On Sundays and legal holidays, there is generally a universal observance of rest. All publicly visible activities that are likely to disturb this rest or that are inconsistent with the nature of Sundays and holidays are prohibited. The institution of Sunday as a day of rest and spiritual uplift is comprehensively protected; it is constitutionally guaranteed as a fundamental element of social coexistence and state order and is entrusted with legal protection. Individuals should be given the opportunity to observe the day according to their individual needs, free from the obligations and constraints of the workweek.

The following holidays are officially recognized in Lower Saxony:

• New Year’s Day,
• Good Friday,
• Easter Monday,
• May 1,
• Ascension Day,
• Pentecost Monday,
• October 3, German Unity Day,
• October 31, Reformation Day,
• Christmas Day,
• Boxing Day.

In addition, the “quiet holidays”—Good Friday, the second Sunday before the first Sunday of Advent (Remembrance Day), and the last Sunday before the first Sunday of Advent (All Souls’ Day)—are given special protection.