With just a little over three months for this year to wrap up, we’re all eagerly waiting to know when the final holiday of the year is arriving. Of course, we know that the UAE National Day or Eid Al Etihad 2025 is falling on December 2. But when is the Eid Al Etihad break beginning? Is it a long weekend or a mid-day break – that’s the question of the day. No scratch that, question of the quarter. Right, so here’s the deal – there’s a chance that this year, Dec 2 and 3 – Tuesday and Wednesday will be off. But, according to the UAE Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024, there are provisions to give residents an extended holiday. And that’s exactly what we’re eyeing. So let’s break it down.
Long Weekend For UAE National Day 2025
So, what are the chances that we’d score a long weekend for Eid Al Etihad? Chances are pretty high, because the UAE sometimes does move holidays around, if the occasion falls bang in the middle of the week. So, this means that though UAE National Day is on December 2 (Tuesday), we may also get Monday, December 1 and December 2 off. And this means, we’ve been rewarded a 4-day weekend! Yes, long weekend!
Also read: UAE’s Next Public Holiday Is In Less Than 12 Weeks
Extended Long Weekend For UAE National Day 2025
Like, we’ve seen in the past for Eid Al Fitr holidays, there is also a provision for the government to extend our leave by a day. If this happens, then we’re in for a five-day weekend this UAE National Day! Don’t believe me? Let me grab my calendar. So, in this case, we’d get Monday, December 1 to Wednesday, December 3 off. Counting the previous Saturday and Sunday, it adds up to five days of holidays. Don’t we all just wish that this comes true? Anyway, we’d know closer to dates. So stay tuned to Gulfbuzz for all the details!
Mid-Week Holiday
Yes, I kept the least appealing option for the last, as most of you’d guessed it. But let me also add that this isn’t very likely, still let’s take a look at it. The mid-week holiday for UAE National Day 2025 basically translates to getting Tuesday, December 2 (the actual anniversary of the union) and the following day, Wednesday, December 3, off. In the past, this had been the case, but after the UAE public holiday law was passed, holidays have been rolling over a little.
Also read: Ramadan Is 6 Months Away – What Will 2026 Ramadan Look Like For The UAE?
Turn UAE National Day Holiday Into A 9-Day Break

With a little bit of calendar wizardry and shrewdness, it’s completely possible! All you need to do is take leave on December 4 and 5 (Thursday and Friday) if we’re in for a 5-day weekend, or take leave from December 3-5 (Wednesday-Friday) if we get a 4-day weekend. That way, we’ve transformed the public holiday into a 9-day vacation. Sweet deal, yeah? In case of the mid-week holiday, take leave on Friday, November 28 and Monday, December 1, and you get to plunge into a lavish 6-day break. Which is great too, if you ask me!
The exact UAE National Day or Eid Al Etihad holidays for 2025 may be pending, but why not go ahead and start daydreaming about where to set off to already? After all, it costs nothing!
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