How many days until Christmas?
The countdown at the top of this page shows exactly how long is left until midnight on December 25, down to the second. It runs on your device’s clock, so it is right in your own time zone, whether you are in New York, London or Sydney. Leave it open on a laptop, a tablet or the TV and watch the days tick away.
Christmas Day 2026 falls on a Friday, and Christmas Eve on a Thursday. The first Sunday of Advent is November 29, 2026.
| Year | Christmas Day falls on |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Friday |
| 2027 | Saturday |
| 2028 | Monday |
| 2029 | Tuesday |
| 2030 | Wednesday |
Count the sleeps
Children rarely count in days: they count sleeps. Under the countdown, a line tells you how many sleeps are left before Santa comes, so the question “how many more sleeps?” has an answer at a glance. In December, it also shows which door of the Advent calendar to open today.
Decorate your screen
Press Decorate to open the sticker box: an elf, a reindeer, a Christmas tree, a stocking, a candy cane, a present, a snowman, a bauble and a star. Tap one to stick it on the screen, then drag it wherever you want. Press Sticker shower for a dozen at once, or peel them all off in one tap. Your decorations stay on this device, so they are still there tomorrow.
Prefer another mood? The round color button at the bottom right changes the background: classic red, pine green, midnight blue or any color you like. The snow can be switched off with the Snow button.
The Christmas top 10
Press Music to play the songs everyone hums in December. Each one plays from its official video, and the music keeps going while you close the window and watch the countdown.
- All I Want for Christmas Is You, Mariah Carey (1994)
- Last Christmas, Wham! (1984)
- Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, Brenda Lee (1958)
- Jingle Bell Rock, Bobby Helms (1957)
- It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas, Michael Bublé (2011)
- Santa Tell Me, Ariana Grande (2014)
- Feliz Navidad, José Feliciano (1970)
- Petit Papa Noël, Tino Rossi (1946)
- Underneath the Tree, Kelly Clarkson (2013)
- Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!, Dean Martin (1959)
There is also a little music box that plays Jingle Bells right in your browser, no video needed.
Silly elf games
Catch the presents
Presents fall from Santa’s sleigh. Move the sack with your mouse, your finger or the arrow keys to catch them. A golden star is worth 3 points, a lump of coal takes 2 away. You have 30 seconds, and it gets faster as you go.
Whack-an-elf
Elves pop out of nine chimneys. Tap them before they duck back down. Now and then Santa himself shows up: he is worth 5 points. Your best score is saved on this device, so the whole family can try to beat it.
Three hidden surprises
This page hides three surprises, and the counter under the countdown shows how many you have found. No spoilers: think of what Santa likes to say, and of what an impatient child does when the wait is too long. There is even a secret bonus for those who remember a famous video game code.
Ideas for the countdown
- In class: put it in full screen on the board for the last days of term before the holidays.
- At the office: a festive screen in the break room, with the music on low.
- At home: on the TV during an Advent evening, with the snow falling and a few stickers.
- For the kids: answer “how long until Christmas?” once and for all.
Need a timer for the Christmas cookies? Use the online timer. Want to be woken up early on Christmas morning? Set the online alarm clock.