THE MAGIC IS COMING
How Many Days Until Christmas 2026?
As of Sunday, October 18, 2026, there are 68 days until Christmas Day, which falls on Friday, December 25, 2026.
68 days, 5 hours and 18 minutes until Christmas
Merry Christmas!
Christmas Day is Friday, December 25, 2026.
Counting down to midnight on December 25 in your time zone (Eastern Time).
- 9 weeks and 5 days Weeks
- 9 Weekends
- 10 Sundays
- 68 Sleeps
- 68 Shopping days
- 48 Work days
- 67 Christmas Eve
Last day to ship USPS Ground Advantage for Christmas delivery is Thursday, December 17, which is 60 days away.
HOW IT WORKS
How Many Days Are Left Until Christmas?
We count calendar days from today to midnight on December 25 in your local time zone. Today is not counted; Christmas Day is. On December 24, the countdown reads 1 day.
1. Target Date
We count down to December 25 at 12:00 AM in your local time zone.
2. Live Timer
The days are based on your calendar date. Hours, minutes and seconds update in real time.
3. Yearly Reset
After December 25, the countdown automatically switches to the next year’s Christmas.
What each count means
Days: the number of calendar dates between today and Christmas Day.
Weeks: full weeks plus leftover days, never rounded up. Today’s 68 days is “9 weeks and 5 days,” not the next whole week up.
Sleeps: nights left before Christmas morning. Sleeps always equal days. On Christmas Eve, it’s 1 sleep.
Weekends and Sundays: Saturdays (or Sundays) from today through Christmas Eve, including today if it is one.
Shopping days: every day from today through Christmas Eve, including today. Most US stores open on Sundays, so we count them.
Work days: Monday through Friday through Christmas Eve, minus Thanksgiving (Thursday, November 26, 2026).
Full method, edge cases and time zone rules: How we count.
How many days until Christmas?
There are 68 days until Christmas as of Sunday, October 18, 2026. Christmas Day 2026 falls on Friday, December 25.
The countdown above updates every second and resets at midnight in your time zone. If you’re asking “how long until Christmas” in plain terms, that’s 9 weeks and 5 days, or roughly 1614 hours.
How many weeks until Christmas?
There are 9 weeks and 5 days until Christmas as of Sunday, October 18, 2026.
Some countdown sites round this up to the next whole week, so you may see a different number elsewhere. We show full weeks plus leftover days, because a partial week isn’t a week you can plan around.
How many weekends are left before Christmas?
There are 9 weekends left before Christmas, counting this weekend if today is a Saturday.
The last weekend before Christmas 2026 is Saturday, December 19, and Sunday, December 20. Christmas falls on a Friday this year, so for many workers it creates a three-day weekend: Friday, December 25, through Sunday, December 27.
How many Sundays until Christmas?
There are 10 Sundays until Christmas as of Sunday, October 18, 2026. The last Sunday before Christmas 2026 is December 20.
Four of those Sundays are the Sundays of Advent, which churches mark in the run-up to Christmas:
| Advent Sunday | Date | Days away |
|---|---|---|
| First Sunday of Advent | November 29, 2026 | 42 |
| Second Sunday of Advent | December 6, 2026 | 49 |
| Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday) | December 13, 2026 | 56 |
| Fourth Sunday of Advent | December 20, 2026 | 63 |
How many sleeps until Christmas?
There are 68 sleeps until Christmas: the number of nights left before Christmas morning.
Sleeps and days are the same number. If you go to bed on Christmas Eve, that’s the last sleep, so Thursday, December 24 shows 1 day and 1 sleep. Some sites add one extra sleep to the day count; ours never does.
How many shopping days are left until Christmas?
There are 68 shopping days left until Christmas, counting today through Christmas Eve.
If you skip Sundays, as some retailers traditionally did, it’s 58 days. For online orders, the date that matters is the shipping cutoff, not the shopping day. USPS Ground Advantage closes for Christmas delivery in the Lower 48 on December 17.
