National Day directly follows Commemoration Day – and there’s a public holiday for both. Commemoration Day is observed on November 30 but the public holiday for the private sector is on December 1.

With National Day 2022 straight after, it means people in the UAE get December 1-4 off.

That equates to a Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday this year.

National Day falls on December 2 every year, marking the UAE’s formal nationalisation. Independence from the UK and the Trucial States came in 1971.

Celebrating this breakaway moment normally includes massive firework displays, which last until Sunday.

This year, the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) birthday fell on Saturday October 8, which was a paid holiday for the private sector in the UAE.

Eid Al-Fitr 2022 started on Monday May 2 and lasted until Wednesday May 4, which meant private sector workers had three days off to start the week.

Arafat Day fell on Friday July 8.

And this was followed by the Eid Al-Adha 2022 began on Saturday July 9 until Monday July 11 meaning we enjoyed a four-day long weekend.