What if you could stretch your 10 days of paid time off (PTO) into an impressive 50 vacation days in 2025? With a strategic approach to public holidays, you can maximize your time off and enjoy longer breaks to explore Canada’s stunning landscapes — or venture beyond. While this guide focuses on the Canadian calendar, the same principle can be applied in other countries with similar public holiday structures.
The Strategy
It often feels like there’s never enough time to take all the vacations you want, especially when PTO is limited. This simple hack won’t give you extra vacation days but will help you align public holidays with your time off to create extended breaks.
Month-by-Month Guide
January
New Year’s Day: Wednesday, Jan. 1
To maximize your break, take off Monday, Dec. 30, and Tuesday, Dec. 31. This transforms your weekend into a five-day break (Dec. 28–Jan. 1). Then, extend it further by taking Thursday, Jan.
February
Family Day: Monday, Feb. 17
Take Thursday, Feb. 13, and Friday, Feb. 14, off to enjoy a five-day weekend (Feb. 13–17). Optionally, add Wednesday, Feb. 19, for an extra recovery day.
March
Good Friday: Friday, Mar. 29
Request Wednesday, Mar. 27, and Thursday, Mar. 28, or Monday, Mar. 31, off to enjoy a five-day weekend (Mar. 27–31).
April
Unfortunately, there are no federal public holidays in April. Use this month to plan ahead for May.
May
Victoria Day: Monday, May 19
Take Friday, May 16, off to create another four-day weekend (May 16–19).
June
No public holidays in June, so hang tight for July!
July
Canada Day: Tuesday, July 1
Take Monday, June 30, and Wednesday, July 2, off for an extended five-day break (June 29–July 2).
August
Civic Holiday: Monday, Aug. 4
Ask for Friday, Aug. 1, off to enjoy another four-day weekend (Aug. 1–4).
September
Labour Day: Monday, Sept. 1
Take Tuesday, Sept. 2, off for a four-day vacation (Aug. 30–Sept. 2).
October
Thanksgiving: Monday, Oct. 13
Request Thursday, Oct. 9, and Friday, Oct. 10, to turn this into a five-day weekend (Oct. 9–13). Optionally, add Tuesday, Oct. 14, for an extended break.
November
Remembrance Day: Tuesday, Nov. 11
Take Monday, Nov. 10, off for a well-deserved four-day break (Nov. 9–11).
December
Christmas & Boxing Day: Thursday, Dec. 25, and Friday, Dec. 26
Take Monday, Dec. 22, Tuesday, Dec. 23, and Wednesday, Dec. 24, off to create a full nine-day holiday (Dec. 21–29). If you’re lucky, your employer might even grant Dec. 30 and Dec. 31 as extra days off, giving you an extended holiday.
Why It Works Everywhere
This strategy isn’t limited to Canada. Many countries have public holidays scattered throughout the year. By aligning your PTO with national holidays, you can enjoy extended breaks no matter where you live. Just check your local calendar and start planning! For more on play Save this guide for later and share it with your travel buddies to start planning your epic 2025 adventures.
Final Tip
Start your PTO requests early to secure these optimal days off before your colleagues catch on. Happy planning, and here’s to more adventures in 2025! For more travel hacks and inspiration, follow me on Instagram @alexinthepeg.