How many work days until Christmas?
There are 48 work days until Christmas for a typical Monday–Friday schedule, after removing Thanksgiving.
That count runs through Thursday, December 24. Federal employees also have Veterans Day (Wednesday, November 11) off, which brings their count to one fewer. If your employer closes on Christmas Eve or the day after Thanksgiving, subtract those too.
What day is Christmas 2026?
Christmas 2026 is on Friday, December 25, 2026. Christmas Eve is Thursday, December 24, 2026.
Christmas Day is a US federal holiday, so most government offices, banks and post offices are closed on Friday, December 25. USPS doesn’t deliver regular mail that day, and UPS has no regular pickup or delivery.
THE BIG DAY
When Is Christmas 2026?
Christmas 2026 is on Friday, December 25, 2026. Christmas Eve is Thursday, December 24, 2026.
Christmas Day is a US federal holiday, so most government offices, banks and post offices are closed on Friday, December 25, 2026. USPS doesn’t deliver regular mail that day, and UPS has no regular pickup or delivery.
Christmas Day 2026
Friday, December 25, 2026
Next Christmas
Saturday, December 25, 2027
The day of the week moves each year
Christmas is always on December 25 in the United States and in most countries that use the Gregorian calendar. The day of the week moves each year:
| Year | Christmas Day | US federal holiday observed |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Friday, Dec 25 | Friday, Dec 25 |
| 2027 | Saturday, Dec 25 | Friday, Dec 24 |
| 2028 | Monday, Dec 25 | Monday, Dec 25 |
| 2029 | Tuesday, Dec 25 | Tuesday, Dec 25 |
| 2030 | Wednesday, Dec 25 | Wednesday, Dec 25 |
| 2031 | Thursday, Dec 25 | Thursday, Dec 25 |
| 2032 | Saturday, Dec 25 | Friday, Dec 24 |
| 2033 | Sunday, Dec 25 | Monday, Dec 26 |
When Christmas falls on a Saturday, federal workers get the Friday before off; when it falls on a Sunday, they get the Monday after. Many Orthodox Christians celebrate on January 7 instead. See When is Christmas? for the full explanation.
How many days until Christmas Eve?
There are 67 days until Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24, 2026.
Christmas Eve is not a federal holiday under law, though presidents have sometimes given federal employees the day off by executive order. UPS delivers all services on Thursday, December 24, but has no Ground pickup that day.
How many days are left until December?
There are 44 days left until December 1, 2026.
December 1 is when most Advent calendars open their first door, even though Advent itself begins on Sunday, November 29, 2026. From December 1, it’s exactly 24 days to Christmas.
What are the key dates before Christmas 2026?
The 2026 holiday season runs from Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 26, 2026 to New Year’s Day on Friday, January 1, 2027.
| Date | What happens | Days away |
|---|---|---|
| Wed, Nov 4 | USPS Ground Advantage cutoff for military APO/FPO/DPO mail | 17 |
| Thu, Nov 26 | Thanksgiving | 39 |
| Fri, Nov 27 | Black Friday | 40 |
| Sun, Nov 29 | First Sunday of Advent | 42 |
| Mon, Nov 30 | Cyber Monday | 43 |
| Tue, Dec 1 | Most Advent calendars open | 44 |
| Fri, Dec 4 – Sat, Dec 12 | Hanukkah (begins at sundown Dec 4) | 47 |
| Wed, Dec 9 | USPS international and military First-Class and Priority cutoff | 52 |
| Thu, Dec 17 | USPS Ground Advantage and First-Class Mail cutoff (Lower 48) | 60 |
| Fri, Dec 18 | USPS Priority Mail cutoff | 61 |
| Sat, Dec 19 | USPS Priority Mail Express cutoff | 62 |
| Mon, Dec 21 | Winter solstice, the shortest day of the year | 64 |
| Wed, Dec 23 | FedEx overnight cutoff for Dec 24 arrival | 66 |
| Thu, Dec 24 | Christmas Eve | 67 |
| Fri, Dec 25 | Christmas Day (federal holiday) | 68 |
| Sat, Dec 26 | Kwanzaa begins (runs through Jan 1) | 69 |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | New Year's Day | 75 |
What is the last day to ship for Christmas 2026?
