Christmas Countdown

About Christmas

Christmas is the annual Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed every year on December 25. It is one of the most widely celebrated holidays in the world and a public holiday in the United States, the United Kingdom, India, and dozens of other countries.

The celebration blends religious observance with long-standing seasonal traditions. Many families decorate an evergreen tree, exchange gifts, and share a festive meal. Christmas Eve, on December 24, is often when gatherings begin, and in several countries it is a public holiday in its own right.

In the United States, Christmas is a federal holiday. When December 25 falls on a Saturday, federal offices observe it on Friday, December 24; when it falls on a Sunday, the observance moves to Monday, December 26. The weeks leading up to the day — the Christmas season — are a peak period for travel, retail, and time spent with family.

Beyond its religious meaning, Christmas has become a broadly cultural holiday. Whether you observe it as a holy day, a family tradition, or simply a welcome winter break, the countdown above shows exactly how long until the next one — down to the second.