Your complete US + EU planning guide for every high-leverage retail moment in 2026

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How to use this calendar

This is a working document for ecommerce brands selling in US and/or EU markets.

Recommended workflow:

  1. Filter by your markets (US-only, EU-only, or both)
  2. Assign holiday owners to your team using @mentions
  3. Add checkboxes for prep tasks under each event
  4. Link to your content briefs, promo docs, and creative assets
  5. Set reminders 4-6 weeks before each major moment

Market indicators:

🇺🇸 = US market

🇪🇺 = EU/UK market

🌍 = Global/Both markets

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📅 2026 Key Dates at a Glance

Event Date Markets Prep Starts Type
New Year's Day Jan 1 🌍 Global Dec 1 Sales
Martin Luther King Jr Day Jan 19 🇺🇸 US Dec 20 Sales
Super Bowl Feb 8 🇺🇸 US Dec 15 Cultural
Valentine's Day Feb 14 🌍 Global Dec 20 Gifting
Lunar New Year Feb 17 🌍 Global Dec 20 Cultural
Presidents' Day Feb 16 🇺🇸 US Jan 10 Sales
Ramadan begins ~Feb 18-20 🌍 Global Jan 1 Cultural
International Women's Day Mar 8 🌍 Global Jan 15 Cultural
St. Patrick's Day Mar 17 🇺🇸🇪🇺 US/IE Feb 1 Cultural
Eid al-Fitr ~Mar 19-21 🌍 Global Jan 15 Cultural
Easter (Western) Apr 5 🌍 Global Feb 15 Gifting
Earth Day Apr 22 🌍 Global Mar 1 Cultural
Cinco de Mayo May 5 🇺🇸 US Mar 15 Cultural
Mother's Day (US/CA/AU) May 10 🇺🇸 US/CA/AU Mar 15 Gifting
Mother's Day (UK/IE) Mar 30 🇪🇺 UK/IE Feb 1 Gifting
Memorial Day May 25 🇺🇸 US Apr 1 Sales
Father's Day (US/CA/UK) Jun 21 🇺🇸🇪🇺 US/UK Apr 25 Gifting
Juneteenth Jun 19 🇺🇸 US May 1 Cultural
Independence Day Jul 4 🇺🇸 US May 15 Sales
Prime Day Mid-July 🌍 Global May 1 Sales
Back to School Aug 1-31 🌍 Global Jun 1 Seasonal
Labor Day (US) Sep 7 🇺🇸 US Jul 15 Sales
Halloween Oct 31 🇺🇸🇪🇺 US/UK Sep 1 Seasonal
Diwali Nov 8 🌍 Global Sep 1 Cultural
Veterans Day Nov 11 🇺🇸 US Oct 1 Cultural
Singles' Day Nov 11 🌍 Global Sep 15 Sales
Thanksgiving Nov 26 🇺🇸 US Sep 1 Sales
Black Friday Nov 27 🌍 Global Sep 1 Sales
Cyber Monday Nov 30 🌍 Global Sep 1 Sales
Giving Tuesday Dec 1 🌍 Global Oct 1 Cultural
St. Nicholas Day Dec 6 🇪🇺 EU Oct 15 Cultural
Christmas Dec 25 🌍 Global Sep 1 Gifting
Boxing Day Dec 26 🇪🇺 UK/CA/AU Nov 1 Sales
New Year's Eve Dec 31 🌍 Global Nov 15 Seasonal

🎯 Holiday Types Quick Filter

Major Gifting Holidays: Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Diwali, Christmas, Eid

Cultural/Community Holidays: Lunar New Year, Ramadan/Eid, Diwali, International Women's Day, Juneteenth

Major Sale Windows: MLK Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Singles' Day, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Boxing Day

Seasonal Transitions: Spring (March), Summer (June), Back to School (August), Fall (September), Holiday (November-December)