The last recommended day to mail a package for Christmas delivery is Saturday, December 19, 2026, using USPS Priority Mail Express within the Lower 48. FedEx overnight services can ship as late as Wednesday, December 23 for arrival on December 24.
These are carrier recommendations, not guarantees. Ship two or three days earlier if you can.
USPS, Lower 48 states
For expected delivery before December 25.
| Service | Ship by | Days away |
|---|---|---|
| USPS Ground Advantage | Thursday, Dec 17 | 60 |
| First-Class Mail (cards, letters) | Thursday, Dec 17 | 60 |
| Priority Mail | Friday, Dec 18 | 61 |
| Priority Mail Express | Saturday, Dec 19 | 62 |
Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and US territories: First-Class Mail by Dec 17, Priority Mail by Dec 18, Priority Mail Express by Dec 19. Ground Advantage to or from these areas has a service expectation of 10 days or more, so check the estimated delivery date for your ZIP code before sending.
International and military: USPS recommends Wednesday, Dec 9, for First-Class Package International and Priority Mail International, and Wednesday, Dec 16, for Priority Mail Express International. Military Ground Advantage packages should go by Wednesday, Nov 4.
FedEx
For scheduled arrival by Thursday, December 24.
| Service | Ship by | Days away |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Economy | Tuesday, Dec 15 | 58 |
| Ground / Home Delivery, 5-day transit | Thursday, Dec 17 | 60 |
| Ground / Home Delivery, 4-day transit | Friday, Dec 18 | 61 |
| Ground / Home Delivery, 3-day transit | Monday, Dec 21 | 64 |
| Express Saver | Monday, Dec 21 | 64 |
| 2Day / 2Day AM | Tuesday, Dec 22 | 65 |
| Ground / Home Delivery, 2-day transit | Tuesday, Dec 22 | 65 |
| First, Priority or Standard Overnight | Wednesday, Dec 23 | 66 |
| Ground / Home Delivery, 1-day transit | Wednesday, Dec 23 | 66 |
UPS: UPS delivers all services on Thursday, Dec 24, but has no Ground pickup that day, and Air pickups must be prearranged by Dec 18. There is no regular UPS pickup or delivery on Christmas Day. UPS had not published its 2026 last-day-to-ship chart when this page was last checked; we’ll add it the day it appears.
Sources: USPS 2026 Holiday Shipping Deadlines, FedEx 2026 last day to ship chart (via Red Stag Fulfillment’s summary), UPS holiday schedule. Checked October 17, 2026. Full guide: Christmas shipping deadlines.
What time does Christmas start in each US time zone?
Christmas begins at midnight local time, so it reaches different parts of the US over about 21 hours. Guam gets there first, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern on December 24. American Samoa gets there last, at 6:00 a.m. Eastern on December 25.
All US time zones are on standard time in December.
