New Zealand's flower-giving calendar, 2026 to 2028

January and February: summer's busiest stretch

The year opens with three dates close together, so florists in the larger cities often face a heavy few weeks.

• Waitangi Day: Friday 6 February 2026. In 2027 it falls on Saturday 6 February and is Mondayised to Monday 8 February. In 2028 it falls on Sunday 6 February, with Monday 7 February as the calculated Mondayised day.
• Valentine's Day: Saturday 14 February 2026, Sunday 14 February 2027 and Monday 14 February 2028. Two weekend Valentine's in a row mean most bouquets go to homes rather than offices. Our Valentine's Day guide covers timing in more detail.
• Lunar New Year: Tuesday 17 February 2026 (Year of the Horse), Saturday 6 February 2027 (Year of the Goat) and Wednesday 26 January 2028 (Year of the Monkey).

In 2027, Lunar New Year and Waitangi Day share the same Saturday, and Valentine's Day follows eight days later.

Autumn into winter: Easter to Matariki

• Easter: Good Friday 3 April and Easter Monday 6 April 2026; Good Friday 26 March and Easter Monday 29 March 2027; Good Friday 14 April and Easter Monday 17 April 2028 (calculated).
• Poppy Day: the RSA street appeal before Anzac Day. The RSA's event page lists 21 April 2027.
• Anzac Day: Saturday 25 April 2026, Mondayised to Monday 27 April. Sunday 25 April 2027, Mondayised to Monday 26 April. Tuesday 25 April 2028 (calculated).
• Mother's Day (second Sunday in May): 10 May 2026, 9 May 2027 and 14 May 2028. See our Mother's Day guide for ordering tips.
• King's Birthday: Monday 1 June 2026, Monday 7 June 2027 and Monday 5 June 2028 (calculated as the first Monday in June).
• Matariki public holiday: Friday 10 July 2026, Friday 25 June 2027 and Friday 14 July 2028. Te Papa explains that the date is the closest Friday to the Tangaroa lunar period during the lunar month of Pipiri. More in our Matariki guide.

Spring through to Christmas

• Father's Day (first Sunday in September): 6 September 2026, 5 September 2027 and 3 September 2028.
• White Sunday / Lotu Tamaiti (Samoan, second Sunday in October): 11 October 2026, 10 October 2027 and 8 October 2028. It is not a public holiday.
• Labour Day: Monday 26 October 2026, Monday 25 October 2027 and Monday 23 October 2028 (calculated as the fourth Monday in October).
• Diwali (main day): Sunday 8 November 2026, with the festival running 6 to 10 November; 29 October 2027; 17 October 2028.
• Christmas and Boxing Day: in 2026 Christmas is a Friday and Boxing Day a Saturday, observed on Monday 28 December. In 2027 Christmas falls on a Saturday (observed Monday 27 December) and Boxing Day on a Sunday (observed Tuesday 28 December). In 2028 they fall on Monday 25 and Tuesday 26 December (calculated). Our summer Christmas guide has seasonal ideas.

Regional anniversary days that can close local shops

Each province also has its own anniversary day. Employment New Zealand notes that these are generally observed on the Monday nearest the actual day, although local custom can move them. Local florists and offices may be closed, so a delivery planned for that day may need to move.

• 2026: Wellington Mon 19 Jan, Auckland Mon 26 Jan, Nelson Mon 2 Feb, Taranaki Mon 9 Mar, Otago Mon 23 Mar, Southland Tue 7 Apr, South Canterbury Mon 28 Sep, Hawke's Bay Fri 23 Oct, Marlborough Mon 2 Nov, Canterbury Fri 13 Nov, Westland and Chatham Islands Mon 30 Nov.
• 2027: Wellington Mon 25 Jan, Auckland Mon 1 Feb, Nelson Mon 1 Feb, Taranaki Mon 8 Mar, Otago Mon 22 Mar, Southland Tue 30 Mar, South Canterbury Mon 27 Sep, Hawke's Bay Fri 22 Oct, Marlborough Mon 1 Nov, Canterbury Fri 12 Nov, Westland and Chatham Islands Mon 29 Nov.

Canterbury's Friday holiday is worth noting if you are sending to Christchurch or elsewhere in Canterbury in mid-November.

What Mondayising means for a delivery

Employment New Zealand explains that Waitangi Day and Anzac Day are "Mondayised" (moved to the following Monday) when they fall on a weekend and the employee would not have worked that day. Christmas and Boxing Day are handled the same way, which is why late December 2027 has holidays on both Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December.

In practice, a Mondayised holiday can mean two quiet days in a row for florists and couriers: the weekend date itself and the Monday after. Weekend and public-holiday delivery is limited in many areas, so we suggest these simple habits:

• Order early in the day, and a few days ahead for Valentine's Day and Mother's Day.
• Pick a weekday delivery before the holiday rather than the holiday itself.
• Allow extra time for rural addresses with an RD number, which can take longer.