December 2026 Calendar: Holidays, National Days, and Event

December 2026 has 31 days, starting on Tuesday, December 1, 2026, and ending on Thursday, December 31, 2026. It is the 12th and final month of the Gregorian calendar.

The only U.S. federal holiday is Christmas Day, which falls on Friday, December 25, 2026, according to OPM’s 2026 schedule, which lists Christmas Day for that date.

The month also contains Hanukkah (December 4–12), the winter solstice on Monday, December 21, the Full Cold Supermoon on the night of December 23–24, the Geminid meteor shower, the start of Kwanzaa, and the Sun’s move from Sagittarius into Capricorn.

December 2026 Calendar at a Glance

The table below lists the verified core facts for December 2026.

Attribute	December 2026
Total days	31
Starts on	Tuesday, December 1, 2026
Ends on	Thursday, December 31, 2026
Weekdays/weekend days	23 weekdays; 8 weekend days (4 Saturdays, 4 Sundays)
U.S. federal holidays	1: Christmas Day, Friday, December 25, 2026
Standard federal business days	22
Winter solstice	Monday, December 21, 2026, at 20:50 UT (3:50 P.M. EST)
Full moon (Cold Supermoon)	Wednesday, December 23, 2026, at 8:28 P.M. EST (01:28 UT on December 24)
New moon	Tuesday, December 8, 2026, at 7:52 P.M. EST (00:52 UT on December 9)
Hanukkah	Sundown Friday, December 4 to nightfall Saturday, December 12, 2026
Zodiac signs	Sagittarius, then Capricorn from 3:50 P.M. EST on December 21
Birthstones	Turquoise, tanzanite, zircon

What Most December 2026 Calendars Get Wrong

Four widely repeated December 2026 claims are wrong or incomplete: the solstice time, the date Capricorn begins, the date of the full moon, and the end of ACA enrollment.

The table below sets each common claim against the primary source.

Common claim	What the primary source says	Source tier
The solstice occurs at 20:30 UTC (EarthSky states 20:30 UTC / 2:30 P.M. CST)	The U.S. Naval Observatory lists the 2026 December solstice at 20:50 UT	Primary (USNO)
Capricorn begins December 22	The Sun enters Capricorn at the solstice instant: 3:50 P.M. EST on December 21, 2026	Primary (USNO), computed
The full moon is on December 24	USNO gives 01:28 UT on December 24, which is 8:28 P.M. EST on Wednesday, December 23 in the U.S.	Primary (USNO)
ACA open enrollment ends December 15	December 15 is the last day for January 1 coverage; enrollment ends January 15, 2027	Primary (HealthCare.gov)

December 2026 Federal Holidays in the United States

The United States observes one federal holiday in December 2026: Christmas Day on Friday, December 25. Federal holidays are set by statute (5 U.S.C. 6103), and OPM confirms that this law establishes the public holidays for federal employees.

Holiday	2026 date	Day of week	Fixed or floating	Legal status
Christmas Day	December 25, 2026	Friday	Fixed	Federal holiday (5 U.S.C. 6103)
Christmas Eve	December 24, 2026	Thursday	Fixed	Not a federal holiday; executive order pending
New Year’s Eve	December 31, 2026	Thursday	Fixed	Not a federal holiday

Christmas Day 2026 (Friday, December 25, 2026)

Christmas Day 2026 falls on Friday, December 25, creating a three-day weekend from Friday, December 25 through Sunday, December 27.

Federal offices, Federal Reserve Banks, and the U.S. Postal Service close. Most private retailers also close, although no federal law requires private employers to give the day off or pay a holiday premium.

Is Christmas Eve 2026 a Federal Holiday?

No. Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24, 2026, is not a federal holiday, and no executive order closing federal agencies has been issued as of Monday, October 5, 2026.

Presidents can close agencies by executive order. The most recent example is the 2025 order, which closed federal agencies on Wednesday, December 24, 2025, and Friday, December 26, 2025.

The table below lists recent closures around Christmas.

Year	Christmas Eve weekday	Closure granted	President
2012	Monday	Full day, December 24	Obama
2014	Wednesday	Friday, December 26 only	Obama
2015	Thursday	Half day, December 24	Obama
2018	Monday	Full day, December 24	Trump
2019	Tuesday	Full day, December 24	Trump
2020	Thursday	Full day, December 24	Trump
2024	Tuesday	Full day, December 24	Biden
2025	Wednesday	December 24 and December 26	Trump
2026	Thursday	Pending	—

Sources: the 2012 order (White House archive); the 2014 and 2015 orders (Fortune, December 14, 2015); 2018–2020 and 2024 (Federal News Network, December 2025); 2025 (Newsweek, December 2025).

Why 2020 Is the Closest Precedent to 2026

In 2020, Christmas Eve fell on a Thursday, which is the same as in 2026, and the full day was granted. Government Executive notes that in 2020 Trump gave the full day off, while other recent presidents had granted only half days when Christmas fell at the end of the work week. That precedent makes a closure plausible but not certain.

Does a Federal Closure Apply to Private Employers?

No. An executive order closes only federal executive agencies. Money.com notes that such an order applies only to federal agencies, and that some federal employees may still have to work at their agency’s discretion. A permanent new federal holiday requires an act of Congress.

Why There Is No New Year’s Day Holiday Observed in December 2026

December 31, 2026, is a regular federal workday because New Year’s Day 2027 falls on a Friday. Under the in-lieu-of rule, OPM explains that a holiday falling on a Saturday is observed on the preceding Friday for most federal employees, but that rule only moves the holiday into December when January 1 is a Saturday. OPM’s 2027 table lists New Year’s Day on Friday, January 1, 2027.

