This Christmas Eve countdown runs to 6 p.m. on December 24, the hour when many families sit down to dinner, head to an evening church service or start watching for Santa. The next Christmas Eve is Thursday, December 24, 2026, and the timer above shows exactly how many days, hours and minutes you have to finish the last preparations.
Why the evening of December 24 matters
In the Christian calendar a feast day traditionally begins at sundown the evening before, so Christmas Eve is the start of the celebration rather than just the day before it. That is why candlelight services and midnight Mass are such a big part of the night. In much of Europe, including Germany, Poland and Scandinavia, families open their presents on the evening of December 24, while most American and British families wait until Christmas morning.
American Christmas Eve traditions
- Church services: candlelight carol services in the early evening and midnight Mass are among the best-attended services of the year.
- The Feast of the Seven Fishes: an Italian American dinner built around several seafood dishes.
- Tracking Santa: since 1955, NORAD has followed Santa’s flight on Christmas Eve, a tradition that began with a misprinted phone number in a newspaper ad.
- Reading the classic poem ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas before bed.
- One gift early: many families let everyone open a single present, often new pajamas.
- Cookies and milk for Santa, and a carrot for the reindeer.
Is Christmas Eve a holiday?
Christmas Eve is not a federal holiday; only December 25 is. Presidents have occasionally given most federal employees December 24 off by executive order, but that is decided year by year. When Christmas Day falls on a Saturday, the federal holiday is observed on Friday, December 24. Many stores close early on Christmas Eve, banks often close at midday, and the post office usually runs on a reduced schedule. In the UK, Christmas Eve is also a normal working day, though many offices wind down early.
Last-minute checklist
- Pick up any grocery items for Christmas dinner in the morning, before stores close early.
- Check battery sizes for gifts that need them and buy extras.
- Wrap the remaining presents and hide them until after the kids are asleep.
- Confirm church service times; popular services often fill up well in advance.
- If you are traveling, leave earlier than usual, because roads and airports are busy.
Make it part of the evening
Children love watching the final hours tick away, so try putting this countdown in full-screen mode on the TV after dinner. You can share the link with family in other cities or add a reminder to your calendar. Want the countdown to hit zero at a different moment, such as midnight or the time grandparents arrive? Create your own countdown in seconds. Next up: the countdown to Christmas Day itself.