Everyone apart from hardened workaholics enjoys a day off with the chance to relax, spend time with loved ones or celebrate a special occasion.
But there is a country in Asia topping a count of the most public holidays in the world, with at least 35.
The number arguably suggests people in landlocked Nepal love a shindig, with a slew of religious and secular holidays in their calendar, including Prithvi Jayanti and Indra Jatra.
In 2018, Prithvi Jayanti fell on January 11. It commemorates the birth of King Prithvi Narayan Shah, the first king of Nepal after its unification.
Indra Jatra is a religious festival celebrated in the Kathmandu valley, which marks the founding of the city.
Most of Nepal’s holidays are religious, including Maha Shivaratri, which in 2018 fell on February 13. It is when the Hindu deity, Lord Shiva, is celebrated.
Buddha Jayanti marks the birthday of the Buddha while Chhath is a holiday dedicated to the Hindu sun god that was marked on November 13 in 2018.
Nepal marks Christmas Day, too, as well as the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad.
The country has three calendars, with Vikram Samvat used as the national calendar as well as the Nepal Sambat and Gregorian versions.
Dashain is said to be the most popular festival in Nepal’s calendar, continuing for 15 days and marked by Nepalese Hindus.
Kukur Tihar, meanwhile, is a day dedicated to worshipping dogs as part of the Tihar festival of lights in Nepal, when cows are also celebrated by animal lovers.
It celebrates the triumph of good over evil and for followers of the Shaktism branch of Hinduism it marks the victory of the goddess Durga over a demon.
The number of public holidays in the UK varies from nation to nation, but for England and Wales there is a minimum of eight.
This is among the lowest in the world, though there is one less in the Netherlands, which counts seven, and two more than in the United States, where folks get a minimum of six public holidays per year.
Americans can get paid time off for New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and Independence Day.
Some US states have extra holidays, including Rosa Parks Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which celebrate the contribution of African-Americans to the US.
