# What day is Christmas this year?

*Christmas Day falls on a Friday in 2026. Federal law fixes it on December 25, and in 2027 that date is a Saturday, so most federal employees get the holiday on Friday, December 24.*

- Type: Explainer
- Section: Culture
- By: Culture Desk
- Published: 2026-11-12T00:55:00-05:00
- Updated: 2026-11-12T00:55:00-05:00
- URL: https://factsdesk.com/culture/what-day-is-christmas-this-year/

## Key facts

- Christmas Day 2026 is Friday, December 25, 2026, according to the federal holiday schedule published by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Source: [U.S. Office of Personnel Management](https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/). Confirmed 2026-11-12T00:52:00-05:00. Cite: https://factsdesk.com/culture/what-day-is-christmas-this-year/#christmas-day-2026-is-friday-december-25-2026-according-to
- Federal law lists Christmas Day, December 25, as a legal public holiday. Source: [U.S. Government Publishing Office](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title5/html/USCODE-2024-title5-partIII-subpartE-chap61-subchapI-sec6103.htm). Confirmed 2026-11-12T00:52:00-05:00. Cite: https://factsdesk.com/culture/what-day-is-christmas-this-year/#federal-law-lists-christmas-day-december-25-as-a-legal
- The federal holiday schedule for 2027 lists Christmas Day on Friday, December 24, 2027, because a holiday that falls on a Saturday is treated as a holiday on the Friday before. Source: [U.S. Office of Personnel Management](https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/). Confirmed 2026-11-12T00:52:00-05:00. Cite: https://factsdesk.com/culture/what-day-is-christmas-this-year/#the-federal-holiday-schedule-for-2027-lists-christmas-day-on
- The U.S. Postal Service lists Friday, December 25, Christmas Day, among its 2026 holidays. Source: [U.S. Postal Service](https://about.usps.com/newsroom/events/). Confirmed 2026-11-12T00:52:00-05:00. Cite: https://factsdesk.com/culture/what-day-is-christmas-this-year/#the-u-s-postal-service-lists-friday-december-25-christmas
- NYSE markets observe Christmas Day on Friday, December 25, 2026, and each market closes early at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, December 24, 2026. Source: [New York Stock Exchange](https://www.nyse.com/markets/hours-calendars). Confirmed 2026-11-12T00:52:00-05:00. Cite: https://factsdesk.com/culture/what-day-is-christmas-this-year/#nyse-markets-observe-christmas-day-on-friday-december-25

Christmas Day this year is Friday, December 25, 2026, according to the [federal holiday schedule](https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/) published by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

## What day of the week Christmas falls on

The section of federal law that lists the legal public holidays, [5 U.S.C. 6103](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title5/html/USCODE-2024-title5-partIII-subpartE-chap61-subchapI-sec6103.htm), names "Christmas Day, December 25." The date never changes, so the day of the week moves each year. The Office of Personnel Management [schedule](https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/) gives these days for the federal holiday.

| Year | Christmas Day federal holiday |
| --- | --- |
| 2026 | Friday, December 25 |
| 2027 | Friday, December 24 |
| 2028 | Monday, December 25 |

## Why the 2027 holiday is on December 24

December 25, 2027, is a Saturday. The Office of Personnel Management [says](https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/) that when a holiday falls on a Saturday, the Friday before is treated as a holiday for pay and leave purposes for most federal employees, and that a holiday on a Sunday moves to the following Monday. That is why its 2027 schedule lists Christmas Day on Friday, December 24. The rule changes the day treated as the holiday for pay and leave purposes, not the date of Christmas, which stays December 25. The full list is in [What are the federal holidays?](/culture/what-are-the-federal-holidays/)

## Mail on Christmas

The U.S. Postal Service lists Friday, December 25, Christmas Day, among its [2026 holidays](https://about.usps.com/newsroom/events/). For 2027 the same page lists Christmas Day on Saturday, December 25, and says Post Offices will be open and deliveries will occur as normal on Friday, December 24. The other postal holidays are in [What holidays is the post office closed?](/culture/what-holidays-is-the-post-office-closed/)

## The stock market on Christmas

The New York Stock Exchange says all of its markets observe the holidays on its [holiday calendar](https://www.nyse.com/markets/hours-calendars), and the calendar lists Christmas Day on Friday, December 25, 2026. On Thursday, December 24, 2026, each market closes early at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time, and eligible options close at 1:15 p.m. The calendar lists the 2027 holiday as observed on Friday, December 24, 2027, and the 2028 holiday on Monday, December 25, 2028. The rest of the calendar is in [What are the stock market holidays?](/markets/what-are-the-stock-market-holidays/)

## The holidays around Christmas

The federal holiday before Christmas on the Office of Personnel Management [schedule](https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/) is Thanksgiving Day, on Thursday, November 26, 2026, covered in [When is Thanksgiving 2026?](/culture/when-is-thanksgiving-2026/) The next one after Christmas is New Year's Day, on Friday, January 1, 2027. The football schedule for the holiday is in [What NFL games are on Christmas?](/sports/what-nfl-games-are-on-christmas/)

## Sources

1. [Federal Holidays](https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/), U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 2026-11-12 (primary source)
2. [5 U.S.C. 6103, Holidays, United States Code, 2024 Edition](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title5/html/USCODE-2024-title5-partIII-subpartE-chap61-subchapI-sec6103.htm), U.S. Government Publishing Office, 2026-11-12 (primary source)
3. [Holidays and events](https://about.usps.com/newsroom/events/), U.S. Postal Service, 2026-11-12 (primary source)
4. [Holidays and Trading Hours](https://www.nyse.com/markets/hours-calendars), New York Stock Exchange, 2026-11-12 (primary source)