiffel Unity Day, honouring the establishment of the Principality. During fixed public holidays, most businesses and non-essential services were closed; not all public holidays in the micronation were automatically non-work days.
None of New Eiffel's successor states—Republic of New Finland, Kingdom of New Finland—observed any fixed public holidays, although the residents of both micronations observed some of the holidays that were official in the United Kingdom. After the Principality of New Temporary (later New Eiffel) was established on 11 August 2018, founder Prince Zabëlle I began pondering ideas for holidays to be observed. A Calvinist, Zabëlle I chose to observe several Christian holidays, and also thought about observing frivolous holidays based on his personal philosophy that observing a large number of frivolous holidays would improve the mental well-being of citizens. On 5 December, New Eiffel adopted its first sixteen public holidays. Several more unofficial holidays were adopted between February 2019 to January 2020, with the adopting of further holidays becoming impossible due to the crisis in New Eiffel. New Eiffel dissolved on 1 November 2020.
Fixed public holidays exclusive to New Eiffel were Movie Day (28 May), Cat's Day (3 July), New Eiffel Unity Day (11 August), Dog's Day (28 August), Workplace Day (5 October) and Celebrations Day (18 November). Unofficial public holidays exclusive to the micronation were Day Before Winter (19 March), Cardboard Day (9 April), Extrovert Day (1 May), Gamer's Day (1 June), Ambivert Day (29 August), Women's Day (6 September), Men's Day (13 September), Eat a Hotdog Day (10 October), Introvert Day (23 November) and National Art Day (2 December).
Fixed public holidays
Holiday
|
Date
|
Years observed
|
Description
|
New Year's Day
|
1 January
|
|
Celebrated by making New Year's resolutions.
|
Shrove Tuesday
|
Moveable feast[a]
|
|
Penance and consuming pancakes.
|
Mother's Day
|
Fourth Sunday in Lent[b]
|
|
Honours mothers and motherhood. Celebrated by treating one's mother.
|
Good Friday
|
Friday immediately preceding Easter
|
|
Commended by attending Church services, praying and almsgiving.
|
Easter
|
Moveable feast[c]
|
|
Church services, easter egg decoration and easter egg hunts.
|
Movie Day
|
28 May
|
|
Celebrated by social gatherings of people watching films and the holding of film festivals.
|
Father’s Day
|
Third Sunday of June.
|
|
Honours fathers and fatherhood. Celebrated by treating one's father.
|
Cat's Day
|
3 July
|
|
Celebrated by treating one's cat and raising awareness for cat adoption.
|
New Eiffel Unity Day
|
11 August
|
|
Commemoration of the establishment of the principality. Often the Prince gave a speech.
|
Dog's Day
|
28 August
|
|
Celebrated by treating one's dog and raising awareness for dog adoption.
|
Workplace Day
|
5 October
|
|
Honouring workers.
|
Halloween
|
31 October
|
|
Celebrated by trick or treating, consuming sweets, social gatherings, visiting graves of loved ones and praying.
|
Firework's Day
|
5 November
|
|
Inspired by Guy Fawkes Night: celebrated by lighting or watching fireworks and bonfires.
|
Celebrations Day
|
18 November
|
|
A general day of goodwill. Celebrated by social gatherings and feasting.
|
Christmas Eve
|
24 December
|
|
Celebrated by gift giving,[d] holiday greetings, feasting, family gatherings and Midnight Mass.
|
Christmas Day
|
25 December
|
|
Commemoration of the nativity of Jesus: celebrated by symbolic decorations, family outings, feasting, prayer and karaoke.
|
New Year's Eve
|
31 December
|
|
Celebrated by lighting or watching fireworks, reflection, family gatherings, feasting, parting and counting down by popping balloons.
|
Unofficial public holidays
Regional holidays
Plitvice
Date
|
Name
|
Remarks
|
Regional Park Day
|
18 July
|
|
Új Repülő
Date
|
Name
|
Remarks
|
Anti-Alcohol Day
|
April 12
|
|
Új Repülő Day
|
June 1
|
|
- ↑ 47 days before Easter Sunday: the date can be between 3 February and 9 March inclusive.
- ↑ 21 days before Easter Sunday: the date can be between 1 March and 4 April inclusive.
- ↑ Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the Paschal full moon, which is the first full moon on or after 21 March (a fixed approximation of the March equinox).
- ↑ In New Eiffel, gifts are given on Christmas Eve rather than Christmas Day.