Christmas 2026 is on Friday, December 25, 2026. It is a federal holiday, so most people with the day off get a three-day weekend from Friday to Sunday, December 27, with Christmas Eve on Thursday, December 24.
Christmas never moves from December 25, but the weekday does, and that decides how the long weekend, school breaks and office closures work out. This guide covers what day Christmas 2026 falls on, what is open and closed, how the observed-day rules work when Christmas lands on a weekend, the next five years of weekdays, and when Orthodox Christmas is celebrated.
What day is Christmas 2026?
December 25, 2026 is a Friday. It is the 359th day of the year and falls in ISO week 52. Counting from today, October 6, 2026, Christmas is 80 days away, or 11 weeks and three days, and 58 business days away once weekends and federal holidays are taken out.
The Christmas countdown keeps the live number. For children who count in nights, try sleeps until Christmas, and for longer-range planning, weeks until Christmas.
Some other dates around it in 2026:
- Thanksgiving: Thursday, November 26, 29 days before Christmas.
- First Sunday of Advent: November 29. See the Advent 2026 guide for all four Sundays.
- Winter solstice: Monday, December 21, four days before Christmas.
- Christmas Eve: Thursday, December 24.
- New Year’s Day: Friday, January 1, 2027, exactly one week after Christmas.
Is Christmas a federal holiday?
Yes. Christmas Day is one of the 11 federal holidays in 5 U.S.C. 6103 and was one of the original four holidays Congress created in 1870, along with New Year’s Day, Independence Day and Thanksgiving.
On Friday, December 25, 2026, expect these closures:
- Federal offices and courts are closed, and the OPM holiday schedule lists December 25 as the federal holiday.
- The Postal Service doesn’t deliver regular mail, and banks that follow the Federal Reserve schedule are closed.
- The New York Stock Exchange is closed, and according to the NYSE holiday calendar, the market closes early, at 1:00 p.m. ET, on Thursday, December 24.
- Most schools are already on winter break. Many stores and restaurants close or keep short hours, so check before you go.
Christmas Eve 2026 and the long weekend
Christmas Eve falls on Thursday, December 24, 2026, and it is not a federal holiday. It is a regular workday for federal employees unless the President gives the day off by executive order, which has happened in some years but is never guaranteed in advance. Our guide to whether Christmas Eve is a federal holiday covers the history and the rules.
A Friday Christmas makes the holiday easy to stretch:
| Plan | Days of leave | Days off in a row | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christmas weekend only | 0 | 3 | Friday, December 25 to Sunday, December 27 |
| Add Christmas Eve | 1 | 4 | Thursday, December 24 to Sunday, December 27 |
| Take the week between | 4 | 10 | Friday, December 25 to Sunday, January 3, 2027 |
| Christmas Eve plus the week between | 5 | 11 | Thursday, December 24 to Sunday, January 3, 2027 |
The ten-day option works because New Year’s Day is also a Friday federal holiday, so Monday, December 28 through Thursday, December 31 are the only workdays in between. The December 2026 calendar shows the layout.
What happens when Christmas falls on a weekend
December 25 is a fixed date, so it can land on any day of the week. Under the federal rules, a holiday that falls on a Saturday is observed on the Friday before, and one that falls on a Sunday is observed on the Monday after. Private employers often follow the same pattern, but they don’t have to.
In 2026 the rule doesn’t come into play, because Christmas is on a Friday. It does next year. Christmas 2027 is on a Saturday, so federal workers get the holiday on Friday, December 24, 2027, Christmas Eve itself.
Christmas dates, 2026 to 2030
| Year | Christmas Day | Federal holiday observed | Christmas Eve |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Friday | Friday, December 25 | Thursday |
| 2027 | Saturday | Friday, December 24 | Friday |
| 2028 | Monday | Monday, December 25 | Sunday |
| 2029 | Tuesday | Tuesday, December 25 | Monday |
| 2030 | Wednesday | Wednesday, December 25 | Tuesday |
2028 also gives a three-day weekend, with Christmas on Monday. In 2029 Christmas Eve is a Monday sandwiched between a weekend and the Tuesday holiday, so one day of leave gives a four-day break.
Orthodox Christmas: January 7, 2027
Most Oriental Orthodox churches and part of the Eastern Orthodox world still celebrate Christmas on December 25 of the older Julian calendar. The Julian calendar currently runs 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar used for civil dates, so their December 25 falls on January 7. The next Orthodox Christmas on that reckoning is Thursday, January 7, 2027.
Not every Orthodox church does this; some keep December 25 on the modern calendar. If you are planning around a particular parish, check its own calendar.
The twelve days that follow
In the Christian calendar, Christmas is a season as well as a day. The twelve days of Christmas run from December 25 to January 5, ending on Twelfth Night, with Epiphany on Wednesday, January 6, 2027. Our guide to the twelve days of Christmas lists each day.
Frequently asked questions
What day is Christmas 2026?
Christmas 2026 is on Friday, December 25, 2026, which gives a three-day weekend through Sunday, December 27.
Is Christmas Eve 2026 a day off?
It is not a federal holiday. Thursday, December 24, 2026 is a regular workday unless the President grants the day by executive order or your employer gives it.
Is the stock market open on Christmas Eve 2026?
Yes, but only until 1:00 p.m. ET, according to the NYSE schedule. Markets are closed all day on Friday, December 25.
How many days until Christmas 2026?
From October 6, 2026, there are 80 days until Christmas. The live countdown updates every day.
What day is Christmas 2027?
Christmas 2027 is on Saturday, December 25, 2027, so the federal holiday is observed on Friday, December 24.
When is Orthodox Christmas 2027?
Thursday, January 7, 2027, for churches that follow the Julian calendar.