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New Year’s Day
French Polynesia

New Year’s Day 2024, 2025 and 2026 in French Polynesia

French Polynesia celebrates New Year’s Day with a public holiday every 1 January, as does most of the rest of the world. However, the celebrations really begin on New Year’s Eve and reach a high point with the turning of the clock from 11:59pm on 31 December to midnight on 1 January.

YearDateDayHoliday
20241 JanMonNew Year's Day
20251 JanWedNew Year's Day
20261 JanThuNew Year's Day
Please scroll down to end of page for previous years' dates.

New Year’s Day is a time of resolutions and starting fresh for some, while for others it is spent recovering from a big, late night spent with friends and family.

Pre-eminently, new year’s events and traditions in French Polynesia are family-focused. The whole extended family is likely to get together. People will see friends and relatives whom they may not have seen for a year or more. Family feasts and parties are the norm, and even the kids are likely to be allowed to stay up until midnight.

Food is central at French Polynesian new year’s get-togethers. You will see a mix of local Polynesian cuisine and French culinary traditions. There will usually be a buffet, and everyone is supposed to toast in the new year with a glass of champagne just after the stroke of midnight.

Previous Years

YearDateDayHoliday
20231 JanSunNew Year's Day
20221 JanSatNew Year's Day
20211 JanFriNew Year's Day
20201 JanWedNew Year's Day
20191 JanTueNew Year's Day
20181 JanMonNew Year's Day
20171 JanSunNew Year's Day