Christmas Eve 2026 is on Thursday, December 24, 2026. It is always December 24. It is not a federal holiday in the US, but many businesses close early.
Is Christmas Eve a day off?
Christmas Eve is not a federal holiday in the United States, so banks, post offices and most employers are officially open. In practice, many offices close early, and some presidents have given federal workers the day off by executive order in certain years. Stores usually close earlier than normal. In the UK, Christmas Eve is a normal working day, though many people take it off.
What happens on Christmas Eve?
- Church services: midnight Mass and candlelight services are among the busiest services of the year.
- Family dinners: in many countries, including Poland, Italy, Germany and much of Latin America, the main celebration happens on the 24th, not the 25th.
- Santa tracking: NORAD's Santa tracker has been running since 1955 and goes live every December 24.
- Stockings and cookies: kids hang stockings and leave milk and cookies out before bed.
Last-minute Christmas Eve checklist
- Confirm store closing times near you; many close in the afternoon or early evening.
- Pick up groceries for Christmas dinner and breakfast early in the day.
- Charge phones, cameras and any batteries that new gifts will need.
- Wrap the last gifts and hide them somewhere kids won't look.
- Set out stockings and plan the morning so nobody wakes up to chaos.
Christmas Eve dates for upcoming years
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Thursday, December 24, 2026 | Thursday |
| 2027 | Friday, December 24, 2027 | Friday |
| 2028 | Sunday, December 24, 2028 | Sunday |
| 2029 | Monday, December 24, 2029 | Monday |
| 2030 | Tuesday, December 24, 2030 | Tuesday |
| 2031 | Wednesday, December 24, 2031 | Wednesday |
How many days until Christmas Eve from other dates?
Counting from the start of each date to the start of Christmas Eve 2026 (Thursday, December 24, 2026):
| From | Date | Days until Christmas Eve |
|---|---|---|
| First Day of Winter | Monday, December 21, 2026 | 3 days |
| Hanukkah | Friday, December 4, 2026 | 20 days (2 weeks, 6 days) |
| 1st of December | Tuesday, December 1, 2026 | 23 days (3 weeks, 2 days) |
| Cyber Monday | Monday, November 30, 2026 | 24 days (3 weeks, 3 days) |
| Black Friday | Friday, November 27, 2026 | 27 days (3 weeks, 6 days) |
| Thanksgiving | Thursday, November 26, 2026 | 28 days (4 weeks) |
| Diwali | Sunday, November 8, 2026 | 46 days (6 weeks, 4 days) |
| New Year's Day 2026 | Thursday, January 1, 2026 | 357 days (51 weeks) |
Need a different start date? Count the days from any date to Christmas Eve.
Christmas Eve quick facts
- Christmas Eve is the main day of celebration in many European and Latin American countries.
- NORAD has tracked Santa every Christmas Eve since 1955, after a newspaper ad misprinted a phone number.
- 'A Visit from St. Nicholas' ('Twas the Night Before Christmas') was first published in 1823.
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Frequently asked questions
What day is Christmas Eve 2026?
Christmas Eve 2026 is on a Thursday, Thursday, December 24, 2026.
Is Christmas Eve a federal holiday?
No. Christmas Eve is not a federal holiday in the US, although some years the president has given federal employees the day off.
How many sleeps until Christmas Eve?
The sleeps count above shows how many nights are left before December 24.
How long until Christmas Eve 2026?
Christmas Eve 2026 is on Thursday, December 24, 2026. The live countdown at the top of this page shows exactly how much time is left in days, hours, minutes and seconds, updated every second in your local time zone.
How many weeks until Christmas Eve?
The chip under the countdown shows the weeks and extra days left until Christmas Eve. The number updates automatically each day, so it's always current.
When is Christmas Eve 2027?
After 2026, the next Christmas Eve is on Friday, December 24, 2027. See the table on this page for more upcoming dates.
Does this Christmas Eve countdown use my time zone?
Yes. The countdown runs to 12:00 AM on Christmas Eve in the time zone set on your phone or computer, so the numbers are right wherever you are.
Sources
More countdowns like Christmas Eve
Christmas
December 25, 2026New Year
January 1, 2027Hanukkah
December 4, 2026First Day of Winter
December 21, 2026Last reviewed: Wednesday, September 30, 2026. The countdown uses your device's clock and time zone. How we get our dates.