Google Calendar can show holidays automatically or let you add them manually

Google Calendar comes with a built-in holiday calendar for your country that you can turn on in settings. If you want holidays from a different country, or if you want to add custom holidays that matter to your team or family, you can add them as individual events or subscribe to a separate holiday calendar. The method you choose depends on whether you want Google's standard list or something more specific to your situation.

Most people start by enabling their country's official holidays, which appear in a light gray color and do not block your availability when others try to schedule time with you. From there, you can layer in additional calendars or create one-off events for holidays that matter to your specific group.

Key Takeaways

  • Your country's official holidays appear automatically in Google Calendar once you enable the holiday calendar in Settings.
  • To see holidays from a different country, go to Settings, find "Other calendars," and add that country's holiday calendar by name.
  • You can create individual holiday events by clicking on a date and typing the holiday name, then marking it as an all-day event.
  • Shared calendars and team members can see holidays you add, so custom holidays work well for coordinating days off across a group.

Turn on your country's built-in holiday calendar

Google Calendar includes a holiday calendar for most countries that is turned off by default. To enable it, open Google Calendar on a computer, click the gear icon in the top right, and select "Settings." On the left side, click "Other calendars," then scroll down to find "Holidays in [Your Country]." Click the plus sign next to it to add it to your calendar.

Once added, holidays will appear on your calendar in a light gray color and will not block your availability in scheduling tools. If you move to a different country or want to see holidays from multiple countries, you can add more than one holiday calendar using the same method. Each country's holidays will appear in a separate calendar you can toggle on or off.

Add holidays from a different country

If you need to see holidays from a country other than your own, go to Settings and click "Other calendars" on the left. Under "Subscribe to calendar," paste the calendar name or search for it. Google maintains holiday calendars for most countries; typing "Holidays in France" or "Holidays in Japan" will usually find the right one.

After you subscribe, that country's holidays will appear on your calendar. You can rename the calendar, change its color, or remove it later by right-clicking on it in the left sidebar and selecting the option you want. This is useful if you work with international teams or observe holidays from multiple cultures.

Create a custom holiday event manually

To add a holiday that is not on Google's standard list—such as a company anniversary, religious observance, or family milestone—click on the date where you want to add it. Type the holiday name in the box that appears, then click "Create event." In the event details, check the "All day" box so it does not take up a time slot on your calendar.

You can add a description, set a color, or choose who can see the event. If you want the holiday to repeat every year, click "Does not repeat" and select "Yearly" from the dropdown. This way, the holiday will automatically appear on the same date each year without you having to recreate it.

Share custom holidays with your team or family

When you add a custom holiday to a calendar you share with others, they will see it on their own view of that calendar. If you manage a team calendar or a family calendar, adding holidays there means everyone with access will see them. This prevents scheduling conflicts and keeps everyone aware of days when the group will not be working or available.

To share a calendar, go to Settings, find the calendar you want to share, and click "Share with specific people." Add the email addresses of the people you want to see your holidays, and choose whether they can only view the calendar or also edit it. If they can edit, they can add their own holidays to the shared calendar as well.

Use a public holiday calendar URL if you need more control

Some organizations and communities maintain public holiday calendars that you can subscribe to by URL. If you have a link to a calendar file (usually ending in .ics), you can add it to Google Calendar by going to Settings, clicking "Other calendars," and selecting "Subscribe to calendar." Paste the URL and click "Subscribe."

This method works for specialized calendars like school district calendars, religious holiday calendars, or industry-specific observances. The calendar will update automatically if the source makes changes, so you do not have to manually refresh it each year.

Remove or hide holidays you do not need

If a holiday calendar is cluttering your view, you can hide it without removing it. In the left sidebar under "Other calendars," hover over the calendar name and click the three dots, then select "Hide." The calendar will disappear from your view but remain in your settings, so you can turn it back on later.

To permanently remove a holiday calendar, click the three dots next to it and select "Unsubscribe." This will delete it from your calendar list. You can always add it back later using the same method you used to add it the first time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are holidays not showing up on my Google Calendar?

The holiday calendar for your country is off by default. Go to Settings, click "Other calendars," and look for "Holidays in [Your Country]." Click the plus sign to turn it on. If you still do not see them, make sure the calendar is not hidden by checking the left sidebar.

Can I add the same holiday to multiple calendars?

Yes. You can create the same holiday event on different calendars by clicking the date, creating the event, and choosing which calendar to save it to. If you want it to appear on a shared calendar and your personal calendar, you can create it twice or move it after creating it.

What happens if I add a holiday to a calendar someone else owns?

You can only add events to a shared calendar if the owner gave you edit permission. If you have view-only access, you will not be able to add holidays. Ask the calendar owner to change your permission level if you need to add events.

Do holidays show up in Google Calendar notifications?

Holidays do not send notifications by default. If you want a reminder for a specific holiday, open the event, click "Edit," and set a notification time. You can choose to be notified by email or pop-up notification at any time before the holiday.

Can I see holidays on the Google Calendar mobile app?

Yes. Any holiday calendar you add on the web version will appear on the mobile app automatically. You can toggle calendars on and off in the mobile app the same way you do on the web by tapping the menu and checking or unchecking calendar names.