This calendar lists the cultural, religious, shopping and national moments that marketers plan around in 15 Asia-Pacific and Middle East markets, from November 2026 to December 2027. Every date was checked on 18 October 2026 against a government holiday list or another reputable source, and dates that depend on sighting the moon, such as Ramadan and Eid, are marked as expected. The big anchors in 2027 are Lunar New Year on 6 February (7 February in South Korea), Ramadan from about 8 February, Hari Raya Puasa and Eid al-Fitr around 10 March, Deepavali on 28 October (29 October in India) and the 11.11 and 12.12 sales.
How to use this page
Scan the month you are planning for, then read the planning note and check the lead-time table before you brief. The markets covered are Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan, mainland China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, the UAE and Saudi Arabia. A date is listed only where an official or reputable source confirms it, so some local moments are missing until a reliable date is published. Holiday lists change, especially for moon-dependent dates, so recheck the official source a few weeks before you launch. The APAC festive marketing calendar guide explains how to localise the message for each season.
Key dates at a glance
- Lunar New Year: 6 February 2027 in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam; Seollal falls on 7 February in South Korea.
- Ramadan: expected to begin on 8 February 2027; Eid al-Fitr is expected on 9 or 10 March, and Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and India list 10 March.
- Eid al-Adha: 17 May 2027 in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and India; expected on 16 or 17 May in the UAE.
- Deepavali and Diwali: 8 November 2026 in India and Singapore; 28 October 2027 in Singapore and Malaysia and 29 October 2027 in India.
- Double-date sales: 11.11 and 12.12 every year, with 9.9 and 10.10 in the run-up.
- Black Friday: 27 November 2026 and 26 November 2027.
November 2026
| Date | Moment | Markets | Planning note |
|---|
| Sun 8 Nov | Deepavali (Diwali) | India, Singapore | Singapore gives Monday 9 November off to workers whose rest day is Sunday. In India, search interest in Diwali sales started surging in August. |
| Wed 11 Nov | 11.11 Singles' Day sale | China, Southeast Asia | Most Southeast Asian markets peaked on 11.11 in Criteo's double-dates data; plan market by market. |
| Sat 21 Nov | Year-end school holidays begin | Singapore | Runs to 31 December; family and travel content works through December. |
| Fri 27 Nov | Black Friday | Global online retail calendar | The day after US Thanksgiving (26 November). Cyber Monday follows on 30 November. |
December 2026
| Date | Moment | Markets | Planning note |
|---|
| Wed 2 Dec | National Day (Eid Al Etihad) | UAE | Public holiday on 2 and 3 December 2026. |
| Sat 12 Dec | 12.12 sale | Southeast Asia, China | The biggest double-date spike in Criteo's Southeast Asia data; Vietnam and Indonesia peaked on 12.12 rather than 11.11. |
| Fri 25 Dec | Christmas Day | Across the region; a public holiday in Singapore, India and Australia, among others | The Philippine season has run since 1 September. In Australia, Boxing Day (26 December) is observed on Monday 28 December. |
| Thu 31 Dec | New Year's Eve | All markets | New Year's Day, Friday 1 January 2027, is a public holiday in most of these markets. |
January 2027
| Date | Moment | Markets | Planning note |
|---|
| Fri 1 Jan | New Year's Day | All markets | Lunar New Year creative should already be in production. |
| Mon 4 Jan | School term begins | Singapore | Back-to-school content belongs in the year-end holidays. |
| Fri 22 Jan | Thaipusam | Malaysia (selected states) | A state holiday in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Johor, Negeri Sembilan, Perak, Penang and Selangor, not a national one. |
| Tue 26 Jan | Australia Day; Republic Day | Australia; India | Both are national public holidays. |
February 2027
| Date | Moment | Markets | Planning note |
|---|
| Thu 4 to Wed 10 Feb | Lunar New Year holiday period | Taiwan, Vietnam | Taiwan's government calendar gives seven days off; Vietnam's Ministry of Home Affairs has notified the same seven days for public servants. |
| Sat 6 Feb | Lunar New Year (first day) | China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam | Holidays differ: Hong Kong 6, 8 and 9 February; Singapore 6 and 7 February (8 February off if 7 February is your rest day); Malaysia 6 and 7 February; Indonesia 6 February plus collective leave on 5 February; a special non-working day in the Philippines. China's holiday dates are set by the State Council, usually in November. |
| Sun 7 Feb | Seollal | South Korea | A day later than in the rest of the region; the holiday runs 6 to 9 February, including a substitute day. |
