Holiday schedules for co-parents: common ways to share them
Updated October 7, 2026 · General information, not legal advice
Most families use one or more of four approaches: alternate each holiday by year, split the day itself, give each parent fixed holidays that matter to them, and split longer breaks in half. Write down handoff times and the notice date for vacations so nobody has to negotiate each year.
Alternate by year
One parent has a holiday in odd-numbered years and the other in even-numbered years. It's simple and fair over time, but the children spend some holidays away from each parent.
Split the day
For example, one parent has the morning and the other the afternoon and evening, swapping each year. It works when homes are close, and means more handoffs on the day itself.
Fixed holidays
Each parent always has the days that matter most to them, such as Mother's Day and Father's Day, their own birthday, or a religious or cultural holiday.
Split longer breaks
Winter and spring breaks are often split in half, with the halves swapping each year. Summer is often shared in blocks, with each parent giving notice of vacation dates by a set date.
Put the dates in writing
Note handoff times, who chooses first in which years, and the notice dates. Those details are where disagreements usually start, and they're easy to forget a year later.
Try the custody schedule builder
Questions
How do we remember whose year it is?
Write it into your plan as odd and even years. Tandem shows the holidays on your shared calendar and can remind the right parent of yearly notice dates.
What if a holiday falls on the other parent's regular weekend?
Most plans say the holiday schedule overrides the regular schedule. If yours doesn't say, agree it in writing and add it to your plan.
Tandem puts holidays on the calendar for both homes and reminds the right parent about yearly notice dates.
Sources: Department of Justice Canada: create a parenting plan. Laws and official guidance change; check the source and speak to a lawyer about your situation.