December Holidays 2026: A Family Calendar of Holidays, Observances and Fun Days (With Kid Activities)

The main December holidays in 2026 are Hanukkah (Dec. 4 to 12), St. Nicholas Day (Dec. 6), the winter solstice (Monday, Dec. 21), Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (Thursday and Friday, Dec. 24 and 25), Kwanzaa (Dec. 26 to Jan. 1) and New Year’s Eve (Thursday, Dec. 31).

Looking for December holidays to plan around? December 2026 brings eight nights of Hanukkah, a string of saints’ days, the shortest day of the year, Christmas on a Friday, a week of Kwanzaa and a New Year’s Eve that kids can celebrate early.

We checked every date against official sources on November 7, 2026, and calculated each weekday. Below: a calendar, kid activities for each holiday, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa ideas, the solstice time, sleep tips, a printable summary and the 2027 dates.

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December Holidays 2026 at a Glance

Dates checked on November 7, 2026, against official sources (listed at the end). Weekdays were calculated, not copied.

December 2026 starts on a Tuesday and ends on Thursday, December 31. Advent begins a few days earlier, on Sunday, November 29, and Christmas lands on a Friday, so many families get a three-day weekend from December 25 to 27, followed by another one for New Year’s Day on Friday, January 1, 2027.

December 2026 Holiday Calendar, Day by Day

Use this table as your family calendar. Christmas Day is the only federal holiday in December 2026. Everything else is a religious, cultural, civic or sky event, so school and work schedules depend on your district and employer.

Christmas and New Year’s: The Federal Holidays

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management lists Christmas Day on Friday, December 25, 2026 as the only federal holiday in December, followed by New Year’s Day on Friday, January 1, 2027. Christmas Eve (Thursday, December 24) and New Year’s Eve (Thursday, December 31) are not on OPM’s list, so school and work closures on those days vary.

• Two Friday holidays: both Christmas and New Year’s Day fall on Fridays this year, which makes two back-to-back long weekends: December 25 to 27 and January 1 to 3.
• Christmas in the church calendar: the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops lists the Nativity of the Lord on December 25 as a solemnity and a holy day of obligation.
• Plan for the in-between week: if school is out between Christmas and New Year’s, line up a few low-key Christmas activities for kids and indoor Christmas games for cold days.

Looking ahead to January? Our January holidays calendar picks up with New Year’s Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Holidays in December Beyond Christmas

December is about much more than one day. These religious, cultural and civic dates are worth knowing, especially if your child’s classmates celebrate them.

• Advent (begins Sunday, November 29): the USCCB calendar shows the First Sunday of Advent on November 29, 2026. Many families count down with a calendar; see our Advent calendar ideas for simple versions.
• St. Nicholas Day (Sunday, December 6): St. Nicholas’s day is December 6. In 2026 that date is the Second Sunday of Advent, so the USCCB calendar lists the Sunday instead, but families can still keep home traditions like a small treat in a shoe or stocking.
• National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (Monday, December 7): federal law names December 7 as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day and asks for flags at half-staff in honor of those who died as a result of their service at Pearl Harbor. With young kids, keep it simple: “Today we remember people who served and were hurt a long time ago.”
• Immaculate Conception (Tuesday, December 8): the USCCB lists this solemnity as a holy day of obligation and the patronal feast day of the United States.
• Human Rights Day (Thursday, December 10): the United Nations observes it every December 10, the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, proclaimed in Paris on December 10, 1948. Talk with older kids about fairness and what everyone needs to feel safe.
• Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Saturday, December 12): the USCCB lists Our Lady of Guadalupe as a feast in the United States. Many parishes hold celebrations, so check with yours if your family is Catholic.

December Holidays for Kids: One Simple Activity for Each

Pick a few and keep them short. Most need only paper, tape and crayons.

For more, browse our Christmas crafts for kids and our list of Christmas songs for kids for a sing-along while you work.

Hanukkah and Kwanzaa 2026 With Kids

Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, December 4 and ends at nightfall on Saturday, December 12, according to Hebcal, which describes it as the Jewish festival of rededication. That means eight nights, with the first candle lit on Friday evening. Simple ways to share it with kids:

• Let older children help light the menorah while an adult stays close, and keep it out of reach of toddlers.
• Spin paper or wooden dreidels and count the results together.
• Invite a friend who celebrates to show your family their traditions, or ask if your child’s class is learning about Hanukkah.

