Public holiday in Bulgaria
New Year's Eve in Bulgaria
Thursday, December 31, 2026
Nationwide public holiday
New Year's Eve in Bulgaria is the last day of the year, observed nationwide as a public holiday on 31 December. It marks the start of the country’s year-end celebrations and the transition into New Year’s Day.
About New Year's Eve in Bulgaria
In Bulgaria, New Year's Eve is the closing day of the calendar year and part of the year-end holiday period. It is observed nationwide as a public holiday, so it is widely associated with evening gatherings, countdowns and private celebrations rather than formal civic observance. The day also sits immediately before New Year's Day, which makes the two dates a combined holiday period in everyday life.
Traditions
A well-known Bulgarian New Year custom is сурвакане (survakane), in which children go from house to house with decorated cornel branches called survachki, tapping adults lightly and offering blessings for health and good luck in the new year. Households may prepare a celebratory meal for the evening, and the holiday is commonly associated with small symbolic foods and ritual wishes for prosperity.
How New Year's Eve is celebrated in Bulgaria
Many people celebrate the evening in family settings, at home with friends, or at parties and public events in towns and cities. As midnight approaches, people exchange greetings for the new year and mark the moment with music, toasts and fireworks where these are used.
Interesting facts
The Bulgarian custom of survakane is especially linked to the days around the New Year rather than to a separate religious observance. New Year’s Eve is followed directly by New Year’s Day, which is also a public holiday in Bulgaria.
Dates in published calendars
| Year | Holiday date | Observed date | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 31 Dec 2026 | — | Nationwide |
Import sources
- Generic ICS feed
An import is not an independent verification.