When is Christmas?
Christmas Day is on 25 December in the Gregorian calendar, celebrated by most Christians and as a cultural holiday by many others around the world. Christmas Eve on 24 December is the main celebration in much of Europe and Latin America, while Boxing Day on 26 December is a public holiday in the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Many Orthodox churches, including those in Russia, Serbia, Ukraine (until 2023), Georgia and Ethiopia, follow the Julian calendar for religious festivals, so they celebrate Christmas on 7 January.
Christmas countdown ideas
- Advent calendars count down from 1 December, or from the fourth Sunday before Christmas.
- Shipping deadlines: carriers often set their last guaranteed-delivery dates one to two weeks before Christmas. Use the business days calculator to check.
- Sleeps left: the number of nights until Christmas morning, shown above, is how many children count.
Christmas dates for the coming years
| Year | Date | Day of the week |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | December 25, 2026 | Friday |
| 2027 | December 25, 2027 | Saturday |
| 2028 | December 25, 2028 | Monday |
| 2029 | December 25, 2029 | Tuesday |
| 2030 | December 25, 2030 | Wednesday |
| 2031 | December 25, 2031 | Thursday |
Frequently asked questions
How many days until Christmas?
The countdown above shows it live in your time zone. From 1 December there are 24 days to go, and from 14 October there are 72.
Why do some countries celebrate Christmas on 7 January?
Several Orthodox churches use the Julian calendar for church holidays, which is currently 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar. Their 25 December falls on 7 January on the Gregorian calendar.
The countdown runs to midnight at the start of the day in your own time zone. Dates of religious and lunar holidays can differ by a day between countries.