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BACKGROUND: The objective was to compare the use of emergency primary health care services on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve to a normal Saturday. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The material comprises data obtained from reimbursement claims from all doctors on out-of-hours duty in Norway in the period 2008–18. The number of consultations and home visits, and the diagnoses set, were recorded for Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and the last Saturday of January. Comparisons were differentiated between daytime, evening and night-time consultations. RESULTS: On the last Saturday of January there was a total of 45 088 consultations. On Christmas Eve the total number was 36 045 (80 % of Saturday) and on New Year’s Eve the total was 50 377 (112 % of Saturday). Overnight on Saturday there was a total of 1 007 consultations concerning injuries. On the night of Christmas Eve, the figure was 453 (45 % of Saturday), while on the night of New Year’s Eve it was 2 447 (243 % of Saturday). On New Year’s Eve there were 246 night-time consultations associated with burns. The corresponding figure was 13 for Christmas Eve (5 % of New Year’s Eve night-time) and 11 for Saturday (4 % of New Year’s Eve night-time). On New Year’s Eve there were 120 night-time consultations due to eye injuries. The corresponding figure for Christmas Eve was 16 (13 % of New Year’s Eve night-time) and 23 for Saturday (19 % of New Year’s Eve night-time). On New Year’s Eve there were 513 night-time consultations due to acute alcohol intoxication. The corresponding figure for Christmas Eve was 53 (10 % of New Year’s Eve night-time), and 260 for Saturday (51 % of New Year’s Eve night-time). INTERPRETATION: Christmas Eve is peaceful in emergency primary care units, while New Year’s Eve is probably the busiest night of the year. A ban on private firework displays may reduce the extent of injuries on New Year’s Eve.

MeSH