How many weeks until Christmas?
12 weeks and 1 day
until Christmas Day, Friday 25 December 2026
That's 85 days in total.
It's Christmas Day
Whole weeks are counted from today, UK time, to midnight at the start of Christmas Day. The leftover days are shown separately, so on Christmas Eve this reads "0 weeks and 1 day". For the figure in days or sleeps, use the days until Christmas countdown.
When is Christmas 2026?
Christmas Day 2026 is on Friday 25 December, in ISO week 52. Boxing Day is a Saturday, so its bank holiday moves to Monday 28 December, giving most people in England and Wales a four-day weekend. Week 53 then runs from Monday 28 December to Sunday 3 January; check any week on the week number page.
| Year | Christmas Day | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 25 December | Friday |
| 2027 | 25 December | Saturday |
| 2028 | 25 December | Monday |
| 2029 | 25 December | Tuesday |
| 2030 | 25 December | Wednesday |
Milestones on the way to Christmas 2026
The last column is fixed: it shows how far each date is from Christmas Day, which helps when planning backwards.
| Date | What happens | Before Christmas |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday 25 October | Clocks go back one hour | 8 weeks and 5 days |
| Sunday 29 November | Advent Sunday | 3 weeks and 5 days |
| Tuesday 1 December | Most advent calendars start | 3 weeks and 3 days |
| Monday 21 December | Winter solstice, the shortest day | 4 days |
| Thursday 24 December | Christmas Eve | 1 day |
| Friday 25 December | Christmas Day (bank holiday) | – |
| Monday 28 December | Boxing Day substitute bank holiday | – |
Last posting dates and school holidays
Royal Mail had not published its last recommended posting dates for Christmas 2026 when this page was last checked on 1 October 2026. They usually appear in the autumn on the Royal Mail website, with earlier dates for international post than for UK 1st and 2nd Class. Lists already online that put 2nd Class on "Thursday 18 December" are last year's dates: 18 December 2026 is a Friday.
School Christmas holidays are set by each council or academy trust, so there is no single date. Most schools in England and Wales break up in the week before Christmas; the school term dates guide explains how to find yours.
More countdowns
Before Christmas come Halloween and Bonfire Night; after it, the New Year countdown. For the full list of bank holidays around the festive period, see UK bank holidays.
Frequently asked questions
How many weeks is it from 1 October to Christmas?
From Thursday 1 October 2026 to Friday 25 December 2026 is 85 days, which is 12 weeks and 1 day.
What week number is Christmas 2026?
Christmas Day 2026 falls in ISO week 52, which runs from Monday 21 to Sunday 27 December. 2026 has 53 ISO weeks, so week 53 starts on Monday 28 December.
When does Advent start in 2026?
Advent Sunday is 29 November 2026, the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day. Most advent calendars start on 1 December regardless.
Does the clock change affect the countdown?
The clocks go back on 25 October 2026, which adds one hour to the hours left. The number of days and weeks is not affected, because the countdown uses calendar days in UK time.