China's 2024 Holiday Calendar Has Eight Make-Up Work Days

Vincent R. Vinci, Managing Editor | Oct 25, 2023 12:19 pm | Add a comment | 8691 reads

October is nearing its end and China’s official 2024 Holiday Calendar has just been released!

Three-day weekends are still big for next year (woo-hoo!) but so are weekend working days (boo-hoo!), with eight on the calendar for '24.

Read on below to see what’s in store, and don’t forget to (a) start filing for days off now; (b) forge a few sick leave requests so you can avoid turning up on a pointless weekend day; (c) rack your brains for relatives whose illness you can exploit for yet more time off.

January 2024: New Year’s Day
Saturday, Dec 30 to Monday, Jan 1
Make-up work days: None
The year begins with a bit of off time for the New Year holiday. There’s the weekend plus Monday, Jan 1 off, meaning you’ll have a day to nurse your hangover from ringing in 2024 the night before.

February 2024: Chinese New Year
Saturday, Feb 10 to Sunday, Feb 17
Make-up work days: Sun, Feb 4; Sun, Feb 18
The first of the make-up days of 2024 come with Chinese New Year, with one occuring prior CNY on Sunday, Feb 4, and one a day after on Sunday, Feb 18. Be ready for six-day work weeks before and after the holiday.

April 2024: Tomb-Sweeping Festival
Thursday, Apr 4 to Saturday, Apr 6
Make-up work day: Sun, Apr 7
Tomb-Sweeping Day was on a Wednesday this year, but it's back to a somewhat normal holiday schedule next year, with the holiday falling on a Thursday, but instead of a full four-day weekend, Sunday is an allotted make-up day, making for another six-day work week.

May 2024: May Day
Wednesday, May 1 to Sunday, May 5
Make-up work days: Sun, Apr 28; Sat, May 11
International Labor day arrives on a Wednesday for 2024 and goes through the whole weekend. But there’s no escape from make-up work, with a day before the holiday (Sunday, Apr 28) and one after (Saturday, May 11).

June 2024: Dragon Boat Festival
Saturday, Jun 8 to Monday, Jun 10
Make-up work days: None
One of the few holidays with no make-up work days tied to it. No work on Monday!

September 2024: Mid-Autumn Festival
Sunday, Sep 15 to Tuesday, Sep 17
Make-up work days: Sat, Sep 14
Mid-Autumn Festival is no longer close to National Holiday on the lunar calendar, so it’s back to the normal three-day weekend schedule. This time around, though, it’s Sunday to Tuesday off, with a make-up work day on the Saturday before the holiday.

October 2024: National Day
Tuesday, Oct 1 to Monday, Oct 7
Make-up work day: Sun, Sep 29; Sat, Oct 12
National Day falls on a Tuesday in 2024, which means the holiday will run until Sunday the following week. There’s a make-up working day prior to the holiday on Sunday, Sep 29 and on the Saturday after (Oct 12).

Check out the full calendar below and save yourself a copy!