Complete December 2026 Calendar: Holidays and National Days

December 2026 runs across five calendar weeks, from Tuesday, December 1 to Thursday, December 31. The tables below combine federal, religious, international, and astronomical dates. Unofficial “national days” are tracked by private registrars such as National Day Calendar; they are not government-recognized, and their listings vary between registrars.

Week 1: Tuesday, December 1 – Saturday, December 5, 2026

Date	Day	Notable observance
December 1, 2026	Tuesday	GivingTuesday; World AIDS Day; last quarter moon
December 2, 2026	Wednesday	UAE National Day
December 3, 2026	Thursday	International Day of Persons with Disabilities
December 4, 2026	Friday	Hanukkah begins at sundown; National Cookie Day
December 5, 2026	Saturday	International Volunteer Day; World Soil Day; Thailand National Father’s Day

Week 2: Sunday, December 6 – Saturday, December 12, 2026

Date	Day	Notable observance
December 6, 2026	Sunday	Second Sunday of Advent; St. Nicholas Day; Finland Independence Day
December 7, 2026	Monday	National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
December 8, 2026	Tuesday	Immaculate Conception; Bodhi Day; new moon (7:52 P.M. EST)
December 9, 2026	Wednesday	International Anti-Corruption Day
December 10, 2026	Thursday	Human Rights Day; Nobel Prize ceremonies
December 11, 2026	Friday	Eighth Hanukkah candle lit; International Mountain Day
December 12, 2026	Saturday	Hanukkah ends at nightfall; Our Lady of Guadalupe; Kenya Jamhuri Day

Week 3: Sunday, December 13 – Saturday, December 19, 2026

Date	Day	Notable observance
December 13, 2026	Sunday	Gaudete Sunday; St. Lucia Day; National Guard Birthday; Geminid peak night begins
December 14, 2026	Monday	Geminid peak (pre-dawn); Green Monday
December 15, 2026	Tuesday	Bill of Rights Day; ACA deadline for January 1 coverage
December 16, 2026	Wednesday	Las Posadas begins; South Africa Day of Reconciliation; Bangladesh Victory Day
December 17, 2026	Thursday	Wright Brothers Day; first quarter moon; USPS Ground Advantage send-by date
December 18, 2026	Friday	Mad Friday (UK); International Migrants Day
December 19, 2026	Saturday	Super Saturday

Week 4: Sunday, December 20 – Saturday, December 26, 2026

Date	Day	Notable observance
December 20, 2026	Sunday	Fourth Sunday of Advent
December 21, 2026	Monday	Winter solstice (3:50 P.M. EST); Capricorn begins; Yule
December 22, 2026	Tuesday	Dongzhi Festival; Ursid meteor shower peak window
December 23, 2026	Wednesday	Full Cold Supermoon (8:28 P.M. EST)
December 24, 2026	Thursday	Christmas Eve
December 25, 2026	Friday	Christmas Day (federal holiday)
December 26, 2026	Saturday	Boxing Day; St. Stephen’s Day; Kwanzaa begins

Week 5: Sunday, December 27 – Thursday, December 31, 2026

Date	Day	Notable observance
December 27, 2026	Sunday	Feast of the Holy Family
December 28, 2026	Monday	Boxing Day substitute bank holiday (UK); Holy Innocents
December 29, 2026	Tuesday	Kwanzaa (Ujamaa)
December 30, 2026	Wednesday	Rizal Day (Philippines); last quarter moon; National Bacon Day
December 31, 2026	Thursday	New Year’s Eve; Hogmanay; RMD deadline

December 2026 Calendar’s Quirkiest National Days

December’s unofficial national days are food and novelty dates used for marketing content, not closures. Examples include the following:

National Cookie Day: Friday, December 4, 2026
National Gingerbread House Day: Saturday, December 12, 2026
National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day: Friday, December 18, 2026 (third Friday of December)
Festivus: Wednesday, December 23, 2026
National Bacon Day: Wednesday, December 30, 2026

These dates do not affect banking hours, postal delivery or government operations.

December 2026 Day-by-Day: Zodiac, National Days, Awareness, Appreciation & Events

Every date from December 1 through December 20, 2026 falls in Sagittarius. Capricorn begins at 3:50 P.M. EST on December 21, and every later date falls in Capricorn. The entries below follow that sequence.

Tuesday, December 1, 2026

December 1, 2026 is GivingTuesday and World AIDS Day. GivingTuesday is set for Tuesday, December 1, 2026, according to its organizers, and is always the Tuesday after U.S. Thanksgiving. World AIDS Day has been observed since 1988. The date falls in Sagittarius, the mutable fire sign ruled by Jupiter. The last quarter moon occurs at 06:08 UT, according to USNO.

Wednesday, December 2, 2026

December 2, 2026 is UAE National Day, which marks the federation of the emirates in 1971. The date falls in Sagittarius and carries no U.S. federal or major religious observance.

Thursday, December 3, 2026

December 3, 2026 is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which the United Nations proclaimed in 1992. The date falls in Sagittarius.

Friday, December 4, 2026

Hanukkah begins at sundown on Friday, December 4, 2026. Hebcal lists the festival for Hebrew year 5787 as running from sundown on Friday, December 4, to nightfall on Saturday, December 12, 2026. Because the first night falls on a Friday, the Hanukkah candles are lit before the Shabbat candles. National Cookie Day also falls on this date.

Saturday, December 5, 2026

December 5, 2026 is International Volunteer Day and World Soil Day. It is also Thailand’s National Father’s Day. The second Hanukkah candle is lit after nightfall, once Shabbat ends.

Sunday, December 6, 2026

December 6, 2026 is the Second Sunday of Advent and St. Nicholas Day. Finland marks its Independence Day, which commemorates its 1917 declaration of independence.