| Mon 8 Feb (expected) | Ramadan begins | UAE, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, India | Expected date; the first day depends on the moon sighting in each country. Ramadan starts two days after Lunar New Year, so the two seasons overlap in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. |
| Sun 14 Feb | Valentine's Day | All markets | Not a public holiday. It falls inside Ramadan in 2027, so check the tone of Valentine's content in Muslim-majority markets. |
| Mon 22 Feb | Founding Day | Saudi Arabia | An official holiday every 22 February. |
March 2027
| Date | Moment | Markets | Planning note |
|---|
| Mon 8 Mar | Nyepi (Balinese Day of Silence) | Indonesia | National holiday. |
| Tue 9 or Wed 10 Mar (expected) | Eid al-Fitr | UAE, Saudi Arabia | The UAE's Astronomy Centre expects 9 March if the crescent is seen on 8 March, otherwise 10 March. |
| Wed 10 Mar (expected) | Hari Raya Puasa, Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Idul Fitri, Id-ul-Fitr | Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India | Singapore 10 March; Malaysia 10 and 11 March; Indonesia 10 and 11 March with collective leave on 9, 12 and 15 March; India 10 March. India's holiday order notes that the date may shift with the moon sighting. |
| Sat 13 to Sun 21 Mar | March school holidays | Singapore | Starts on the Saturday after Hari Raya Puasa. |
| Tue 23 Mar | Holi | India | Gazetted holiday for central government offices in Delhi. |
| Thu 25 to Mon 29 Mar | Holy Week and Easter | Philippines, Australia, Singapore, Indonesia, India, Hong Kong | Maundy Thursday (25 March) and Good Friday (26 March) are regular holidays in the Philippines; Good Friday is a holiday in Singapore, Australia, Indonesia and India; Easter Monday (29 March) in Australia and Hong Kong. |
April 2027
| Date | Moment | Markets | Planning note |
|---|
| Mon 5 Apr | Ching Ming (Qingming) Festival | Hong Kong, China | Statutory holiday in Hong Kong; China's holiday days are set by the State Council. A remembrance festival, not a sales moment. |
| Tue 13 to Thu 15 Apr | Songkran (Thai New Year) | Thailand | A three-day national holiday, listed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage in 2023; celebrations can run for a week. |
| Thu 29 Apr | Showa Day, start of Golden Week | Japan | Golden Week continues with national holidays on 3, 4 and 5 May. |
May 2027
| Date | Moment | Markets | Planning note |
|---|
| Sat 1 May | Labour Day | Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Philippines, China | China's May Day break is set by the State Council; in 2026 it ran 1 to 5 May. |
| Mon 3 to Wed 5 May | Golden Week | Japan | Constitution Memorial Day, Greenery Day and Children's Day. |
| Sun 9 May | Mother's Day | Markets that mark the second Sunday of May | Not every market uses this date; check local custom before you schedule. |
| Thu 13 May | Buddha's Birthday | Hong Kong | A week earlier than Vesak in Singapore. |
| Sun 16 or Mon 17 May (expected) | Eid al-Adha | UAE, Saudi Arabia | Arafat Day is expected on 15 or 16 May. |
| Mon 17 May (expected) | Hari Raya Haji, Idul Adha, Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid) | Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India | Indonesia adds collective leave on 18 May. Moon-dependent; recheck closer to the date. |
| Thu 20 May | Vesak, Wesak, Waisak, Buddha Purnima | Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India | Indonesia adds collective leave on 19 May. |
| Sat 29 May to Sun 27 Jun | June school holidays | Singapore | Family travel and activity content. |
June 2027
| Date | Moment | Markets | Planning note |
|---|
| Sun 6 Jun | Awal Muharram (Islamic New Year) | Malaysia, Indonesia; UAE expected 5 to 7 June | Moon-dependent. |
| Wed 9 Jun | Tuen Ng (Dragon Boat) Festival | Hong Kong, China, Taiwan | Statutory holiday in Hong Kong; check mainland and Taiwan holiday notices. |
| Sat 12 Jun | Independence Day | Philippines | Regular holiday. |
| Fri 18 Jun | 618 mid-year shopping festival | China | Named after JD.com's anniversary; the promotion runs for weeks, and JD's 2020 edition opened on 1 June. |
| Wed 30 Jun | End of the financial year | Australia | The income year runs 1 July to 30 June, and June is end-of-financial-year sales season: the Australian Retail Council and Roy Morgan forecast A$10.7 billion of EOFY spending in 2026. |
July 2027
| Date | Moment | Markets | Planning note |
|---|
| Wed 7 Jul | 7.7 sale | Southeast Asia | The first of the second-half double dates; use it to test offers ahead of 9.9, 11.11 and 12.12. |
| All month | National day build | Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia | Singapore (9 August), Indonesia (17 August) and Malaysia (31 August) all fall in August; patriotic content needs local review. |
August 2027
| Date | Moment | Markets | Planning note |
|---|
| Sun 8 Aug | 8.8 sale | Southeast Asia | Double-date sale. |
| Mon 9 Aug | National Day | Singapore | Public holiday. |
| Sun 15 Aug | Independence Day; Prophet Muhammad's Birthday | India; Malaysia, Indonesia, India | The Prophet's Birthday is moon-dependent. In 2026, India's Diwali search build started in August. |
