Christmas countdown
When is Christmas 2026? Friday, 25 December
Christmas 2026 is on Friday, 25 December. Christmas Eve is Thursday the 24th and Boxing Day is Saturday the 26th. In the US the Friday holiday runs straight into the weekend, so you get three days off without using leave. The UK, Australia and New Zealand move Boxing Day to Monday 28 December, which makes it four. The countdown on this page runs on your own clock.
The Christmas season, date by date
- Sun, Nov 29Advent beginsThe fourth Sunday before Christmas. Most Advent calendars open their first door today.
- Sun, Dec 6St Nicholas DayAcross much of continental Europe, children find small gifts in their shoes this morning.
- Thu, Dec 24Christmas EveMidnight Mass. In Germany, Poland, the Nordics and much of Latin America, this is the big gift evening.
- Fri, Dec 25Christmas DayThe feast itself. In the UK, Ireland, the US and Canada, this is the gift morning.
- Sat, Dec 26Boxing Day / St Stephen'sA public holiday in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and parts of Canada. The UK, Australia and New Zealand give Monday the 28th off in its place.
- Thu, Dec 31New Year's EveThe year ends inside the twelve days of Christmas.
- Wed, Jan 6EpiphanyTwelfth Night closes the season. In Spain and much of Latin America, this is the main gift day.
Why Christmas never moves
25 December is a fixed spot on the Gregorian calendar. Diwali follows the moon and drifts by weeks. Christmas stays put. Only the weekday changes, and the weekday decides how the holiday feels.
A Friday Christmas is the easy one. In 2025 it was a Thursday, which left everyone arguing about the Friday. In 2027 it's a Saturday and eats a weekend day. The UK, Australia and New Zealand make up for it with Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December off.
Rome had settled on 25 December by the fourth century. It isn't a recorded birth date. Historians offer two explanations. One says the feast was placed next to the midwinter festivals already held around the solstice. The other counts nine months on from 25 March, the traditional date of the Annunciation. Both are old, and neither is proven.
Easter works differently. It falls on the first Sunday after the first church full moon on or after 21 March, so it can land anywhere from 22 March to 25 April. Christmas has no rule like that, only the date.
What day is Christmas, 2026 to 2030?
| Year | Date | Weekday |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | December 25, 2026 | Friday |
| 2027 | December 25, 2027 | Saturdayweekend |
| 2028 | December 25, 2028 | Monday |
| 2029 | December 25, 2029 | Tuesday |
| 2030 | December 25, 2030 | Wednesday |
When Christmas Day or Boxing Day falls on a weekend, the UK, Australia and New Zealand give a weekday off instead. In 2026 Boxing Day moves to Monday 28 December. In 2027 both days move, to Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December. Ireland keeps the weekend date and gives workers a day off, extra leave or extra pay.
Why some countries celebrate on 7 January
It's the same Christmas on an older calendar. The Russian, Serbian, Georgian and Jerusalem Orthodox churches still count the church year on the Julian calendar, which has slipped 13 days behind. Their 25 December falls on what most of the world calls 7 January.
The Greek, Romanian and Bulgarian churches switched to a revised calendar and celebrate on 25 December with the West. The gap between the two calendars grows to 14 days in 2100.
Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? It depends where you are
In Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, the Nordic countries and most of Latin America, the evening of the 24th is the big night: Heiligabend, Wigilia, Nochebuena. Dinner and presents happen before bed. In the UK, Ireland, the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, everything waits for the morning of the 25th.
Spain and much of Latin America do it differently again. The main gift day is Epiphany, 6 January, when the Three Kings arrive. If your family is spread across countries, sort out whose tradition you're following a week before, not on the day.
What's open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day?
In the US almost everything closes on Friday, 25 December. Thursday the 24th is a normal working day, so most places open with shorter hours.
| Christmas Eve (Thu, 24 Dec) | Christmas Day (Fri, 25 Dec) |
|---|---|
| Walmart, Target, Costco: open, early close | Closed |
| Banks: open, many close early | Closed (federal holiday) |
| NYSE and Nasdaq: open until 1:00 PM ET | Closed |
| USPS: normal delivery | Closed, no mail |
| UPS and FedEx: reduced service | Closed |
| Starbucks, McDonald's: open, hours vary | Many McDonald's open, Starbucks varies |
| Chick-fil-A: open | Closed at every location |
In India, 25 December is a gazetted holiday and a bank holiday in every state. The 24th is a normal working day, except in Meghalaya and Mizoram, where banks close. Saturday the 26th is the fourth Saturday, so bank branches stay shut until Monday the 28th.
Store hours are the 2025 pattern and change from one franchise to the next, so check your own branch before you head out.
Christmas 2026 FAQ
What day is Christmas 2026?
Christmas Day 2026 is Friday, 25 December. Christmas Eve is Thursday the 24th and Boxing Day is Saturday the 26th. The US gets a three-day weekend. The UK, Australia and New Zealand move Boxing Day to Monday the 28th, so they get four days.
How many days until Christmas Eve?
Christmas Eve 2026 is Thursday, 24 December. The countdown on this page runs to Christmas Day, so take one day off whatever it shows.
Is Christmas a holiday in India?
Yes. 25 December is a gazetted holiday for central government offices and a bank holiday in every state. In 2026 the 26th is the fourth Saturday, so bank branches stay shut until Monday the 28th.
Is Christmas Eve a federal holiday?
No. In the US only Christmas Day is a federal holiday, and 24 December is a normal working day by law. Federal offices close on the 24th only if the President orders it for that year. That happened in 2025, when the order also closed them on the 26th.
Is Christmas Eve a bank holiday?
No, not in the US, the UK or most of India. US banks are open on 24 December and many close early. In India, branches in Meghalaya and Mizoram close for the day.
Is the stock market open on Christmas Eve?
Yes, until 1:00 PM ET. On Thursday, 24 December 2026, the NYSE and Nasdaq close early. Both are shut on Friday the 25th.
Is there mail on Christmas Eve?
Yes. USPS delivers as normal on 24 December and is closed on the 25th. UPS and FedEx run a reduced service on the Eve and close on Christmas Day.
Are stores open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day?
On Christmas Eve 2025, Walmart closed at 6 PM, Target at 8 PM and Costco at 5 PM. All three closed on Christmas Day. Many McDonald's stay open on the 25th, but every Chick-fil-A is shut. Check 2026 hours closer to the day.
Why is Christmas always on December 25?
It's a fixed date on the Gregorian calendar, and Rome had settled on it by the fourth century. It isn't a recorded birth date. Historians give two explanations: it lined up with midwinter festivals, or it was counted nine months on from 25 March, the traditional date of the Annunciation.
Why do some countries celebrate on January 7?
Several Orthodox churches, including the Russian, Serbian and Georgian, still date the feast on the Julian calendar. That calendar now runs 13 days behind, so their 25 December lands on what most of the world calls 7 January. It's the same feast on a different calendar.
When is Orthodox Christmas?
Orthodox Christmas was Wednesday, 7 January 2026. The next one is Thursday, 7 January 2027. The Russian, Serbian, Georgian and Jerusalem Orthodox churches keep this date.
Is Christmas Eve or Christmas Day the main event?
It depends where your family is from. Germany, Poland, the Nordic countries and much of Latin America celebrate on the evening of the 24th. The UK, Ireland, the US, Canada and Australia celebrate on the morning of the 25th. In Spain the main gift day is Epiphany, 6 January.
Dates checked by the festcountdown team, last verified 17 September 2026.