Monday, December 7, 2026

December 7, 2026 is National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day and the 85th anniversary of the 1941 attack. It is a statutory observance under 36 U.S.C. § 129, not a federal holiday.

Tuesday, December 8, 2026

December 8, 2026 is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and Bodhi Day. The Immaculate Conception is a holy day of obligation for U.S. Catholics. Bodhi Day marks the Buddha’s enlightenment in several Mahayana traditions. The new moon occurs at 7:52 P.M. EST, which is 00:52 UT on December 9, according to USNO.

Wednesday, December 9, 2026

December 9, 2026 is International Anti-Corruption Day. In Universal Time, it is also the date of the new moon (00:52 UT), which is why European almanacs list the new moon a day later than U.S. ones.

Thursday, December 10, 2026

December 10, 2026 is Human Rights Day, the anniversary of the UN General Assembly’s adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 1948. The Nobel Prize ceremonies take place in Stockholm and Oslo, and the UN’s 16 Days of Activism campaign closes.

Friday, December 11, 2026

December 11, 2026 is the eighth and final Hanukkah candle lighting, which also takes place before Shabbat begins at sundown. International Mountain Day and the anniversary of UNICEF’s founding (December 11, 1946) also fall on this date.

Saturday, December 12, 2026

Hanukkah ends at nightfall on Saturday, December 12, 2026. The date is also the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a major observance in Mexico and among Mexican-American Catholics, and Kenya’s Jamhuri Day, which marks independence in 1963. National Gingerbread House Day also falls on this date.

Sunday, December 13, 2026

December 13, 2026 is Gaudete Sunday (the Third Sunday of Advent) and St. Lucia Day. It is also the National Guard Birthday (1636). The Geminid meteor shower’s peak night begins after dark.

Monday, December 14, 2026

The Geminid meteor shower peaks in the pre-dawn hours of Monday, December 14, 2026. The date is also Green Monday, which Wikipedia lists as the second Monday of December, December 14, 2026; it is a retail term for a high-volume online shopping day.

Tuesday, December 15, 2026

December 15, 2026 is the last day to enroll in a HealthCare.gov plan for coverage starting January 1, 2027. It is also Bill of Rights Day, the anniversary of the Bill of Rights’ ratification on December 15, 1791.

Wednesday, December 16, 2026

December 16, 2026 begins the nine nights of Las Posadas (December 16–24). It is also South Africa’s Day of Reconciliation, Bangladesh’s Victory Day (1971), and the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party (1773).

Thursday, December 17, 2026

December 17, 2026 is the USPS recommended send-by date for Ground Advantage and First-Class Mail to arrive by Christmas. It is also Wright Brothers Day, marking the first powered flight on December 17, 1903. The first quarter moon occurs at 05:42 UT according to USNO.

Friday, December 18, 2026

December 18, 2026 is the USPS Priority Mail send-by date for Christmas delivery. In Britain, it is known as Mad Friday; Wikipedia lists Mad Friday 2026 as 18 December, the Friday before Christmas Eve. National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day and International Migrants Day also fall on this date.

Saturday, December 19, 2026

December 19, 2026 is Super Saturday, the last Saturday before Christmas Eve. Wikipedia lists the 2026 date as December 19. It is also the USPS Priority Mail Express send-by date.

Sunday, December 20, 2026

December 20, 2026 is the Fourth Sunday of Advent and the last full day of Sagittarius.

Monday, December 21, 2026

The winter solstice occurs on Monday, December 21, 2026, at 20:50 UT (3:50 P.M. EST). It is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, the start of astronomical winter, and the moment the Sun enters Capricorn. Pagan and Wiccan communities celebrate Yule. Iranian communities observe Yalda Night, typically on the evening nearest the solstice.

Tuesday, December 22, 2026

December 22, 2026 is the Dongzhi Festival, which one solstice reference places on December 22 in 2026 because the solstice instant falls on that date in East Asian time zones. The Ursid meteor shower peaks around this night, but under a bright, nearly full Moon.

Wednesday, December 23, 2026

The Full Cold Supermoon peaks at 8:28 P.M. EST on Wednesday, December 23, 2026. It is the closest full moon of 2026 (see the astronomy section). Festivus also falls on this date.

Thursday, December 24, 2026

December 24, 2026 is Christmas Eve, a Thursday. It is not a federal holiday unless an executive order is issued. In Universal Time, the full moon occurs at 01:28 on this date, which is why UK and European sources list a “Christmas Eve full moon.”

Friday, December 25, 2026

December 25, 2026 is Christmas Day, a federal holiday falling on a Friday. The Twelve Days of Christmas begin and run through January 5, 2027.

Saturday, December 26, 2026

December 26, 2026 is Boxing Day, St. Stephen’s Day, and the first day of Kwanzaa. Kwanzaa runs from December 26, 2026 to January 1, 2027. Its first principle is Umoja (unity).

Sunday, December 27, 2026

December 27, 2026 is the Feast of the Holy Family, observed on the Sunday after Christmas. Kwanzaa’s second principle is Kujichagulia (self-determination).

Monday, December 28, 2026

December 28, 2026 is the Boxing Day substitute bank holiday in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. GOV.UK lists Boxing Day (substitute day) on Monday, 28 December. It is also the Feast of the Holy Innocents. Kwanzaa’s third principle is Ujima (collective work and responsibility).

Tuesday, December 29, 2026

December 29, 2026 is the fourth day of Kwanzaa, Ujamaa (cooperative economics). No U.S. federal or major international holiday falls on this date.

