Holidays
Christmas Day Countdown
Fri, December 25, 2026 at 12:00 AM CSTRepeats yearly
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Christmas Day is an annual holiday that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, serving as both a sacred Christian religious feast and a global cultural event. Celebrated by billions of people worldwide, common practices include attending church services, holding family gatherings, feasting, exchanging gifts, and putting up seasonal decorations such as Christmas trees.
In the United States, Christmas Day was established as a federal holiday under 5 U.S.C. 6103. On this day, non-essential federal government offices are closed, and federal employees receive paid time off. While federal law directly applies only to federal institutions, federally owned properties, and the District of Columbia, most banks, financial markets, schools, and private businesses also close in accordance with custom.
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Under U.S. federal guidelines for employees working a Monday through Friday schedule, holidays that fall on a Saturday are generally observed on the preceding Friday, while holidays that fall on a Sunday are observed on the following Monday.
Frequently asked questions
- When is Christmas Day 2026?
- Christmas Day 2026 falls on Fri, December 25, 2026 at 12:00 AM CST.
- When were national holidays first created in the United States?
- Congress first created national holidays on June 28, 1870. The original legislation applied only to federal workers in Washington, D.C., before Congress extended holiday coverage to all federal employees in 1885.
- What were the original U.S. federal holidays?
- The four original holidays created by Congress in 1870 were Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Independence Day, and Thanksgiving Day.
- Does a U.S. federal holiday mandate closures for private businesses?
- No. Federal laws enacted by Congress only govern federal institutions, federal employees, and the District of Columbia. State and city governments, as well as private commercial enterprises, decide their own holiday schedules.
- What time does Christmas Day 2026 release in my timezone?
- The countdown on this page converts Christmas Day 2026 to your local time automatically, so the clock always reflects your own timezone.
Last updated: 9/4/2026