| Place | Time zone | Christmas starts, shown in Eastern Time |
|---|---|---|
| Guam, Northern Mariana Islands | Chamorro Time (UTC+10) | 9:00 a.m., Thu, Dec 24 |
| Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands | Atlantic Time (UTC-4) | 11:00 p.m., Thu, Dec 24 |
| New York, Atlanta, Miami | Eastern Time (UTC-5) | 12:00 a.m., Fri, Dec 25 |
| Chicago, Dallas, Houston | Central Time (UTC-6) | 1:00 a.m., Fri, Dec 25 |
| Denver, Phoenix, Salt Lake City | Mountain Time (UTC-7) | 2:00 a.m., Fri, Dec 25 |
| Los Angeles, Seattle, Las Vegas | Pacific Time (UTC-8) | 3:00 a.m., Fri, Dec 25 |
| Anchorage | Alaska Time (UTC-9) | 4:00 a.m., Fri, Dec 25 |
| Honolulu | Hawaii Time (UTC-10) | 5:00 a.m., Fri, Dec 25 |
| Pago Pago, American Samoa | Samoa Time (UTC-11) | 6:00 a.m., Fri, Dec 25 |
Worldwide, the first inhabited place to reach Christmas is Kiritimati, also called Christmas Island, in Kiribati (UTC+14). That happens at 5:00 a.m. Eastern on December 24.
Our countdown reads your device’s time zone automatically. If you’re counting down for family in another state, use Change time zone in the header above.
Why do Christmas countdown sites show different numbers?
Countdown sites disagree because they make different choices about rounding, time zones and what counts as a “sleep” or a “week.” None of them is necessarily wrong; they’re answering slightly different questions. Here’s how the common choices compare, and which one we use:
| Question | Common approaches | What we do |
|---|---|---|
| Days | Whole calendar days, or a decimal like “69.1 days” | Whole calendar days to midnight Dec 25, plus a live hours/minutes/seconds timer |
| Weeks | Rounded up (“10 weeks”) or full weeks only (“9 weeks”) | Full weeks plus leftover days (“9 weeks and 6 days”) |
| Sleeps | Equal to days, or days + 1 | Equal to days: one sleep on Christmas Eve |
| Shopping days | Monday–Saturday only, or every day | Every day through Christmas Eve, with the Monday–Saturday number alongside |
| Time zone | The website’s server, a single “worldwide” clock, or your device | Your device’s time zone, with a manual override |
| Year rollover | Some sites show a negative number or stale year on Dec 26 | Switches to Christmas 2027 at midnight on Dec 26 |
If another site tells you 69 days and we say 68, check whether it counts today, and whether it’s using UK or server time.
Is Christmas on December 25 everywhere?
No. Most Western churches and nearly all of the United States celebrate on December 25 (Gregorian calendar). Several Eastern churches celebrate on different dates:
| Tradition | Christmas date (Gregorian calendar) |
|---|---|
| Catholic, Protestant, most US celebrations | December 25 |
| Armenian Apostolic Church | January 6 |
| Orthodox churches that follow the Julian calendar (for example, the Russian and Serbian Orthodox churches), plus Coptic and Ethiopian Orthodox churches | January 7 |
The January 7 date is December 25 on the older Julian calendar, which currently runs 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar. The next Orthodox Christmas is Thursday, January 7, 2027.
What should I do with the days left before Christmas?
Work backward from the deadlines that can’t move: shipping cutoffs, travel and the big day itself. This is a practical plan keyed to the 2026 calendar.
| Days left | Date range | Do this |
|---|---|---|
| 60+ | Before Oct 26 | You are here Book holiday travel; set a gift budget; mail military Ground Advantage packages before Nov 4 |
| 30–59 | Oct 27 – Nov 25 | Finish your gift list; order personalized or handmade gifts; plan the Christmas meal |
| 25–29 | Nov 26 – Nov 30 | Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals; first Advent Sunday (Nov 29) |
| 15–24 | Dec 1 – Dec 10 | Open Advent calendars; send international and military cards by Dec 9; decorate |
| 8–14 | Dec 11 – Dec 17 | Mail cards and Ground Advantage packages by Dec 17; finish wrapping |
| 2–7 | Dec 18 – Dec 23 | Last Priority Mail (Dec 18) and Priority Mail Express (Dec 19); groceries; in-store pickup for missed items |
| 1 | Dec 24 | Christmas Eve: track Santa, last-minute digital gift cards, prep the meal |
Why do people count down to Christmas?