Wednesday, December 30, 2026

December 30, 2026 is Rizal Day in the Philippines, which honors José Rizal. The last quarter moon occurs at 18:59 UT according to USNO. National Bacon Day falls on this date, and Kwanzaa’s fifth principle is Nia (purpose).

Thursday, December 31, 2026

December 31, 2026 is New Year’s Eve, and the deadline for most 2026 required minimum distributions. Scotland celebrates Hogmanay. Kwanzaa’s sixth principle is Kuumba (creativity). It is a regular federal workday.

December 2026 Monthly and Weekly Observances

December’s awareness campaigns run in parallel with the calendar but do not close offices, banks, or schools. They function as advocacy and content-planning periods for organizations such as nonprofits, health agencies, and retailers.

Month-Long Observances in December 2026

The month-long observances most consistently listed for December are below.

Observance	Focus	Organizing body
Universal Human Rights Month	Human rights education	Anchored to UN Human Rights Day (December 10)
National Impaired Driving Prevention Month	Road safety	Annual U.S. presidential proclamation
Safe Toys and Gifts Awareness Month	Eye and child safety	Prevent Blindness

Weekly and Multi-Day Observances in December 2026

Five multi-day observances span December 2026. They are listed below.

Observance	2026 dates
Advent	Sunday, November 29 – Thursday, December 24
Hanukkah	Sundown Friday, December 4 – nightfall Saturday, December 12
Las Posadas	Wednesday, December 16 – Thursday, December 24
Twelve Days of Christmas	Friday, December 25 – Tuesday, January 5, 2027
Kwanzaa	Saturday, December 26 – Friday, January 1, 2027

December 2026 Zodiac Signs: Sagittarius and Capricorn

December 2026 spans two signs: Sagittarius until 3:50 P.M. EST on Monday, December 21, and Capricorn from that moment through the rest of the month. In the tropical zodiac, the Sun enters Capricorn at the instant of the December solstice.

Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21, 2026)

Sagittarius covers December 1–20 and the early part of December 21, 2026. It is a mutable fire sign ruled by Jupiter, and its symbol is the archer.

Capricorn (December 21, 2026 – January 2027)

Capricorn begins at 20:50 UT on December 21, 2026 and runs until the Sun enters Aquarius around January 20, 2027. It is a cardinal earth sign ruled by Saturn, and its symbol is the sea-goat.

Is December 21, 2026 Sagittarius or Capricorn?

Someone born on December 21, 2026 is a Sagittarius if born before 3:50 P.M. EST and a Capricorn if born after it. Many general sites assign all of December 21 to Sagittarius and say anyone born on December 22 is a Capricorn. The more precise rule is that the sign depends on whether a birth falls before or after the solstice moment in that year.

The table below shows the Capricorn ingress in major time zones.

Time zone	Sun enters Capricorn
Pacific (PST, UTC−8)	12:50 P.M., Monday, December 21
Eastern (EST, UTC−5)	3:50 P.M., Monday, December 21
UK (GMT, UTC±0)	8:50 P.M., Monday, December 21
India (IST, UTC+5:30)	2:20 A.M., Tuesday, December 22
Japan (JST, UTC+9)	5:50 A.M., Tuesday, December 22
Sydney (AEDT, UTC+11)	7:50 A.M., Tuesday, December 22

Why Most Sites Say Capricorn Starts December 22

Fixed-date zodiac tables round the boundary to a single date that is correct only in some years. The solstice moves between December 20 and December 23 from year to year, and its exact instant falls at a different clock time in each time zone. In 2026, readers in Asia and Australia see the ingress on December 22, while readers in the Americas and Europe see it on December 21.

December Birthstones: Turquoise, Tanzanite and Zircon

December has three birthstones: turquoise, tanzanite and zircon. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) names these three as December’s stones.

Stone	Mohs hardness (GIA)	Added to the U.S. list	Colors	Notes
Turquoise	5–6	1912	Blue to green	11th wedding anniversary gem
Tanzanite	6–7	2002 (AGTA/Jewelers of America)	Blue to violet	Mined commercially only in Tanzania’s Merelani Hills
Zircon	6–7.5	1952	Many, with blue most associated with December	Natural mineral, not cubic zirconia

Sources: Mohs hardness from GIA; year added from the Farmers’ Almanac (secondary) and Filigree Jewelers (third-party). GIA records that tanzanite was identified as zoisite in 1962, that its primary source was located in 1967, and that Tiffany & Co. launched a promotional campaign in 1968.

Is Blue Topaz a December Birthstone?

Blue topaz is not on GIA’s December list; it appears on some retailer lists. Sources disagree, as the table below shows.

Claim	Source	Source tier
December has three birthstones: turquoise, tanzanite and zircon (no blue topaz)	GIA	Primary (standards body)
December has four official birthstones, including blue topaz	Brilliant Earth	Third-party (retailer)
Blue topaz is sold for December but is officially a November stone	Psychic Source	Third-party

Why the sources disagree: the American birthstone list is maintained by trade associations, while retailers often add stones with similar colors. Topaz is November’s birthstone (alongside citrine), and its blue variety is sometimes marketed for December because of the color match.

Zircon vs. Cubic Zirconia

Zircon is a natural mineral; cubic zirconia is a synthetic diamond simulant. GIA notes that colorless zircon’s brilliance and flashes of multicolored light have caused centuries of confusion with diamond. The similar names do not reflect any mineral relationship.

December Birth Flowers: Narcissus and Holly

December’s traditional birth flowers are the narcissus (especially the paperwhite) and holly. Unlike the birthstone list, no standards body maintains the birth-flower list; it comes from Western floral tradition and almanac lists.

Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and Other December 2026 Religious and Cultural Observances

December 2026 contains Hanukkah (December 4–12), Christmas (December 25), and Kwanzaa (December 26–January 1), and none of the three overlap.

