Use this Christmas 2026 calendar to plan shopping, shipping, gatherings and traditions from Thanksgiving on November 26 to New Year's Day. Christmas Day falls on a Friday this year, which makes Christmas Eve a Thursday. We checked every weekday against the calendar, and we mark which dates are official and which are customary.
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Late November: the shopping weekend
| Date | Day | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 26 | Thursday | Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. Some stores open deals online. |
| Nov. 27 | Friday | Black Friday |
| Nov. 28 | Saturday | Small Business Saturday (a customary date for local shopping) |
| Nov. 29 | Sunday | First Sunday of Advent in most Western Christian traditions |
| Nov. 30 | Monday | Cyber Monday |
Black Friday 2026 is November 27 and Cyber Monday 2026 is November 30, so the sales weekend runs from Thanksgiving Thursday through Monday. If you plan to buy early, our guide on when to start Christmas shopping explains how to use it.
December: the countdown begins
| Date | Day | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Dec. 1 | Tuesday | Giving Tuesday, a customary day for charitable giving; Advent calendar doors open |
| Dec. 4 | Friday | Hanukkah begins at sundown |
| Dec. 9 | Wednesday | USPS recommended last day for international First-Class Package and Priority Mail International |
| Dec. 12 | Saturday | Hanukkah ends at nightfall |
| Dec. 16 | Wednesday | UPS Ground Saver cutoff; USPS Priority Mail Express International cutoff |
| Dec. 17 | Thursday | USPS Ground Advantage and First-Class Mail recommended last day |
| Dec. 18 | Friday | USPS Priority Mail recommended last day |
| Dec. 19 | Saturday | USPS Priority Mail Express recommended last day; the Saturday before Christmas is a busy shopping day in stores |
| Dec. 20 | Sunday | Fourth Sunday of Advent |
| Dec. 21 | Monday | UPS 3 Day Select and FedEx Express Saver cutoffs |
| Dec. 22 | Tuesday | UPS 2nd Day Air and FedEx 2Day cutoffs |
| Dec. 23 | Wednesday | UPS Next Day Air and FedEx overnight cutoffs |
| Dec. 24 | Thursday | Christmas Eve; a common last day for same-day delivery and store pickup, depending on the retailer |
| Dec. 25 | Friday | Christmas Day |
| Dec. 26 | Saturday | First day of Kwanzaa; Boxing Day in several countries |
| Dec. 31 | Thursday | New Year's Eve |
The shipping dates come from the carriers and USPS 2026 schedules. They are recommended cutoffs, not guarantees. Our last day to ship Christmas gifts in 2026 covers each service in more detail.
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January: returns and resets
| Date | Day | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 1 | Friday | New Year's Day |
Return deadlines vary by store, and many retailers extend their windows for holiday purchases. The date that applies to you is printed on the receipt or in the retailer's policy, so check it when you buy. Our guide to Christmas return policies lists the common windows.
Official, customary and forecast dates
Not every date in this calendar carries the same certainty:
- Official: shipping cutoffs, return deadlines and federal holidays. Always confirm on the issuing page.
- Calendar-based: Advent, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa follow religious calendars and are computed from them. Hanukkah begins at sundown the evening before the first day listed.
- Customary: Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Small Business Saturday and Giving Tuesday are shopping and charity traditions, not legal holidays.
- Forecast: any dollar figure or expected discount is a prediction by a retailer group or analyst, not a promise.
A week-by-week plan
- Week of November 23: Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Buy only what you price-checked in advance.
- Week of November 30: Advent calendar doors open on December 1. Order gifts you need to ship.
- Week of December 7: Hanukkah is underway, and the first international cutoff, December 9, arrives.
- Week of December 14: the pressure week. Ground services close December 17 and Priority Mail closes December 18.
- Week of December 21: express shipping, store pickup and digital gifts only.
How to use the calendar
Work backward from Christmas Eve. Choose the last shipping date that suits your gifts, and mark it. Then place your biggest purchases before Thanksgiving weekend if prices are good, and your smaller shipments by the first week of December. Add school concerts, family dinners and travel dates. Our countdown shows how many days remain, and our guide on when to start Christmas shopping offers a week-by-week plan.
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Traditions around the calendar
Many traditions fit neatly onto these dates. Advent calendars start December 1. Christmas Eve is the centerpiece of many European traditions, such as Poland's Wigilia supper or Germany's gift exchange on the evening of the 24th. Kwanzaa starts on the day after Christmas. For more, read about Christmas traditions around the world or use our Advent calendar to open a door a day.
Keep it in one place
Print or screenshot the table, or add the dates to your phone calendar. If you want a reminder before each shipping cutoff, add them to the tracker in our shipping tool. And whatever else you do this year, take one day off from the shopping and enjoy the lights.
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Frequently asked questions
What day is Christmas in 2026?
Christmas Day 2026 is Friday, December 25. Christmas Eve is Thursday, December 24, and New Year's Day 2027 is a Friday.
When are Black Friday and Cyber Monday in 2026?
Black Friday 2026 is Friday, November 27, the day after Thanksgiving on November 26. Cyber Monday is Monday, November 30.
When is the first Sunday of Advent in 2026?
In most Western Christian traditions, Advent begins on Sunday, November 29, 2026. The fourth Sunday of Advent is December 20.
When does Hanukkah start in 2026?
Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, December 4 and ends at nightfall on Saturday, December 12. The first full day is Saturday, December 5.
Sources and further reading
Facts and links last checked October 16, 2026. If an official page has changed since, trust the official page and tell us.