| Tue 17 Aug | Independence Day | Indonesia | National holiday. |
| Tue 31 Aug | National Day (Merdeka) | Malaysia | Malaysia Day follows on 16 September. |
September 2027
| Date | Moment | Markets | Planning note |
|---|
| Wed 1 Sep | Start of the "ber" months Christmas season | Philippines | About 16 weeks before Christmas; the longest Christmas run-up in the region. |
| Thu 2 Sep | National Day | Vietnam | Public servants are off from 2 to 5 September. |
| Sat 4 to Sun 12 Sep | September school holidays | Singapore | Short break before the final term. |
| Thu 9 Sep | 9.9 sale | Southeast Asia | Opens the year-end double-date run. |
| Tue 14 to Thu 16 Sep | Chuseok | South Korea | Chuseok day is 15 September. |
| Wed 15 Sep | Mid-Autumn Festival | Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Chinese communities in Southeast Asia | Hong Kong's public holiday is the day after, 16 September. Plan mooncake and gifting content well before the day. |
| Thu 16 Sep | Malaysia Day | Malaysia | National holiday. |
| Thu 23 Sep | National Day | Saudi Arabia | An official holiday every 23 September. |
October 2027
| Date | Moment | Markets | Planning note |
|---|
| Fri 1 Oct | National Day and Golden Week | China, Hong Kong | China's break is set by the State Council; in 2026 it ran 1 to 7 October. 1 October is a statutory holiday in Hong Kong. |
| Sat 9 Oct | Dussehra (Vijaya Dashami) | India | Opens the last three weeks before Diwali. |
| Sun 10 Oct | 10.10 sale | Southeast Asia | Double-date sale. |
| Thu 28 Oct | Deepavali | Singapore, Malaysia | A day earlier than in India this year. |
| Fri 29 Oct | Diwali | India | Gazetted holiday in India's central government list. |
November 2027
| Date | Moment | Markets | Planning note |
|---|
| Thu 11 Nov | 11.11 Singles' Day sale | China, Southeast Asia | Peak day differs by market. |
| Sat 20 Nov | Year-end school holidays begin | Singapore | Runs to 31 December. |
| Fri 26 Nov | Black Friday | Global online retail calendar | The day after US Thanksgiving (25 November). Cyber Monday follows on 29 November. |
December 2027
| Date | Moment | Markets | Planning note |
|---|
| Thu 2 Dec | National Day (Eid Al Etihad) | UAE | In 2026 the holiday ran 2 to 3 December; the Cabinet can move non-religious holidays, so confirm the 2027 days. |
| Sun 12 Dec | 12.12 sale | Southeast Asia, China | Falls on a Sunday in 2027. |
| Fri 24 Dec | Christmas Eve | Philippines, Indonesia | Special non-working day in the Philippines; collective leave in Indonesia. |
| Sat 25 Dec | Christmas Day | Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Hong Kong, Australia | Australia observes Christmas on Monday 27 December and Boxing Day on Tuesday 28 December; in Hong Kong, employers may give 22 December instead of Christmas Day, and the first weekday after Christmas, 27 December, is a statutory holiday. |
Planning lead times
A date tells you when the moment happens, not when the audience starts deciding. Where public data shows when a season starts, the table uses it; the other windows are SOMIN's working rules of thumb for working back from the date, not measured industry averages. Read your own category data before you fix a launch date, as SOMIN did when it moved Pepsi India's festive content to an August-to-November build.
| Moment | When demand starts | Start planning | Go live |
|---|
| Diwali and Deepavali (India) | Google India saw search interest in "Diwali sales" surging as early as August | 16 to 20 weeks before (June to early July for 29 October 2027) | From August, about 12 weeks before |
| Christmas (Philippines) | The season starts on 1 September | June to early July, 8 to 12 weeks before the season opens | 1 September, about 16 weeks before |
| Lunar New Year | No public lead-time data; work back from the date | 12 to 16 weeks before (October to November 2026 for 6 February 2027) | 3 to 4 weeks before |
| Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr | Ramadan is a month-long window, and Google notes shopping activity increases as Eid approaches | 12 to 14 weeks before Ramadan (November 2026 for February 2027) | The start of Ramadan, with offers weighted to the last two weeks before Eid |
| 11.11 and 12.12 | Peak days differ by market | 8 to 10 weeks before | 1 to 2 weeks before, with teasers on 9.9 and 10.10 |
| 618 | JD's 2020 edition opened on 1 June | About 10 weeks before (early April) | Late May to 1 June |
| Black Friday and Cyber Monday | Fixed to US Thanksgiving | 8 to 10 weeks before (September) | The week before |
| National days (Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, UAE) | Fixed dates | 6 to 8 weeks before, with time for local review | 1 to 2 weeks before |
| End of financial year (Australia) | June sales season; A$10.7 billion forecast for 2026 by the Australian Retail Council and Roy Morgan | About 10 weeks before (April) | Early June |
Which dates depend on the moon?
Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, the Islamic New Year and the Prophet's Birthday follow the Islamic lunar calendar, and each country confirms them by sighting the moon or by its own calculation. That is why the UAE's expected Eid al-Fitr is "9 or 10 March" while Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and India list 10 March, and why India's holiday order allows short-notice changes announced through official channels. Build a buffer of one to two days into any Eid launch and keep a second version of time-sensitive posts ready.
Lunar New Year, Mid-Autumn and the other Chinese festivals follow the lunisolar calendar, so their dates are known in advance, but the official holidays around them are set country by country. South Korea's Seollal falls a day later than Lunar New Year elsewhere in 2027, and Hong Kong's Mid-Autumn holiday is the day after the festival.
FAQ
When is Lunar New Year 2027?
The first day of Lunar New Year is Saturday 6 February 2027 in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. In South Korea, Seollal falls on Sunday 7 February. Public holidays around it differ by market, from 6, 8 and 9 February in Hong Kong to 4 to 10 February in Taiwan.
When does Ramadan start in 2027?
Ramadan is expected to begin on Monday 8 February 2027, according to the UAE's Astronomy Centre and Saudi Arabia's Hijri calendar. The exact first day depends on the moon sighting in each country, so treat it as an expected date and recheck in late January.
When is Hari Raya Puasa or Eid al-Fitr 2027?
Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and India list Wednesday 10 March 2027. The UAE expects Eid al-Fitr on 9 March if the crescent is sighted on 8 March, otherwise on 10 March. Indonesia adds collective leave on 9, 12 and 15 March.
Why is Deepavali on different dates in India and Singapore in 2027?
Singapore and Malaysia list Deepavali on Thursday 28 October 2027, while India's central government list puts Diwali on Friday 29 October. The festival dates come from local calendars, so plan each market from its own official list.
How far ahead should brands plan for Diwali and Christmas in Asia?
Earlier than the date suggests. Google India reported that search interest in "Diwali sales" started surging as early as August, and the Philippine Christmas season starts on 1 September. That means planning in June or July and going live about 12 to 16 weeks before the day.
How often is this calendar updated?
The dates were checked on 18 October 2026, the date shown at the top of the page. Moon-dependent dates and holidays that governments have not yet published, such as China's 2027 holiday schedule, will change, so recheck the official source before you launch.
Sources
- Singapore: Ministry of Manpower, public holidays 2026 and 2027; Ministry of Education, school terms and holidays for 2026 and for 2027.
- Hong Kong: Labour Department, statutory holidays for 2027.
- India: Department of Personnel and Training, holidays for 2027, O.M. F.No.12/2/2023-JCA of 16 July 2026 (copy of the order), and holidays for 2026, O.M. of 3 July 2025 (summary).
- Malaysia: FMM circular GI/15/2026 on 2027 public holidays, citing the Prime Minister's Department.
- Indonesia: Ministry of State Secretariat, joint ministerial decree on 2027 national holidays and collective leave.
- Philippines: GMA News on Proclamation No. 1427 (2027 holidays); PTV News on the "ber" months.
- Taiwan: National Immigration Agency on the 2027 government calendar.
- Vietnam: Ha Tinh provincial government on Ministry of Home Affairs notice 11483/TB-BNV.
- South Korea: The Herald Business on the Korea Aerospace Administration's 2027 calendar.
- Japan: Cabinet Office, national holidays.
- China: State Council notice on the 2026 holiday schedule (Xinhua); JD.com on the origins of 618.
- Thailand: Tourism Authority of Thailand on Songkran.
- Australia: Tourism Australia, national public holidays; Australian Taxation Office on the income year; Roy Morgan and the Australian Retail Council on EOFY sales 2026.
- UAE: Khaleej Times on the UAE Astronomy Centre's expected 2027 dates; Morgan Lewis on 2026 UAE public holidays.
- Saudi Arabia: Saudipedia, official holidays; Jordan News on the Saudi Hijri calendar for Ramadan 2027.
- Shopping dates: Criteo double-dates digest; US Office of Personnel Management, Thanksgiving 2026 and 2027; timeanddate on Black Friday, Valentine's Day and Mother's Day.
- Demand timing: Google India on festive search; Think with Google on Ramadan.