Several other dated observances fall in the month, including Bodhi Day, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Las Posadas, and solstice festivals.

Hanukkah 2026: December 4–12

Hanukkah 2026 runs from sundown on Friday, December 4 to nightfall on Saturday, December 12. It always begins on 25 Kislev in the Hebrew calendar.

Night	Date candles are lit	Day	Candles (plus shamash)	Shabbat note
1	December 4, 2026	Friday	1	Light before the Shabbat candles
2	December 5, 2026	Saturday	2	Light after Shabbat ends
3	December 6, 2026	Sunday	3	—
4	December 7, 2026	Monday	4	—
5	December 8, 2026	Tuesday	5	—
6	December 9, 2026	Wednesday	6	—
7	December 10, 2026	Thursday	7	—
8	December 11, 2026	Friday	8	Light before the Shabbat candles

Why Nights 1 and 8 Both Fall on Fridays

A festival of eight nights that begins on a Friday necessarily lights its eighth candle on the following Friday. In 2026, both the first and last lightings must take place before the Shabbat candles at sundown. The sequence reverses on Saturday, December 5, when the Hanukkah candle is lit after nightfall, once Shabbat ends.

Some interfaith calendars list Hanukkah 2026 as December 5–12. Diversity Resources’ 2026 interfaith calendar lists Hanukkah as December 5–12, which counts from the first full day rather than the first evening. Both describe the same festival.

Why Hanukkah Does Not Overlap Christmas in 2026

Hanukkah 2026 ends 13 days before Christmas because 2026 falls early in the Hebrew calendar’s cycle. The following year differs sharply: Hanukkah 2027 begins on Friday, December 24 and ends on Saturday, January 1, so it will overlap Christmas.

Advent and Christmas 2026

Advent 2026 runs four Sundays, from November 29 to December 20, before Christmas on Friday, December 25. The table below lists the Western Christian dates.

Observance	2026 date
First Sunday of Advent	Sunday, November 29
Second Sunday of Advent	Sunday, December 6
Feast of the Immaculate Conception	Tuesday, December 8
Gaudete Sunday (Third Sunday of Advent)	Sunday, December 13
Fourth Sunday of Advent	Sunday, December 20
Christmas Eve	Thursday, December 24
Christmas Day	Friday, December 25
Feast of the Holy Family	Sunday, December 27

Eastern Orthodox Christmas (January 7, 2027)

Churches that follow the Julian calendar celebrate Christmas on January 7, 2027, outside December. These include the Russian, Serbian, and Georgian Orthodox Churches. Orthodox churches that follow the Revised Julian calendar, such as the Greek Orthodox Church, celebrate on December 25.

Kwanzaa 2026: December 26 – January 1

Kwanzaa 2026 runs from Saturday, December 26, 2026, to Friday, January 1, 2027, with one principle (the Nguzo Saba) for each day.

Day	Date	Principle	Meaning
1	Saturday, December 26	Umoja	Unity
2	Sunday, December 27	Kujichagulia	Self-determination
3	Monday, December 28	Ujima	Collective work and responsibility
4	Tuesday, December 29	Ujamaa	Cooperative economics
5	Wednesday, December 30	Nia	Purpose
6	Thursday, December 31	Kuumba	Creativity
7	Friday, January 1, 2027	Imani	Faith

Bodhi Day, Our Lady of Guadalupe, and Las Posadas

Three further observances fall on fixed dates in December 2026. They are listed below.

Bodhi Day (Tuesday, December 8): marks the Buddha’s enlightenment in Japanese and other Mahayana traditions
Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Saturday, December 12): a major Mexican and Mexican-American Catholic feast
Las Posadas (Wednesday, December 16 – Thursday, December 24): nine nights re-enacting Mary and Joseph’s search for lodging

Winter Solstice Traditions: Yule, Dongzhi and Yalda Night

Three solstice festivals fall between December 21 and December 22, 2026. They are listed below.

Yule: observed by many Pagan and Wiccan communities on the solstice, Monday, December 21
Yalda Night (Shab-e Yalda): an Iranian observance of the longest night, held on the evening nearest the solstice
Dongzhi: a Chinese winter-solstice festival, held on Tuesday, December 22, 2026, when the solstice instant falls on that date in East Asia

Inclusive December Scheduling for Workplaces and Schools

U.S. employers must reasonably accommodate employees’ religious observances under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, not only Christmas. Foothold America notes that a Christmas closure on the company calendar does not satisfy the obligation to accommodate other observances. In practice, that means checking Hanukkah evenings (December 4–11) and Kwanzaa (December 26–January 1) before scheduling year-end events.

International Public Holidays in December 2026

Christmas falls on a Friday and Boxing Day on a Saturday in 2026, so the UK observes a substitute Boxing Day bank holiday on Monday, December 28. GOV.UK explains that when a bank holiday falls on a weekend, a substitute weekday, normally the following Monday, becomes a bank holiday.

UK Bank Holidays in December 2026

England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland all have two bank holidays in December 2026: Friday, December 25 and Monday, December 28.

Nation	Christmas Day	Boxing Day	Notes
England and Wales	Friday, December 25	Monday, December 28 (substitute)	—
Scotland	Friday, December 25	Monday, December 28 (substitute)	St Andrew’s Day was Monday, November 30
Northern Ireland	Friday, December 25	Monday, December 28 (substitute)	—

GOV.UK also notes that employers are not required to give paid leave on bank holidays.

Canada and Australia Christmas and Boxing Day 2026

Canada and most Australian states also move Boxing Day to Monday, December 28, 2026, but the rules vary by province, state and employer.

