How Many Days Until Christmas?
Christmas follows one rule. December 25 every year. This page counts down to the next one. It also lists the exact dates for the next five years and the business days left.
Counted from today in your device's time zone.
Updated: October 2, 2026 · Sources and methodology
Christmas dates for the next five years
| Year | Date | Day of week | Observed (federal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | December 25 | Friday | Same day |
| 2027 | December 25 | Saturday | Fri, Dec 24, 2027 |
| 2028 | December 25 | Monday | Same day |
| 2029 | December 25 | Tuesday | Same day |
| 2030 | December 25 | Wednesday | Same day |
How the date of Christmas is set
Rule: December 25 every year. The calendar date is fixed. Only the weekday changes. In 2026 it is a Friday. In 2027 it is a Saturday. The gap between Christmas 2026 and 2027 is 365 days.
Federal holidays follow OPM's rule. A holiday on Saturday is observed on Friday. A holiday on Sunday is observed on Monday. For Christmas, the next time this matters is 2027. That year the day off is Friday, December 24, 2027.
How the countdown is calculated
We subtract today's date from the date of Christmas. We count midnight to midnight. Here is the same math by hand, from Saturday, October 3, 2026 to Friday, December 25, 2026.
- Rest of October after the 3rd: 28 days
- All of November 2026: 30 days
- December 1 through 25: 25 days
- Total: 28 + 30 + 25 = 83 days (11 weeks and 6 days), of which 56 are business days.
Business days leave out Saturdays, Sundays and observed U.S. federal holidays. So 27 of those 83 days are not business days. Your bank or employer may close on other days too.
History and traditions
Christmas Day has been a U.S. federal holiday since 1870. That year Congress created the first four federal holidays: New Year's Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
The date never moves. The day off can. When December 25 falls on a Saturday, federal employees get Friday, December 24 off. When it falls on a Sunday, the day off is Monday, December 26.
Related countdowns
| Event | Next | Following |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | Sat, Jan 1, 2028 |
| Thanksgiving | Thu, Nov 26, 2026 | Thu, Nov 25, 2027 |
| Black Friday | Fri, Nov 27, 2026 | Fri, Nov 26, 2027 |
Frequently asked questions
What day of the week is Christmas in 2026?
Christmas 2026 falls on Friday, December 25, 2026.
When is Christmas 2027?
Christmas 2027 is on Saturday, December 25, 2027. That is 365 days after Christmas 2026.
Is Christmas a federal holiday?
Yes. Christmas is one of the 11 permanent federal holidays in 5 U.S.C. 6103. Federal offices, the Postal Service and most banks close. In 2027 it falls on a Saturday. So the day off is Friday, December 24, 2027.
How is the date of Christmas determined?
December 25 every year. The date never changes. The weekday moves forward one day each year, or two days after a February 29.
Is the countdown on this page right for my time zone?
Yes. Your browser counts from your device's local date. So the count changes at your midnight, not ours. The next Christmas starts at midnight on Friday, December 25, 2026, wherever you are.