2026 Christmas

Christmas on December 25 celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ and has grown into the year's biggest holiday for believers and non-believers alike. Homes are decorated with trees, lights and wreaths, stockings are hung for Santa Claus, and families gather for a festive dinner and gift exchange. In the United States and much of Europe it is a public holiday, and offices, banks and most shops close. The season starts in late November with markets, carols and holiday movies, so gifts, flights and restaurant tables should be booked early in December. This countdown shows the days, hours, minutes and seconds until midnight on December 25 in the time zone of the country you are viewing — handy for planning gifts and year-end travel.