In Canada, Boxing Day is a federal statutory holiday for federally regulated employers, while provincial status varies. In Australia, each state and territory publishes its own substitute-day rules. Confirm with the relevant provincial or state government before planning closures.

National Days Around the World in December 2026

At least seven countries mark national or independence days in December. They are listed below.

Date	Country	Holiday
Wednesday, December 2	United Arab Emirates	National Day
Saturday, December 5	Thailand	National Father’s Day
Sunday, December 6	Finland	Independence Day
Saturday, December 12	Kenya	Jamhuri Day
Wednesday, December 16	South Africa	Day of Reconciliation
Wednesday, December 16	Bangladesh	Victory Day
Wednesday, December 30	Philippines	Rizal Day

December 2026 Deadlines: Medicare, ACA, Retirement and FSA Dates

December 2026 contains three major U.S. consumer deadlines: Medicare plan changes by December 7, ACA enrollment for January 1 coverage by December 15, and most required minimum distributions by December 31. This section is informational and not financial or insurance advice.

Deadline	Date	Applies to	Source
Medicare Open Enrollment closes	Monday, December 7, 2026	Medicare beneficiaries changing Advantage or Part D plans	Medicare.gov
ACA enrollment for January 1 coverage	Tuesday, December 15, 2026	HealthCare.gov enrollees	HealthCare.gov
ACA Open Enrollment ends	Friday, January 15, 2027	HealthCare.gov enrollees	HealthCare.gov
RMD for 2026 (after the first year)	Thursday, December 31, 2026	IRA and retirement-plan owners age 73 and older	IRS

Medicare Open Enrollment Ends December 7, 2026

Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period runs from October 15 to December 7, and changes take effect January 1. Medicare.gov specifies that the plan must receive the request to join by December 7. The window does not apply to people enrolling in Medicare for the first time, who use their Initial Enrollment Period.

ACA Open Enrollment: December 15 vs. January 15, 2027

December 15, 2026 is the deadline for coverage starting January 1, 2027, and January 15, 2027 is the last day of Open Enrollment. HealthCare.gov lists December 15 as the last day to enroll or change plans for January 1 coverage and January 15 as the end of Open Enrollment. Plans chosen between December 16 and January 15 start on February 1.

Claim	Source	Source tier	Date
Enrollment runs November 1, 2026 – January 15, 2027; December 15 is the January 1 cutoff	HealthCare.gov	Primary	Accessed October 5, 2026
Enrollment runs November 1 – December 15, 2026, with no January deadline	The Jordan Insurance Agency	Third-party	Published September 2026
Enrollment ends December 15, 2026	Summit Health Benefits (older article)	Third-party	About June 2026

Why Some Sites Still Say Enrollment Ends December 15

A June 2025 federal rule would have ended HealthCare.gov enrollment on December 15 starting with 2027 coverage, but CMS later confirmed the January 15, 2027 end date for this season. Pages written under the 2025 rule were not updated. One guide notes that a court appeal affecting future years is still pending, so the 2028 window may change. State-run marketplaces set their own dates; for example, Idaho’s window runs October 15 to December 15. Confirm your state’s dates before choosing a plan.

December 31, 2026: Year-End Financial Deadlines

Most required minimum distributions for 2026 must be taken by Thursday, December 31, 2026. The IRS sets the RMD starting age at 73 and allows the first RMD to be delayed until April 1 of the following year. Missing an RMD can trigger an excise tax: the IRS applies 25% of the amount not withdrawn, or 10% if it is corrected within two years.

Other December 31 deadlines depend on the plan, not on federal law. Examples include 401(k) salary deferrals, which must go through the employer’s final 2026 payroll, and health FSA balances, where a plan may offer a grace period, a carryover, or neither.

Confirm three items in writing with your plan administrator: the last payroll date for 2026 deferrals, whether your FSA has a grace period or carryover, and the cutoff for submitting 2026 claims.

Holiday Shopping Season 2026: GivingTuesday, Super Saturday and Shipping Deadlines

December 2026’s retail calendar runs from GivingTuesday on December 1 to post-Christmas sales beginning December 26.

Event	2026 date	Day	Focus
GivingTuesday	December 1	Tuesday	Charitable giving
Green Monday	December 14	Monday	Online sales
Super Saturday	December 19	Saturday	Last pre-Christmas weekend in-store shopping
Christmas Eve	December 24	Thursday	Last-minute shopping; reduced store hours
Post-Christmas sales and returns	December 26	Saturday	Gift returns and clearance

One third-party awareness-day site lists GivingTuesday 2026 as December 2 in its body text, which contradicts its own date field. GivingTuesday’s organizers list December 1, 2026.

Christmas 2026 Shipping Deadlines (USPS, UPS, FedEx)

USPS recommends sending Ground Advantage and First-Class Mail by Thursday, December 17, Priority Mail by Friday, December 18, and Priority Mail Express by Saturday, December 19, 2026 for delivery in the lower 48 states by Christmas. These dates come from USPS’s September 22, 2026 announcement as reported by multiple news outlets.

USPS service	Lower 48 states	Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and U.S. territories
Ground Advantage	Thursday, December 17	Wednesday, December 16
First-Class Mail	Thursday, December 17	Thursday, December 17
Priority Mail	Friday, December 18	Friday, December 18
Priority Mail Express	Saturday, December 19	Saturday, December 19

The Postal Service describes these as recommended send-by dates, not delivery guarantees. International and military dates appear on the USPS holiday shipping page beginning in mid-October 2026. As of early October 2026, UPS had not yet published its Christmas ship-by dates.

Two checks prevent a missed deadline. First, the date counts from USPS’s acceptance scan, not from when the label is printed. Second, Priority Mail Express is the only domestic USPS service with a money-back guarantee, so confirm the guaranteed date shown at purchase.

