Wirebook › Glossary › Substitute day
What is a substitute day?
In one sentence: A weekday off given in place of a public holiday that falls on a weekend, so the day off isn't lost.
A little more
When a public holiday lands on a Saturday or Sunday, many countries give a substitute day: a weekday off instead. In the UK, Christmas Day 2027 (a Saturday) and Boxing Day (a Sunday) become bank holidays on Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December. New Zealand calls this Mondayising.
The tricky part is when two holidays are next to each other. Each one must take the next weekday that isn't already taken, otherwise both land on the same Monday and a day off disappears. In most of Australia the weekend date stays a holiday too, and the extra weekday is called an additional day.
It's a bit like… Two people booked into the same cinema seat: the second one gets the next empty seat, not half a seat.