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Public holidays: the most predictable closures, forgotten the most

Every closure date of this year is already known today. Yet on public holidays, callers at many businesses get an ordinary voicemail, or worse: nothing. Arrange it properly once and you are set for years.

Updated 3 July 2026

One general greeting or one per holiday?

You have two options. A general holiday greeting names no specific day and lasts for years: record once, done. A specific greeting ("due to the national holiday") sounds more personal but needs its own recording per holiday. For most businesses the general version is the sensible base, possibly with a specific one for the Christmas period.

General holiday greeting
Welcome to [company name]. We are closed today for a public holiday. We will be back for you on the next business day. Feel free to leave a message and we will call you back then.
Christmas period
Welcome to [company name]. We are closed from [date] until [date]. We will be available again from [date]. We wish you a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year.

Let your phone system do the work

Many business phone systems have a time or calendar schedule in which you can set public holidays in advance: on those days the holiday greeting plays automatically, and everything switches back by itself afterwards. Ask your administrator or telecom partner whether your system supports this. That way, one session in January covers the whole year.

Getting ahead of the December rush

The Christmas period is the only closure that usually lasts longer than a day. Treat it as a short holiday: a greeting with concrete dates, an alternative for urgent matters, and the same message in your email auto-reply and on your Google Business Profile. Arrange it in November; in the second half of December you will have other things on your mind.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to buy a new greeting for every holiday?

No. One general holiday greeting without a specific day or date lasts for years. Only if you want to name a specific day do you need a version per holiday.

Can my phone system switch automatically on holidays?

Many business systems have a calendar or time schedule for this. The name and details differ per system; your administrator or telecom partner can set it up in minutes.

When should I arrange this?

The general holiday greeting: today, and you are done with it. The Christmas greeting with dates: November at the latest. The greeting itself takes minutes to create with us.

Arrange your holiday greeting once, properly

One general holiday greeting lasts for years. $24, free preview first, in the right format for your phone system.

Create your holiday greeting