Christmas Day
CR · 2026
About Christmas Day
Christmas Day, celebrated on December 25th, commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ and is one of the most significant religious and cultural holidays in the Christian world. It is observed as a public holiday in more than 160 countries worldwide.
The origins of Christmas blend Christian theology with older winter solstice traditions. The date of December 25th was officially designated by the Roman church in the 4th century, though many Christmas customs — gift-giving, evergreen decorations, feasting — draw from pre-Christian Germanic and Roman festivals.
Over centuries, Christmas evolved into both a sacred religious observance and a major cultural and commercial holiday, with traditions varying widely across cultures while sharing common themes of generosity, family, and celebration.
Quick Facts
- Date 2026
- December 25, 2026
- Day
- Friday
- Type
- Public
- Scope
- National
- Fixed Date
- No — date changes each year
- Local Name
- Navidad
- Traditions
- Gift giving · Decorated Christmas tree · Family feasts · Carol singing
When is Christmas Day?
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | December 25, 2025 | Thursday |
| 2026This year | December 25, 2026 | Friday |
| 2027 | December 25, 2027 | Saturday |
3-Day Long Weekend
Because Christmas Day falls on a Friday, it creates a 3-day long weekend from Friday, December 25 to Sunday, December 27.
How is Christmas Day Celebrated?
Christmas is celebrated with gift exchanges, decorated trees, carol singing, and special family meals. In Christian households, attendance at church services — particularly midnight Mass on Christmas Eve — remains central to the holiday.
Children in many countries anticipate visits from gift-giving figures such as Santa Claus (North America), Father Christmas (UK), or Sinterklaas (Netherlands). Foods like turkey, ham, mince pies, Christmas pudding, and yule log cakes are traditional across different cultures.
Did You Know?
- •The word 'Christmas' comes from the Old English 'Cristes Maesse,' meaning 'Christ's Mass.'
- •The tradition of Christmas trees originated in Germany in the 16th century and spread globally after Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg brought it to Britain.
- •Christmas is both a religious holiday and a public holiday in over 160 countries, making it one of the most globally observed holidays.
- •The song 'White Christmas' by Bing Crosby is the best-selling single of all time with estimated sales over 50 million copies.
- •In the Southern Hemisphere, Christmas falls in summer — many Australians celebrate with beach barbecues.
Other Holidays in CR 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
From the Blog
Good Friday 2026: Date, History, and Global Observance
Good Friday 2026 falls on April 3. Here's when it is, why the date changes every year, which countries observe it as a public holiday, and what the day means across Christian traditions.
7 min readThe Gregorian Calendar: How a 1582 Reform Became the World's Default
How an 11-minute annual error in the Julian calendar led Pope Gregory XIII to skip 10 days, and the surprisingly slow 340-year global adoption that followed.
7 min readLunar vs Solar vs Lunisolar: How Different Cultures Track the Year
Why the Islamic calendar loses 11 days each year, how the Chinese calendar adds leap months, and what makes the Gregorian calendar 'solar' — a comparison of the world's major calendar systems.
8 min read