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Countdown Calculator: Days Until Christmas and More
How many days are left, and how many are business days
This countdown tells you the days until Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year's or any date you pick, in days, weeks and hours, and how many of them are business days once weekends and federal holidays are out.
The key idea
The days left are not working days: almost a third are weekends and holidays
On October 17, 2026, Christmas was 69 days away: 9 weeks and 6 days. Only 47 of them were business days, after taking out 19 weekend days and the Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. If you have a deadline, count business days.
How it is calculated
We count calendar days from today to the date you choose, including that date. If this year's event has already passed, we use next year's.
Business days are Monday to Friday minus the federal holidays of 5 U.S.C. § 6103: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. When a holiday falls on a Saturday it is observed on the Friday before, and on a Sunday, the Monday after, as OPM publishes for federal employees. Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday of November.
Private employers, schools and states set their own days off, so your calendar can have more or fewer holidays.
Worked example
On October 17, 2026, Christmas was 69 days away: 9 weeks and 6 days, or 1,656 hours. Of those 69 days, 19 were weekend days and 3 were federal holidays on weekdays (Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas), leaving 47 business days.
Official sources
- 5 U.S.C. § 6103: federal holidays · federal holidays and the Saturday rule
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management: federal holidays · observed dates
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Does the countdown include today?
No. We count from tomorrow up to and including the day of the event, so if Christmas is tomorrow, the countdown shows 1 day.
When is Thanksgiving?
On the fourth Thursday of November, as set by federal law. In 2026 it is November 26 and in 2027, November 25.
Are federal holidays taken out of business days?
Yes, the 11 federal holidays, on the day they are observed. Days your employer or school gives off, such as the day after Thanksgiving, are not taken out.
What happens when a holiday falls on a weekend?
For federal employees, a Saturday holiday is observed on Friday and a Sunday holiday on Monday. In 2026, Independence Day falls on a Saturday and is observed on Friday, July 3.
What if the event has already passed this year?
We count to next year's. If you choose «Another date» in the past, the calculator tells you how many days ago it was.
Can I count the days between any two dates?
Yes, with the days between dates calculator, which does not start from today and can also add days to a date.
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