Holidays 2025: Reformation Day and Halloween combined in Schleswig!

Holidays 2025: Reformation Day and Halloween combined in Schleswig!

Today, November 1st, 2025, we celebrate not only All Saints Day, but also Reformation Day, which has been officially a public holiday in Schleswig-Holstein since 2018. On this day we remember Martin Luther's 95 theses, which he published on October 31, 1517 and which represented a turning point in church history. While Martin Luther fought against grievances in the church back then, the regional bishop Kristina Kühnbaum-Schmidt today emphasizes the current values ​​of freedom of conscience, education and shared responsibility that this holiday symbolizes. She describes Reformation Day as a meaningful gift in times of uncertainty that reminds us of what really matters.

Reformation Day is particularly celebrated in Schleswig-Holstein, with many churches and communities combining this holiday with happy events in order to appeal to young families in particular. For example, the scary cathedral tour in Lübeck or the “Reformaween” party in Sehestedt, which creates a clever connection between the Reformation and Halloween. Despite the festive mood, there are voices that take a critical stance. The Northern Trade Association is calling for the holiday to be abolished because of the economic impact on stationary retail, which is burdened by additional days off. Dierk Böckenholt from the trade association sees this as a distortion of competition in the online economy.

Holidays in Schleswig-Holstein 2025

Of course, Reformation Day is only one of ten public holidays that Schleswig-Holstein will offer in 2025. Nine of these holidays apply nationwide, while Reformation Day is the only holiday that is also on the program in the federal state. The holidays for 2025 are listed as follows:

A look at 2026

If you want to take a look at next year, 2026 will also have the same public holidays, supplemented by Reformation Day, which falls on a Saturday. Likewise, numerous special events will take place throughout the year, from Epiphany to Thanksgiving. Here are some dates at a glance:

It remains to be seen whether Reformation Day will continue to be discussed or whether the skeptics will prevail - but it is clear that the day is not only important from a historical perspective, but also plays an important role for many people today. So while some celebrate the holiday, others look at the loss of sales and the competitive situation.

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