isitchristmastoday.com answers one simple question: is it Christmas today? At the top you'll see YES or NO straight away — worked out automatically, fresh every day. Below you'll find out exactly when Christmas is, the difference between Christmas Day and Boxing Day, and how to see how many days are left to wait.
When is Christmas?
Christmas falls on 25 and 26 December. 25 December is Christmas Day and 26 December is Boxing Day. Both are public holidays in the UK and many other countries. On every other day of the year the answer to "is it Christmas today?" is simply no — and isitchristmastoday.com shows how many days you still have to go until the next 25 December.
What is the difference between Christmas Day and Boxing Day?
Christmas Day (25 December) is the main holiday, traditionally celebrating the birth of Jesus. Boxing Day (26 December) is an extra public holiday observed in the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia and other Commonwealth countries. Many people spend it with family, at the shops or watching sport. In some countries, such as the United States, only 25 December is a public holiday.
Why is Christmas on 25 December?
The date of 25 December was fixed in the fourth century by the early Christian church. The choice coincided with existing Roman midwinter festivals around the winter solstice, including Saturnalia and the feast of Sol Invictus. Unlike Easter — which falls on a different date each year — Christmas has a fixed date. That's why you can count down precisely to the moment the answer on this page flips from NO to YES.
How many days until Christmas?
When it isn't Christmas, isitchristmastoday.com automatically works out how many days are left until Christmas Day on 25 December. Want the countdown down to the second — with days, hours, minutes and seconds? Head over to our sister site with the full live counter.
See the live countdown at howlonguntilchristmas.com →
How is Christmas Day celebrated?
- Christmas crackers — A very British tradition: paper tubes pulled apart at the table, each with a small gift, a paper hat and a (very bad) joke inside.
- Stockings and presents — Children traditionally wake up to a stocking by the bed or fireplace, followed by presents under the tree on Christmas morning.
- The King's Speech — In the UK, the monarch's Christmas message is broadcast at 3pm on Christmas Day, a tradition dating back to 1932.
- Christmas dinner — A big midday or afternoon meal, typically roast turkey with all the trimmings, followed by Christmas pudding.
- A walk outside — Many families head out for a walk after lunch, especially before settling in for an evening of games and leftovers.
Boxing Day in numbers
Boxing Day (26 December) is the second half of the British Christmas break, and has its own traditions and history separate from Christmas Day itself.
Want the full story? Read more on our dedicated Boxing Day page, including which countries celebrate it and where the name actually comes from.
Frequently asked questions
Is it Christmas today?
The answer is shown live at the top of this page. It's only Christmas on 25 December (Christmas Day) and 26 December (Boxing Day); on every other day the answer is NO, together with the number of days until the next 25 December.
What date is Christmas?
Christmas falls on 25 and 26 December every year. That date is fixed and does not move.
What is the difference between Christmas Day and Boxing Day?
Christmas Day (25 December) is the main holiday; Boxing Day (26 December) is an additional public holiday in the UK and many Commonwealth countries.
Why is Christmas on 25 December?
The date was fixed in the fourth century by the early Christian church and coincided with Roman midwinter festivals around the solstice.
How many days until Christmas?
When it isn't Christmas, this page automatically shows the number of days. For a countdown down to the second, visit howlonguntilchristmas.com.
About this site
isitchristmastoday.com is a small, independently run site with one job: answering "is it Christmas today?" as quickly and clearly as possible. It's part of a small family of Christmas sites built by the same person, alongside howlonguntilchristmas.com (the live English countdown) and the Dutch originals, dagentotkerst.nl and ishetkerst.nl. Spotted a mistake or have a question? Get in touch at info@isitchristmastoday.com.