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Update 9/2007: Outlook 2003 users can download the update at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/924423. You'll need to install the Holiday file using Tools, Options, Calendar options, Holidays. See the note below to avoid duplicate holidays. The update installs the same holiday file available here and in the Outlook 2002 update.

Update 2/1/2006: From Microsoft for Outlook 2002: Holidays through 2012 for Outlook 2002  This download will not install unless it finds Outlook 2002 SP3 installed.  The Holiday file download at the end of this article contains 2006-2012 holidays for all versions of Outlook.

Each version of Outlook includes 3 years of future holidays you can add to your calendar by going to Tools, Options, Calendar options, Holidays. Select the country (or countries) that has the holidays you want on your calendar and import. If you use a version of Outlook longer than 3 years or so, you'll need to find an alternate source for holidays. If you upgrade to the newest version of Outlook, go to Tools, Options, Calendar and Add Holidays again to get the newest holidays list installed. Click Yes when asked if you want to install the holidays again.
 

For Outlook 2000 and earlier versions, the list of holidays is stored in a text file named Outlook.txt, found in the language specific subfolders of the Office folder. Starting with Outlook 2002, the file is named Outlook.hol. You can edit this file using notepad or create your own holiday list.

The holiday list is in the format of [country or company name] # of lines of holidays, followed by one line per holiday, in the format of Holiday name (Subject),yyyy/m/d, as shown below. Save the file as Outlook.hol (or outlook.txt if you use Outlook 2000 or earlier), place it in the proper folder and import it from Tools Options, Calendar options, Add Holidays.

[United States] 120
Administrative Professionals Day,2003/4/23
Administrative Professionals Day,2004/4/21
Administrative Professionals Day,2005/4/27
Administrative Professionals Day,2006/4/26
Administrative Professionals Day,2007/4/25
Christmas Day,2003/12/25
Christmas Day,2004/12/25
Christmas Day,2005/12/25
Christmas Day,2006/12/25
Christmas Day,2007/12/25

If you don't want to create your own holiday file, you can download a holiday file from several Internet sites, such as Calendar Updates. There you'll find Holidays, your favorite sports team schedule, and other useful calendar appointments. (Next year's holidays will be available near the end of this year.)

Note: You will have duplicates for 2006 and 2007 if holidays for those years were previously added. Use the By Category view and delete the items in the Holiday category before importing to eliminate duplicates.

Outlook Holiday file - dates through 2007 - double click on this file to bring up the Add Holidays dialog. If the dialog does not come up (it may be hidden, use Alt+Tab to look for it), replace your Outlook.hol file with this file - it's in the Office folder at C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE\1033 for English versions - and install the holidays from Tools, Options, Calendar Options, Add Holidays.

Outlook 2000 holidays through 2007 (from Microsoft Downloads)

2006 - 2012 Holidays:

Holidays for 2006 through 2012 - Unicode version for Outlook 2002/2003. Double click to run in Outlook 2002 or 2003. Does not contain holidays prior to 1/1/2006.

For Outlook 2000/98/97 versions, use this file to add 2006-2012 holidays. Place in the proper folder (use search to find the original outlook.txt file, usually found at C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\1033), then use Outlook's Tools, Options, Calendar Options menu to install them. This is the same file as the one for Outlook 2002/2003 but is saved as ANSI format text and renamed to Outlook.txt.

If you use Outlook 2000 and are unable to import the Jewish Holidays for 2008 -2012, download this PST, open it in Outlook using File, Open, Personal Files and drag the holidays to your calendar.

Slipstick's Holiday Issues