Important Christmas Dates 2026: Full Holiday Calendar
From Advent on Sunday, Nov 29 through Christmas on Friday, Dec 25 and Epiphany
12 Key Seasonal Feast Days
🦃 Thanksgiving (US)Thu, Nov 26, 2026
🕯️ 1st Sunday of AdventSun, Nov 29, 2026
🎅 Christmas EveThu, Dec 24, 2026
🎄 Christmas DayFri, Dec 25, 2026
Comprehensive Calendar & Liturgical Dates
What are the most important Christmas dates in 2026?
The 2026 holiday season officially opens with Thanksgiving on Thursday, Nov 26 and the First Sunday of Advent on Sunday, Nov 29, leading to Christmas Eve on Thursday, December 24, Christmas Day on Friday, December 25, and concluding with Epiphany (Three Kings Day) on Wednesday, January 6, 2027.
📅 Master Holiday Season Key Dates Table (2026–2027)
Calendar Date
Day of Week
Event / Holiday Name
Significance
Nov 26, 2026
Thursday
Thanksgiving (US)
Traditional kickoff of family festive season
Nov 27, 2026
Friday
Black Friday
Major retail shopping and holiday lighting day
Nov 29, 2026
Sunday
1st Sunday of Advent
Lighting of the 1st purple Advent candle (Hope)
Nov 30, 2026
Monday
Cyber Monday
Peak online gift shopping and shipping promotion day
Dec 5, 2026
Saturday
Saint Nicholas Eve
European tradition of putting shoes out for treats
Dec 6, 2026
Sunday
2nd Sunday of Advent & St. Nicholas Day
Lighting the Candle of Peace
Dec 13, 2026
Sunday
3rd Sunday of Advent (Gaudete)
Lighting the Rose / Pink candle (Joy) & St. Lucia Day
Dec 20, 2026
Sunday
4th Sunday of Advent
Lighting the Candle of Love (Angels)
Dec 21, 2026
Monday
Winter Solstice
Shortest day & longest night of the year in the north
Dec 24, 2026
Thursday
Christmas Eve
Candlelight church services, family feasts & Santa
Dec 25, 2026
Friday
Christmas Day
Celebrating the Nativity of Jesus Christ & opening gifts
Dec 26, 2026
Saturday
Boxing Day / St. Stephen's Day
Public holiday in UK, Canada, Australia & NZ
Dec 31, 2026
Thursday
New Year's Eve
Welcoming the New Year at midnight
Jan 1, 2027
Friday
New Year's Day
Global statutory holiday
Jan 6, 2027
Wednesday
Epiphany / Three Kings Day
The 12th Day of Christmas & visit of the Magi
Looking Ahead: How the Key Dates Shift in 2027
Christmas dates move through the week every year, and 2027 brings one of the most favourable patterns in recent memory. Christmas Day 2027 falls on Friday, December 25, with Christmas Eve on a Friday — meaning the entire holiday core lands inside a natural weekend.
Date
Day
Event
Why 2027 differs
Nov 25, 2027
Thursday
Thanksgiving (US)
Falls a week earlier than 2026's November 26
Nov 26, 2027
Friday
Black Friday
Same Friday-after-Thanksgiving slot
Nov 28, 2027
Sunday
First Sunday of Advent
Advent starts one day earlier than 2026's Nov 29
Dec 24, 2027
Friday
Christmas Eve
On a Friday — many employers grant it off, extending the weekend
Dec 25, 2027
Saturday
Christmas Day
First Saturday Christmas since 2021
Dec 27–28, 2027
Mon–Tue
UK substitute bank holidays
With Christmas on Saturday and Boxing Day on Sunday, both substitute holidays move into the following week — a guaranteed 4-day weekend for UK workers
Jan 5–6, 2028
Wed–Thu
Twelfth Night & Epiphany
Midweek — the traditional decoration takedown falls on working days
Planning implication: a Saturday Christmas compresses the working-week panic of years like 2026 (Friday Christmas) but shifts UK bank holiday value to December 27–28. Travel bookings for the 2027 season will peak earlier for the December 23–28 window than they did in 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions About Christmas Dates
When is Christmas Day in 2026?+
Christmas Day 2026 is on Friday, December 25.
When does the 12 Days of Christmas run?+
The Twelve Days of Christmas run from Christmas Day (December 25) through the eve of Epiphany (January 5).
What day is Christmas 2026?+
Christmas Day 2026 is on Friday, December 25, 2026. Christmas Eve (December 24) is a Thursday. Boxing Day (December 26) is a Saturday. In the UK, the substitute Boxing Day bank holiday falls on Monday December 28. This creates a 4-day long weekend from Thursday December 24 through Sunday December 27 for many households.
What year does Christmas fall on a Saturday?+
The next Christmas on a Saturday after 2026 will be 2027. Christmas day cycles through different days of the week on a repeating pattern. Recent and upcoming Christmas day-of-week schedule: 2024 (Wednesday), 2025 (Thursday), 2026 (Friday), 2027 (Saturday), 2028 (Monday), 2029 (Tuesday), 2030 (Wednesday), 2031 (Thursday).
What are all the important Christmas dates in 2026?+
Key Christmas 2026 dates:
Advent begins: Nov 29
Thanksgiving (US): Nov 26
Black Friday: November 27, 2026
Cyber Monday: November 30, 2026
Last standard online order: ~December 15
Last 2-day shipping order: ~December 21
Christmas Eve: Thursday December 24
Christmas Day: Friday December 25
Boxing Day: Saturday December 26
Substitute Boxing Day (UK): Monday December 28
New Year's Eve: Thursday December 31
New Year's Day 2027: Friday January 1
Twelfth Night: Tuesday January 5, 2027
What day is Boxing Day 2026?+
Boxing Day 2026 (December 26) falls on a Saturday. Since Boxing Day is a UK bank holiday and falls on a weekend, the substitute bank holiday is Monday, December 28, 2026. This gives UK workers a bank holiday on both Friday December 25 and Monday December 28, creating a 4-day bank holiday weekend (Friday–Monday). See our Christmas 2026 Friday Guide for the complete bank holiday breakdown.