Days of the Year Calendar UK: Awareness Days and Fun National Days

October 7, 2026

Looking for an excuse to celebrate? Here are the best-known UK days, month by month.

Many 'national days' are informal and move year to year, so we've stuck to fixed or widely recognised ones. For uplifting dates, see feel-good days of the year: Feel good days of the year

January to March

1 Jan: New Year's Day
25 Jan: Burns Night. Ideas: Burns night ideas
Late Jan / Feb: Chinese New Year. View guide
13 Feb: Galentine's Day. Ideas: Galentines day ideas
14 Feb: Valentine's Day
Shrove Tuesday: Pancake Day. View guide
1 Mar: St David's Day. Ideas: St davids day ideas
17 Mar: St Patrick's Day
20 Mar: International Day of Happiness. View guide
Mothering Sunday (UK): three weeks before Easter

April to June

1 Apr: April Fools' Day
23 Apr: St George's Day. Ideas: St georges day ideas
Easter: moves each year
Early and late May bank holidays
Third Sunday of June: Father's Day
21 June (approx.): summer solstice

July to September

30 Jul: International Day of Friendship
Summer bank holiday (late Aug in England and Wales)
September: back to school
Autumn equinox (around 22–23 Sep)

October to December

1 Oct: International Coffee Day
31 Oct: Halloween
5 Nov: Bonfire Night. Ideas: Bonfire night ideas
11 Nov: Remembrance Day
Late Nov: Black Friday
30 Nov: St Andrew's Day. Ideas: St andrews day ideas
Hanukkah: dates vary. View guide
25 Dec: Christmas Day
31 Dec: New Year's Eve

Key things to remember

Add the days you care about to a shared family calendar.
Post cards a few days early for fixed dates.

Frequently asked questions

What national day is it today?

Check the month lists above for fixed UK dates; many informal 'national days' change yearly.

What are the UK patron saints' days?

St David's (1 Mar), St Patrick's (17 Mar), St George's (23 Apr) and St Andrew's (30 Nov).

What is a good example of days of the year calendar?

"1 Jan: New Year's Day" is one of 29 examples on this page. Pick the one closest to the tone you want, then add a specific detail of your own - a shared memory, a date, a name - so it reads as yours rather than copied.

Can I copy these messages word for word?

Yes. Everything on this page is free to copy, print and read out - no permission or credit needed. Changing one detail so it fits the person is all we would suggest.

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