December 2026 Astronomy: Winter Solstice, Moon Phases and Meteor Showers

December 2026’s sky calendar includes the winter solstice on December 21, a new moon on December 8–9, the Geminid peak on December 13–14, and the closest full moon of the year on December 23–24.

Winter Solstice 2026: Monday, December 21 at 3:50 P.M. EST

The 2026 December solstice occurs at 20:50 Universal Time on Monday, December 21. That is the time given by the U.S. Naval Observatory. The solstice happens at one instant worldwide; only the local clock time and date differ.

Location	Local date and time
Los Angeles (PST)	Monday, December 21, 12:50 P.M.
Chicago (CST)	Monday, December 21, 2:50 P.M.
New York (EST)	Monday, December 21, 3:50 P.M.
London (GMT)	Monday, December 21, 8:50 P.M.
Tokyo (JST)	Tuesday, December 22, 5:50 A.M.
Sydney (AEDT)	Tuesday, December 22, 7:50 A.M.

Published solstice time	Source	Source tier
20:50 UT	U.S. Naval Observatory	Primary
20:50 UTC	Wikipedia table	Secondary
20:30 UTC (2:30 P.M. CST)	EarthSky	Third-party
8:49 P.M. GMT	History UK	Third-party

Why sources disagree: small differences such as 20:49 vs. 20:50 come from rounding the computed instant. The 20:30 UTC figure is 20 minutes off the USNO value and appears to be an error.

Why the Earliest Sunset Comes Before the Solstice

In the Northern Hemisphere, the earliest sunset of the year occurs in early December, before the solstice, because clock time and solar time drift apart through the month. EarthSky explains that true solar noon in early December comes about 10 minutes earlier by the clock than at the solstice, which pushes sunsets later as the solstice approaches. The latest sunrise, by the same mechanism, comes in early January.

Astronomical vs. Meteorological Winter

Astronomical winter begins at the solstice on December 21, 2026; meteorological winter began on December 1, 2026. Meteorologists group December, January, and February for record-keeping, while astronomers count from the solstice to the March equinox. Both are standard definitions; they serve different purposes.

Full Cold Supermoon: December 23, 2026 (December 24 in UTC)

December’s full moon occurs at 01:28 UT on December 24, 2026, which is 8:28 P.M. EST on Wednesday, December 23. These figures come from USNO. TheSkyLive puts the full moon at 356,738 km (221,667 miles) from Earth and describes it as a supermoon, appearing 7.77% larger than average. Plentiful Earth describes the December supermoon as the closest full moon of the year. Alternative names include the Long Nights Moon and the Moon Before Yule.

Why the Date Differs Between the U.S. and the UK

The full moon occurs after midnight UTC, so it falls on December 24 in Europe and on December 23 in the Americas. This is why UK sources call it a “Christmas Eve supermoon,” while U.S. almanacs list December 23.

The table below sets out two further discrepancies.

Claim	Source	Source tier	Explanation
Full moon at 6:14 P.M. ET on December 23	Old Farmer’s Almanac (one passage)	Third-party	Conflicts with the same page’s 8:28 P.M. figure and with USNO
Moon in the constellation Gemini	TheSkyLive	Secondary	Astronomical constellation
Full moon “in Cancer”	Plentiful Earth	Third-party	Astrological sign (tropical zodiac), not the constellation

Why the Gemini and Cancer claims disagree: astronomy reports which constellation the Moon is physically in front of, while astrology uses the tropical zodiac, which has drifted about one sign from the constellations through the precession of the equinoxes. Both statements are internally consistent within their own systems.

New Moon: December 8, 2026 (December 9 in UTC)

The December new moon occurs at 00:52 UT on December 9, 2026, which is 7:52 P.M. EST on Tuesday, December 8. This is the darkest phase of the lunar cycle, and it sets up good viewing conditions for the Geminids five nights later.

December 2026 Moon Phases

December 2026 has five primary moon phases, starting and ending with a last quarter moon. All times are from the U.S. Naval Observatory.

Phase	Universal Time	Eastern Time (EST)
Last quarter	December 1, 06:08	December 1, 1:08 A.M.
New moon	December 9, 00:52	December 8, 7:52 P.M.
First quarter	December 17, 05:42	December 17, 12:42 A.M.
Full moon	December 24, 01:28	December 23, 8:28 P.M.
Last quarter	December 30, 18:59	December 30, 1:59 P.M.

Geminid Meteor Shower Peak: December 13–14, 2026

The Geminids peak on the night of Sunday, December 13 into Monday, December 14, 2026, under a thin waxing crescent Moon that sets early. The Farmers’ Almanac notes that the Moon sets by about 9 P.M. local time on peak night, leaving the rest of the night dark. The Geminid parent body is the asteroid 3200 Phaethon, not a comet.

Claim	Source	Source tier
Peak about 14:00 GMT on December 14 (attributed to the International Meteor Organization)	Star Walk	Third-party
Peak at 06:31 UTC on December 14	PhotoPills	Third-party
Up to 150 meteors per hour	Star Walk; Farmers’ Almanac	Third-party
75 meteors per hour	Old Farmer’s Almanac	Third-party
Peak under a waning crescent Moon	Space.com	Third-party

Why sources disagree: the 150-per-hour figure is the zenithal hourly rate (ZHR), a theoretical maximum assuming a dark sky and the radiant directly overhead. Observed counts are usually lower, which explains the 75 and 120 figures. Peak-time predictions differ because they come from different models. The “waning crescent” description is incorrect: the Moon is waxing after the December 8 new moon.

