When is Christmas?
Christmas Day falls on 25 December every year, and Boxing Day is 26 December. In the UK and many countries both are public holidays. The Christmas season traditionally runs from the start of Advent until Epiphany on 6 January.
How many days until Christmas?
The live countdown at the top of this page shows exactly how many days until Christmas are left — including hours, minutes and seconds. Because 25 December never moves, you can plan ahead with confidence: here's which weekday Christmas falls on over the coming years.
Christmas around the world
Christmas is celebrated by an estimated two billion people worldwide, making it one of the most widely observed holidays on the planet. Around 90% of people in the UK and the US mark Christmas in some way — religious or not. The question "how many days until Christmas?" is searched for millions of times a year, with many people starting their countdown as early as the summer.
When does the Christmas season begin?
The Christmas season officially begins with Advent — the four Sundays before 25 December. Many people put up their Christmas tree in early December, while shops and advertisers often start their Christmas campaigns as early as October or November.
Christmas traditions
- Christmas tree — The symbol of Christmas, usually decorated a few weeks before 25 December.
- Christmas dinner — A big meal on Christmas Day. Popular dishes include roast turkey, goose, stuffing and Christmas pudding.
- Presents — Gifts are exchanged on Christmas morning, traditionally brought by Father Christmas (Santa Claus).
- Candles & lights — Candles and fairy lights set the Christmas mood, and an Advent wreath's four candles are lit on the Sundays of Advent.
- Carols & church — Churches hold special services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, popular with believers and non-believers alike.
Christmas in numbers
About this site
howlonguntilchristmas.com is a small, independently run site with one job: showing you exactly how many days, hours, minutes and seconds are left until Christmas. It's part of a small family of Christmas sites built by the same person, alongside isitchristmastoday.com (a simple yes/no check) and the Dutch originals, dagentotkerst.nl and ishetkerst.nl. Spotted a mistake or have a question? Get in touch at info@howlonguntilchristmas.com.