Christmas Eve 2026
Christmas Eve 2026 is on Thursday, December 24, 2026 (in 57 days), the day before Christmas Day on Friday, December 25, 2026. It is not a federal holiday, although many businesses close early.
- Date
- Thursday, December 24, 2026
- Countdown
- In 57 days
- Federal holiday
- No
- Date rule
- December 24 (fixed date)
- Possible dates
- Always December 24; only the weekday changes
- Next occurrence
- Friday, December 24, 2027
Christmas Eve dates by year
| Year | Date | Weekday | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | December 24, 2025 | Wednesday | 308 days ago |
| 2026 | December 24, 2026 | Thursday | in 57 days |
| 2027 | December 24, 2027 | Friday | in 13 months |
| 2028 | December 24, 2028 | Sunday | in 2 years |
| 2029 | December 24, 2029 | Monday | in 3 years |
| 2030 | December 24, 2030 | Tuesday | in 4 years |
| 2031 | December 24, 2031 | Wednesday | in 5 years |
| 2032 | December 24, 2032 | Friday | in 6 years |
| 2033 | December 24, 2033 | Saturday | in 7 years |
| 2034 | December 24, 2034 | Sunday | in 8 years |
Dates are calculated from the rule shown above, not copied from a list, so they stay correct for any year. See everything else happening that month in the calendar for December 2026.
The date of Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve is always December 24, so only the weekday changes. In Christian tradition a feast day begins on the evening before, which is why many of the most important Christmas services and family customs happen on the night of December 24 rather than on Christmas morning. In 2027 Christmas Eve is on Friday, December 24, 2027.
Is Christmas Eve a day off?
Christmas Eve is not one of the eleven federal holidays, so federal offices are normally open. In some years the President has closed most federal executive offices on December 24 by executive order, for example in 2019, 2020 and 2024, so check the announcements each December. Several states, including Kentucky, North Carolina and South Carolina, give state employees the day off, and many private employers close early or give the whole day. Banks and the stock exchanges usually close early, with the New York Stock Exchange ending trading at 1:00 p.m. ET when December 24 is a weekday.
Church services on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve is one of the busiest nights of the year for churches. Catholics attend Midnight Mass, the Mass during the Night, and many parishes add earlier evening services for families. Protestant churches hold candlelight services where the congregation sings "Silent Night" while passing the flame from candle to candle. Many Lutheran, Anglican and Methodist churches follow the pattern of readings and carols known as Lessons and Carols.
American Christmas Eve traditions
Children hang stockings and leave cookies and milk for Santa Claus, a custom shaped by the poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas", which begins "'Twas the night before Christmas" and was first published in 1823. Since 1955 the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and its predecessor have "tracked" Santa's flight on Christmas Eve, a tradition that began when a newspaper ad printed the wrong phone number and children called a military operations center. Many Italian American families serve the Feast of the Seven Fishes, and Mexican American families often make tamales and hold Las Posadas processions in the days before.
Shopping and travel
Christmas Eve is one of the last big shopping days of the season, and most stores close early in the evening. Many restaurants, pharmacies and supermarkets keep shorter hours, and post offices are usually open with shorter hours on December 24 and closed on Christmas Day. Roads and airports are busy in the days before December 24, so plan travel early.
Frequently asked questions about Christmas Eve
When is Christmas Eve 2026?
Christmas Eve 2026 is on Thursday, December 24, 2026.
When is Christmas Eve 2027?
Christmas Eve 2027 is on Friday, December 24, 2027.
Is Christmas Eve a federal holiday?
No. It is a regular workday for federal employees unless the President gives the day off by executive order, which has happened in several recent years.
Are banks open on Christmas Eve?
Usually yes, when December 24 is a weekday, but many branches close early. The stock market also closes early, at 1:00 p.m. ET.
Why do people celebrate on the night before Christmas?
In Christian tradition a feast begins at sunset on the evening before, so the celebration of the birth of Jesus starts on the night of December 24.