Kwanzaa runs from Saturday, December 26, 2026 through Friday, January 1, 2027. The Smithsonian describes it as an African American and Pan-African holiday, created in 1966 by Maulana Karenga, that begins the day after Christmas and continues through January 1. Its name comes from the Swahili phrase for “first fruits,” and it centers on seven principles: Umoja (unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujima (collective work and responsibility), Ujamaa (cooperative economics), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity) and Imani (faith).

• Talk about one principle each evening and ask your child for an example from their own day.
• For Kuumba (creativity), make something for your home or a gift by hand.
• If your family does not celebrate, visit a community or museum Kwanzaa event to learn more.

Winter Solstice 2026: The Shortest Day of the Year

The U.S. Naval Observatory puts the December solstice at 20:50 Universal Time on December 21, 2026. That is 3:50 p.m. EST on Monday, December 21, 2:50 p.m. CST, 1:50 p.m. MST and 12:50 p.m. PST. In the Northern Hemisphere it marks the first day of winter and the day with the least daylight, and after it the days slowly start getting longer.

• Shadow check: at noon, measure your child’s shadow on the sidewalk. Repeat in March and June to see it shrink.
• Sunset picnic: bundle up for an early sunset snack outside, then come in and turn on every light in the house.
• Count the minutes: note sunset time on the solstice and again on New Year’s Day to show kids the days growing.

Keeping Sleep on Track During December Celebrations

December can wear kids out: late parties, travel, early sunsets, sugar and the excitement of Christmas morning. A few habits keep everyone rested:

• Keep the bedtime routine the same, even on party nights. A shorter version at a relative’s house is better than skipping it.
• Protect naps for babies and toddlers on busy days. Plan outings around the nap instead of over it.
• Traveling for the holidays? Bring the familiar sleep sack, white noise and books, and see our guide to baby sleep while traveling.
• Skip the midnight countdown for little ones. An early “noon year” or a 7 p.m. countdown lets them celebrate and still sleep; our Happy New Year wishes are easy to share.
• Expect early wake-ups on Christmas morning, and plan a quiet afternoon.

For babies under 12 months, every sleep at home or away belongs on the back, alone, on a firm, flat, bare surface. No pillows, blankets, bumpers or stuffed gifts in the crib, and keep holiday lights and cords well out of reach.

December Month at a Glance (Printable Summary)

Print this page or copy this summary onto the fridge:

• Week 1 (Dec. 1 to 6): Hanukkah begins at sundown (Fri., Dec. 4); St. Nicholas Day (Sun., Dec. 6).
• Week 2 (Dec. 7 to 13): Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (Mon., Dec. 7); Immaculate Conception (Tue., Dec. 8); Human Rights Day (Thu., Dec. 10); Our Lady of Guadalupe and the last day of Hanukkah (Sat., Dec. 12).
• Week 3 (Dec. 14 to 20): no major holidays: a good week for crafts and cards.
• Week 4 (Dec. 21 to 27): winter solstice (Mon., Dec. 21); Christmas Eve (Thu., Dec. 24); Christmas, a federal holiday (Fri., Dec. 25); Kwanzaa begins (Sat., Dec. 26).
• Dec. 28 to 31: Kwanzaa continues; New Year’s Eve (Thu., Dec. 31).
• Jan. 1, 2027: New Year’s Day, a federal holiday (Fri.); last day of Kwanzaa.

December 2027 Dates to Save

Planning ahead? These December 2027 dates come from the same sources, with weekdays calculated:

In 2027, Christmas and New Year’s Day both fall on Saturdays, so OPM lists the federal observances on the Fridays before. Hanukkah and Christmas overlap that year.

Related Betteroo Guides

• November Holidays 2026
• January Holidays 2027
• Christmas Activities for Kids
• Christmas Crafts for Kids
• Gingerbread House Ideas
• Happy New Year Wishes

The Bottom Line

December 2026 brings Hanukkah from December 4 to 12, St. Nicholas Day, Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, Human Rights Day, Our Lady of Guadalupe, the winter solstice on December 21, Christmas on Friday, December 25 (the only federal holiday), Kwanzaa from December 26 to January 1 and New Year’s Eve. Pick the days that matter to your family, learn about one your child’s friends celebrate, keep activities simple and protect sleep through the busiest weeks of the year. For last month’s dates, see our November holidays calendar.

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