The four Sundays of Advent 2026
Advent Sunday is the first of these four Sundays. From that day, the Christmas countdown officially becomes the Advent season.
How the start of Advent is worked out
Advent always starts on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day. Find the last Sunday before 25 December, count back three more Sundays, and you have Advent Sunday. That rule means the start date can only ever fall between 27 November and 3 December, and the season lasts anywhere from 22 days (when Christmas is on a Monday) to 28 days (when Christmas is on a Sunday).
Advent calendars don't follow that rule. To keep things simple they always open their first door on 1 December and finish on 24 December, so in some years the calendar starts a few days after Advent Sunday and in others a couple of days before it.
Advent Sunday, 2026–2035
| Year | Advent Sunday | 4th Sunday of Advent | Length of Advent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 29 November | 20 December | 26 days |
| 2027 | 28 November | 19 December | 27 days |
| 2028 | 3 December | 24 December | 22 days |
| 2029 | 2 December | 23 December | 23 days |
| 2030 | 1 December | 22 December | 24 days |
| 2031 | 30 November | 21 December | 25 days |
| 2032 | 28 November | 19 December | 27 days |
| 2033 | 27 November | 18 December | 28 days |
| 2034 | 3 December | 24 December | 22 days |
| 2035 | 2 December | 23 December | 23 days |
Length of Advent is counted from Advent Sunday up to and including Christmas Eve.
Key dates of the Christmas season 2026
Everything worth putting in the diary between now and Twelfth Night, in order. Weekdays are worked out for the coming Christmas.
| Date | Day | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 22 November 2026 | Sunday | Stir-up Sunday: the traditional day to make the Christmas pudding |
| 29 November 2026 | Sunday | Advent Sunday: the first candle on the Advent wreath is lit |
| 1 December 2026 | Tuesday | First door of the Advent calendar |
| 6 December 2026 | Sunday | St Nicholas Day, the saint behind Santa Claus |
| 21 December 2026 | Monday | Winter solstice: the shortest day in the northern hemisphere |
| 24 December 2026 | Thursday | Christmas Eve |
| 25 December 2026 | Friday | Christmas Day (bank holiday) |
| 26 December 2026 | Saturday | Boxing Day |
| 28 December 2026 | Monday | Substitute bank holiday for Boxing Day (UK) |
| 31 December 2026 | Thursday | New Year's Eve |
| 5 January 2027 | Tuesday | Twelfth Night: traditionally the day decorations come down |
| 6 January 2027 | Wednesday | Epiphany: the official end of the Christmas season |
Advent traditions
- Advent wreath: a ring of evergreens with four candles, one lit each Sunday of Advent. Some wreaths have a fifth, white candle in the centre for Christmas Day.
- Advent calendar: first printed in Germany in the early 1900s. Today's versions hide anything from chocolate to tea, beauty products or small toys behind 24 doors.
- Advent candle: a single tall candle marked 1 to 24, burned down one notch every evening in December.
- Stir-up Sunday: named after the church prayer read that day ("Stir up, we beseech thee…"). Every member of the family gives the pudding a stir and makes a wish.
Frequently asked questions
When does Advent start in 2026?
Advent 2026 begins on Sunday 29 November 2026. The four Sundays of Advent are 29 November, 6 December, 13 December and 20 December.
Why doesn't Advent always start on 1 December?
Advent starts on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day, so it falls somewhere between 27 November and 3 December. Advent calendars simplify this and always start on 1 December.
How long is Advent?
Advent always contains four Sundays, but its length varies from 22 to 28 days depending on which weekday Christmas falls on. In 2026 it lasts 26 days, from 29 November up to and including Christmas Eve.
What is Stir-up Sunday?
Stir-up Sunday is the Sunday before Advent, traditionally the day British families make their Christmas pudding so it has time to mature. In 2026 it falls on 22 November.
When is the Boxing Day bank holiday in 2026?
Boxing Day 2026 falls on a Saturday, so in the UK the bank holiday moves to the following Monday, 28 December 2026.