Ursid Meteor Shower: December 21–22, 2026

The Ursids peak around December 21–22, 2026, but the nearly full Moon will wash out most of the shower. Telescope Advisor expects the near-full Moon to suppress most faint meteors, leaving only the brightest visible.

Why Is It Called December? Origin, Etymology and December in Other Languages

From Latin Decem to the 12th Month

December takes its name from the Latin decem, meaning “ten,” because it was the 10th month of the early Roman calendar, which began in March.

Adding January and February to the start of the year, a reform traditionally attributed to King Numa Pompilius, moved December to 12th place without renaming it. The same pattern explains September (septem, seven), October (octo, eight), and November (novem, nine).

December in Other Languages

December’s name in most European languages comes from the same Latin root, while Chinese and Japanese call it the “twelfth month.” The table below lists common forms.

Language	Word for December	Literal meaning
Spanish	diciembre	From Latin decem
French	décembre	From Latin decem
Italian	dicembre	From Latin decem
German	Dezember	From Latin decem
Indonesian / Norwegian	desember	From Latin decem
Polish	grudzień	From gruda (frozen clod of earth)
Turkish	aralık	“Interval” or “gap”
Arabic	ديسمبر (dīsambir)	Transliteration of December
Chinese	十二月 (shí’èr yuè)	“Twelfth month”
Japanese	十二月 (jūnigatsu)	“Twelfth month”

December 2026 Business Days, Payroll and PTO Planning

December 2026 has 23 weekdays and 22 standard federal business days once Christmas Day is subtracted. The table below sets out the count.

Metric	Count
Total days	31
Weekdays (Monday–Friday)	23
Weekend days	8
Federal holidays on weekdays	1 (Christmas Day)
Standard federal business days	22

The count reflects federal closures only. It drops to 21 if an executive order closes agencies on Thursday, December 24, and it is lower for employers who close on Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve.

Best Days to Take Off Around Christmas 2026

Because Christmas Day and New Year’s Day 2027 both fall on Fridays, 5 PTO days produce an 11-day break. Holiday Optimizer describes this as 11 days off using 5 PTO days, and Qeepl shows that taking December 21–24 and December 28–31 off produces a 17-day break from December 19, 2026 to January 3, 2027.

Strategy	PTO days used	Consecutive days off	Dates
Christmas Eve only	1 (Thursday, December 24)	4	December 24–27
Christmas Eve plus the week after Christmas	5 (December 24, 28–31)	11	December 24 – January 3, 2027
Full two weeks	8 (December 21–24, 28–31)	17	December 19 – January 3, 2027

If an executive order closes federal agencies on December 24, federal employees need one fewer PTO day for each strategy.

Payroll and Bank Closures in Late December 2026

Federal Reserve Banks close only on Friday, December 25, 2026, and are open on December 24 and December 31 unless an executive order changes the federal schedule.

Payroll teams should confirm that a Friday, December 25 payday is moved forward to Thursday, December 24 under their bank’s holiday processing rules. Confirm the final payroll run of 2026 with your payroll provider in writing, because it determines year-end tax withholding and the last 2026 retirement-plan deferral.

School Winter Break 2026

Most U.S. school districts and colleges begin winter break between Friday, December 18 and Wednesday, December 23, 2026, but dates are set locally. Confirm with each district or registrar; see the related academic calendar guides below.

Printable and Digital December 2026 Calendar Formats

December 2026 calendars come in three main formats: PDF for printing, ICS or CSV for import into Google Calendar, Outlook or Apple Calendar, and PNG or JPG images. OPM and GOV.UK each publish downloadable ICS holiday files, which import official holidays directly.

A U.S.-style Sunday-start grid places Tuesday, December 1 in the third column. A Monday-start grid, common in the UK and most of Europe, places it in the second column. The dates and weekdays are the same in both layouts.

Frequently Asked Questions About the December 2026 Calendar

How many days are in December 2026?

December 2026 has 31 days, running from Tuesday, December 1 to Thursday, December 31, 2026.

What day of the week does December 2026 start and end on?

December 2026 starts on a Tuesday (December 1) and ends on a Thursday (December 31).

Is Christmas Eve 2026 a federal holiday?

No. Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24, 2026, is not a federal holiday. A presidential executive order can close federal agencies; none had been issued as of October 5, 2026.

What day of the week is Christmas 2026?

Christmas 2026 falls on Friday, December 25, the month’s only U.S. federal holiday.

When does Hanukkah start in 2026?

Hanukkah begins at sundown on Friday, December 4, 2026, and ends at nightfall on Saturday, December 12, 2026.

What time is the winter solstice in 2026?

The winter solstice occurs at 20:50 UT on Monday, December 21, 2026, which is 3:50 P.M. EST and 8:50 P.M. GMT.

When is the full moon in December 2026?

The Full Cold Supermoon occurs at 8:28 P.M. EST on Wednesday, December 23, 2026, which is 01:28 UT on December 24.

What zodiac sign is December 21, 2026?

It depends on the birth time. Births before 3:50 P.M. EST on December 21, 2026 are Sagittarius; births after it are Capricorn.

What is the December birthstone?

December has three birthstones: turquoise, tanzanite, and zircon, according to GIA. Blue topaz appears on some retailer lists but not on GIA’s.

How many business days are in December 2026?

December 2026 has 22 standard federal business days: 23 weekdays minus Christmas Day.

When is Boxing Day observed in 2026?

Boxing Day falls on Saturday, December 26, 2026, and is observed as a UK bank holiday on Monday, December 28.

Why is December the 12th month if decem means ten?

December was the 10th month of the early Roman calendar, which began in March. When January and February were added to the start of the year, its name was kept.

December 2026 Calendar: Holidays, National Days, Zodiac, Events & Observances

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