Timer guide
How many days until Christmas?
Christmas Day 2026 is on Friday 25 December. On 22 October 2026, when this page was last updated, that was 64 days away. To work it out on any day, count the days left in this month, add the days in each full month in between, then add 25.
For a number that updates itself
This page is a plain article, so the number above does not change as the days pass. For a live answer, open the countdowns in Timer. A Christmas countdown is already there, showing days, hours and minutes, and you can add birthdays, holidays or exams in any time zone. Each countdown comes back every year if you want it to, and you can share it as a card or a live link.
The rest of this guide shows how to count the days yourself, which is handy for any date, not just Christmas.
Days until Christmas from the 1st of each month
Christmas Day falls on the same date every year, so the count from the first of each month only changes in a leap year, and only for January and February.
| From | Days | Weeks and days |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January | 358 (359 in a leap year) | 51 w 1 d |
| 1 February | 327 (328 in a leap year) | 46 w 5 d |
| 1 March | 299 | 42 w 5 d |
| 1 April | 268 | 38 w 2 d |
| 1 May | 238 | 34 w 0 d |
| 1 June | 207 | 29 w 4 d |
| 1 July | 177 | 25 w 2 d |
| 1 August | 146 | 20 w 6 d |
| 1 September | 115 | 16 w 3 d |
| 1 October | 85 | 12 w 1 d |
| 1 November | 54 | 7 w 5 d |
| 1 December | 24 | 3 w 3 d |
For a date later in the month, subtract the days that have passed. On 15 November, for example: 54 − 14 = 40 days.
How to count the days between two dates
- Days left this month. Take the number of days in the current month and subtract today's date.
- Add every full month in between. January 31, February 28 (29 in a leap year), March 31, April 30, May 31, June 30, July 31, August 31, September 30, October 31, November 30, December 31.
- Add the day of the target month. For Christmas, add 25.
Worked example
From 22 October to 25 December:
October has 31 days, so 31 − 22 = 9 days are left. November adds 30. December adds 25. That is 9 + 30 + 25 = 64 days, or 9 weeks and 1 day.
This counts the gap between the dates, not including today: the same as counting "sleeps". On Christmas Eve the answer is 1. If you want to count both today and Christmas Day, add 1.
Let a spreadsheet do it
In Excel, Google Sheets, Numbers or LibreOffice, dates are stored as day numbers, so you can subtract them:
=DATE(2026,12,25)-TODAY()gives the days until Christmas 2026. Format the cell as a number, not a date.=DAYS(DATE(2026,12,25),TODAY())does the same in Excel and Google Sheets.=NETWORKDAYS(TODAY(),DATE(2026,12,25))counts weekdays only, including both today and Christmas Day. Add a list of bank holidays as a third argument to skip them too.
Over a long gap, leap days are handled for you, which is where mental arithmetic usually slips.
Upcoming dates for 2026 and 2027
| Occasion | Date | Days |
|---|---|---|
| Halloween | Sat 31 Oct 2026 | 9 |
| Bonfire Night (UK) | Thu 5 Nov 2026 | 14 |
| Thanksgiving (US) | Thu 26 Nov 2026 | 35 |
| Christmas Eve | Thu 24 Dec 2026 | 63 |
| Christmas Day | Fri 25 Dec 2026 | 64 |
| Boxing Day | Sat 26 Dec 2026 | 65 |
| New Year's Eve | Thu 31 Dec 2026 | 70 |
| New Year's Day | Fri 1 Jan 2027 | 71 |
| Valentine's Day | Sun 14 Feb 2027 | 115 |
| Easter Sunday | Sun 28 Mar 2027 | 157 |
| Christmas Day | Sat 25 Dec 2027 | 429 |
To use the table on a later day, subtract the number of days since 22 October. Between 22 October and Christmas 2026 there are 45 weekdays, not counting either end.
Common mistakes
- Off-by-one errors. Decide whether you are counting today and the day itself. "Sleeps" and spreadsheet subtraction count neither.
- Treating every month as 30 days. Over October to December that alone puts you a day out.
- Forgetting leap years. 2026 and 2027 are not leap years; 2028 is, so February 2028 has 29 days.
- Ignoring time zones. Christmas reaches Kiribati's Line Islands (UTC+14) about a day before Hawaii. If family are abroad, count down to their midnight, not yours.
Questions
How many sleeps until Christmas?
The number of sleeps is the same as the number of days until Christmas, not counting today: on Christmas Eve there is 1 sleep left. On 22 October 2026 there were 64.
How many weeks until Christmas?
Divide the days by 7. From 22 October 2026, 64 days is 9 weeks and 1 day. From 1 December it is always 3 weeks and 3 days.
What day of the week is Christmas 2026?
Friday. Christmas Eve 2026 is a Thursday and Boxing Day a Saturday. Christmas 2027 falls on a Saturday.
How do I work out the days between any two dates?
Count the days left in the first month, add the full months in between, then add the day of the final month. Or subtract the dates in a spreadsheet: =DATE(2027,2,14)-TODAY().
How many working days are left until Christmas?
From Thursday 22 October to Friday 25 December 2026 there are 47 weekdays, counting both ends, or 45 not counting either. Take off any bank holidays and days you have booked off.
Can I put a Christmas countdown on my phone?
Yes. Open Timer's countdowns in your phone's browser and, if you like, add it to your Home Screen: it then opens like an app, straight to Timer. It shows days, hours and minutes, works offline, and can be shared as a live link.