Counting down turns a far-off date into steps you can plan and enjoy. It’s a tradition older than the internet: Advent wreaths, paper chains and Advent calendars all exist to mark the days until December 25.
For families, the countdown answers a child’s daily “how many more days?” with something they can see. For adults, it’s a planning tool: the number of days left decides whether ground shipping still works, and how many weekends remain for shopping and decorating.
What is Advent, and when does it start in 2026?
Advent 2026 begins on Sunday, November 29, and ends on Thursday, December 24. Advent is the season of preparation before Christmas in many Christian churches. It always starts on the fourth Sunday before December 25, so its length changes each year. In 2026, it lasts 26 days.
Most store-bought Advent calendars ignore that and run from December 1 to December 24, giving 24 doors every year.
Why is Christmas on December 25?
The Bible doesn’t give a date for Jesus’s birth. The earliest known record of Christmas being celebrated on December 25 comes from Rome in AD 336. Historians still debate why that date was chosen; leading explanations link it to the winter solstice and Roman festivals, or to early Christian calculations about the date of Jesus’s conception.
When did Christmas become a federal holiday?
Christmas Day became a US federal holiday on June 28, 1870, when President Ulysses S. Grant signed it into law alongside New Year’s Day, Independence Day and Thanksgiving.
How can I track Santa on Christmas Eve?
Two free trackers follow Santa’s route on December 24: NORAD Tracks Santa and the Google Santa Tracker.
NORAD’s tradition began in 1955, when a newspaper ad misprinted a phone number that rang through to the Continental Air Defense Command, and Colonel Harry Shoup had his staff give children Santa’s position. Both trackers usually open activities in early December; the live sleigh tracking runs on Christmas Eve.
Frequently asked questions
How many days until Christmas 2026?
There are 68 days until Christmas 2026 as of Sunday, October 18, 2026. Christmas Day is Friday, December 25, 2026.
How many hours until Christmas?
There are about 1614 hours until midnight on December 25 in your time zone. The live timer above shows the exact hours, minutes and seconds.
Is the post office open on Christmas Day?
No. Christmas Day is a federal holiday, and USPS post offices are closed and regular mail is not delivered on Friday, December 25, 2026.
Does UPS deliver on Christmas Eve 2026?
Yes. UPS delivers all services on Thursday, December 24, 2026, but there is no UPS Ground pickup that day.
Why is Christmas called Xmas?
The "X" comes from the Greek letter chi, the first letter of Christos, the Greek word for Christ. Xmas is an abbreviation, not a modern invention.
What are the Twelve Days of Christmas?
The Twelve Days of Christmas run from Christmas Day, December 25, through January 5. Epiphany follows on January 6.
When is Christmas 2027?
Christmas 2027 is on Saturday, December 25, 2027. Federal workers will observe the holiday on Friday, December 24, 2027.
When does this countdown reset?
At midnight on December 26 in your time zone, the countdown switches to Christmas 2027 automatically.
Can I put this countdown on my own website?
Yes. Our free embeddable countdown works on school, church, club and personal sites. Copy one line of code.
About this countdown
Dates are checked against official sources (USPS, FedEx, UPS and the US Office of Personnel Management) each season, and shipping deadlines are re-checked weekly from November 1 to December 24. Last updated Sunday, October 18, 2026. See our editorial policy, how we count, or report an error.
Related countdowns:
Sources
Pages opened and checked October 17, 2026:
- USPS: Holiday shipping deadlines, covering domestic, Alaska/Hawaii/territory, international and military dates, plus Hanukkah and Kwanzaa dates.
- Red Stag Fulfillment: Holiday shipping deadline summary of the FedEx chart, and the UPS Christmas Eve and Christmas Day schedule.
- NORAD Tracks Santa and the Google Santa Tracker.
Calendar dates - weekdays, Advent Sundays, Thanksgiving and the solstice - and the time zone offsets are computed, not sourced.