Updated 1 November 2026
The best days to take leave in December 2026 in Kenya are Monday 28 to Thursday 31 December: four leave days give you ten days off in a row, from Christmas Day on Friday 25 December to Sunday 3 January 2027. If you can only spare one day, take Thursday 24 December for a four-day Christmas weekend, or Thursday 31 December for a four-day New Year weekend.
Updated November 2026. Calculated with our Kenya leave planner from the dates in the Public Holidays Act (Cap. 110), assuming a Monday to Friday working week. The Act is on Kenya Law.
Why December 2026 needs careful planning
This year the calendar is not kind. Jamhuri Day (12 December) and Boxing Day (26 December) both fall on a Saturday, and Kenyan law only moves a holiday to the next day when it falls on a Sunday. So you lose the Monday off many people expect. The two weekday holidays left are Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, both on a Friday. Our guide to the December 2026 public holidays in Kenya explains the rule in full.
Best days to take leave in December, by number of leave days
| Leave days | Book these dates | You are off | Days off in a row |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thu 24 Dec | Thu 24 to Sun 27 Dec | 4 |
| 1 | Thu 31 Dec | Thu 31 Dec to Sun 3 Jan | 4 |
| 1 | Fri 11 Dec | Fri 11 to Sun 13 Dec | 3 |
| 2 | Wed 23 and Thu 24 Dec | Wed 23 to Sun 27 Dec | 5 |
| 3 | Tue 22 to Thu 24 Dec | Tue 22 to Sun 27 Dec | 6 |
| 4 | Mon 28 to Thu 31 Dec | Fri 25 Dec to Sun 3 Jan | 10 |
| 5 | Thu 24 Dec and Mon 28 to Thu 31 Dec | Thu 24 Dec to Sun 3 Jan | 11 |
| 7 | Tue 22 to Thu 24 Dec and Mon 28 to Thu 31 Dec | Tue 22 Dec to Sun 3 Jan | 13 |
| 9 | Mon 21 to Thu 24 Dec and Mon 28 to Thu 31 Dec, plus Fri 18 Dec | Fri 18 Dec to Sun 3 Jan | 17 |
The four-day option gives the most days off per leave day: 2.5 days of rest for every day you book. After that, each extra leave day still adds a day of rest, but no more.
Option 1: the ten-day Christmas to New Year break
Of all the best days to take leave in December, this block gives the biggest return.
Book Monday 28, Tuesday 29, Wednesday 30 and Thursday 31 December. Christmas Day and the weekend of 26 and 27 December come before, and New Year’s Day and the weekend of 2 and 3 January come after. You are back at work on Monday 4 January 2027.
This option suits people travelling upcountry or to the coast, since it gives you a full week after Christmas to travel and rest before the January rush. It also helps parents, because schools are closed for the whole period.
Option 2: a long Christmas weekend
If your office runs a skeleton team between Christmas and New Year, you may not get the 28 to 31 December slot. Book Thursday 24 December instead and you are off from Christmas Eve to Sunday 27 December. Add Wednesday 23 December for five days.
Option 3: a Jamhuri Day long weekend
Jamhuri Day is a Saturday this year, so the best you can do is take Friday 11 December for a three-day weekend. It is a poor return on a leave day compared with the Christmas options, so save it unless you have an event that weekend.
Option 4: the full festive season
If you have a large leave balance to clear before it expires, the best days to take leave in December are the whole run from 18 December: nine leave days from Friday 18 December give you seventeen days off, back on Monday 4 January. Check whether your employer lets you carry days forward first. Under section 28(4) of the Employment Act, the part of your leave beyond the two uninterrupted weeks must be taken within 18 months of the end of the year in which it was earned. Our guide to leave rights under the Employment Act has the details.
Tips for getting the best days to take leave in December approved
- Apply now. December requests often clash, and many managers approve them in the order they arrive.
- Offer cover. Agree with a colleague who will handle urgent work while you are away, and say so in your request.
- Know your balance and the value of the days. Our leave pay calculator shows what your leave is worth.
- If you must work on Christmas or New Year’s Day, check you are paid the holiday rate. See our guide to holiday pay for working on public holidays.
- Plan money before you go. Banks process transfers on working days only, so check bank and M-Pesa hours over the holidays.
If you work Saturdays
The table assumes Saturday is a rest day. If you work Saturdays, Jamhuri Day and Boxing Day are still public holidays for you, so you would be off on those days anyway, and you need to add any working Saturdays inside your break to your leave count. Count your own working days on the planner’s holiday table before you submit the form.
Related guides
Kenya Leave Planner 2026: Best Days to Book Leave
Frequently asked questions
What are the best days to take leave in December 2026?
Monday 28 to Thursday 31 December 2026. Four leave days give ten days off in a row, from 25 December to 3 January 2027.
How many leave days do I need for Christmas to New Year?
Four, if you book 28 to 31 December. Add 24 December to make it eleven days off.
Is there a public holiday on 14 December or 28 December 2026?
No. Jamhuri Day and Boxing Day fall on Saturdays and are not moved unless the government gazettes a change.
Can my employer refuse my December leave dates?
Your employer can refuse the best days to take leave in December if the business needs you, but it can agree the timing of leave with you, but the law still requires you to get your full entitlement, including one block of at least two uninterrupted working weeks in the leave year, unless your contract or a collective agreement says otherwise.
Where can I try other combinations?
Use our free Kenya leave planner. Pick December 2026 and the number of leave days you have.
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