Explore December holidays by date, including U.S. federal holidays, national days, religious and cultural observances, awareness events, a 2027 calendar and practical open-or-closed planning.
Start with the dates most likely to affect travel, government services, family plans, school calendars, cultural events or seasonal schedules.
| Holiday / Observance | Date | Day | Type | Planning Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| World AIDS Day | December 1, 2027 | Wednesday | UN / Health | Official closure rules vary by service and location. |
| St. Nicholas Day | December 6, 2027 | Monday | Christian / Cultural | Religious observance; public-holiday status and local practice vary by community and location. |
| Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day | December 7, 2027 | Tuesday | U.S. Remembrance | Official closure rules vary by service and location. |
| Human Rights Day | December 10, 2027 | Friday | UN / Human Rights | Official closure rules vary by service and location. |
| December solstice | December 21, 2027 | Tuesday | Seasonal | Useful seasonal planning date; not a U.S. federal holiday unless separately stated. |
| Christmas Eve; Hanukkah begins at sunset in 2027; Christmas federal holiday observed for most federal employees | December 24, 2027 | Friday | Christian / Jewish / Federal | Federal schedule applies; banks, USPS, markets and local services may follow separate holiday rules. |
| Christmas Day | December 25, 2027 | Saturday | Federal / Christian | Federal schedule applies; banks, USPS, markets and local services may follow separate holiday rules. |
| Kwanzaa begins; Boxing Day | December 26, 2027 | Sunday | Cultural / International | Official closure rules vary by service and location. |
| New Year’s Eve; New Year’s Day 2028 federal holiday observed for most federal employees | December 31, 2027 | Friday | Popular / Federal | Federal schedule applies; banks, USPS, markets and local services may follow separate holiday rules. |
A date-by-date guide to widely recognized federal, religious, cultural, awareness and informal observances. Informal national days may differ by organizer.
| Date | Selected Holidays & Observances | Day in 2027 | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | World AIDS Day | Wednesday | UN / Health |
| December 2 | International Day for the Abolition of Slavery | Thursday | UN / Human Rights |
| December 3 | International Day of Persons with Disabilities | Friday | UN / Accessibility |
| December 4 | National Cookie Day | Saturday | Food / Fun |
| December 5 | International Volunteer Day | Sunday | UN / Community |
| December 6 | St. Nicholas Day | Monday | Christian / Cultural |
| December 7 | Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day | Tuesday | U.S. Remembrance |
| December 8 | Feast of the Immaculate Conception | Wednesday | Catholic |
| December 9 | International Anti-Corruption Day | Thursday | UN / Civic |
| December 10 | Human Rights Day | Friday | UN / Human Rights |
| December 11 | International Mountain Day | Saturday | UN / Environmental |
| December 12 | Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe; National Poinsettia Day | Sunday | Catholic / Seasonal |
| December 13 | National Guard Birthday | Monday | U.S. Civic |
| December 14 | National Monkey Day | Tuesday | Animals / Fun |
| December 15 | Bill of Rights Day | Wednesday | U.S. Civic |
| December 16 | National Chocolate Covered Anything Day | Thursday | Food / Fun |
| December 17 | Wright Brothers Day | Friday | U.S. History |
| December 18 | International Migrants Day | Saturday | UN / Human Rights |
| December 19 | National Hard Candy Day | Sunday | Food / Fun |
| December 20 | Go Caroling Day | Monday | Seasonal / Fun |
| December 21 | December solstice | Tuesday | Seasonal |
| December 22 | National Cookie Exchange Day | Wednesday | Food / Seasonal |
| December 23 | Festivus | Thursday | Pop Culture / Fun |
| December 24 | Christmas Eve; Hanukkah begins at sunset in 2027; Christmas federal holiday observed for most federal employees | Friday | Christian / Jewish / Federal |
| December 25 | Christmas Day | Saturday | Federal / Christian |
| December 26 | Kwanzaa begins; Boxing Day | Sunday | Cultural / International |
| December 27 | National Fruitcake Day | Monday | Food / Fun |
| December 28 | National Card Playing Day | Tuesday | Fun |
| December 29 | Year-end planning and Hanukkah in 2027 | Wednesday | Planning / Jewish |
| December 30 | Bacon Day | Thursday | Food / Fun |
| December 31 | New Year’s Eve; New Year’s Day 2028 federal holiday observed for most federal employees | Friday | Popular / Federal |
December has 1 federal holiday on the 2027 federal employee calendar. Christmas Day falls on Saturday, December 25, 2027. For most federal employees, Friday, December 24 is the in-lieu-of holiday. Federal Reserve Banks and branches follow a separate Saturday-holiday rule.
December has 1 federal holiday on the 2027 federal employee calendar. Christmas Day falls on Saturday, December 25, 2027. For most federal employees, Friday, December 24 is the in-lieu-of holiday. Federal Reserve Banks and branches follow a separate Saturday-holiday rule.
Federal offices follow the federal holiday calendar. Federal Reserve operations, retail banks, USPS, stock exchanges, schools, stores and restaurants can follow different schedules, so check the service-specific page before making time-sensitive plans.
Use the month grid to place major dates in context. The dedicated calendar page includes the full printable planning view.
Use the evergreen page for broad December holiday intent, the approved historical annual pages for exact 2025/2026 lists, and the 2027 calendar for upcoming planning.
Federal holiday status is only one layer. Banks, Federal Reserve services, USPS, schools, stores and restaurants can follow different calendars.
| Service | December Planning Status | Best Related Page |
|---|---|---|
| Federal offices | Closed on listed federal observed dates | Federal Holidays 2027 |
| Federal Reserve | Follows Federal Reserve holiday rules; Saturday holidays differ from federal-employee observance | Federal Reserve Holidays |
| Banks | Often closed or reduced on major federal/bank holidays; branch policies vary | Bank Holidays |
| USPS / Post Offices | Holiday service may change on federal holidays; verify the published USPS schedule and local office hours | USPS Holidays |
| Schools | Often closed for federal holidays and school breaks; district calendars vary | School Holidays |
| Stores | Holiday and sale hours vary widely by chain and location | Store Hours Today |
| Restaurants | Usually open, but holiday hours and reservations vary | Restaurant Hours |
Last updated: —. Always verify local branch, school, carrier, market, store and restaurant schedules for time-sensitive plans.
Separate official closure holidays from religious, cultural, awareness, seasonal and informal observances so each date is easier to plan around.
Official U.S. federal dates and observed-day rules for government schedules.
Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh and other observances with tradition-specific date notes.
National, heritage and community dates with cultural significance.
Food days, social observances and informal national-day traditions.
Check local retail and grocery schedules when a holiday affects shopping or travel plans.
See the complete 2027 month grid for appointments, holidays, school dates and events.
These themes run across much or all of the month and are useful for school, workplace, nonprofit, wellness and editorial planning.
Weeks can carry strong travel, retail, school and cultural intent even when there is no federal closure.
Jewish holidays begin at sundown. Islamic dates can vary by moon sighting and local authority. Hindu and Buddhist dates can vary by calendar, region and tradition. Informal national days can be promoted by different organizations; this page prioritizes widely recognized and useful observances.
Move from the monthly overview into exact holiday pages for dates, meaning, annual timing and practical planning.
Continue through the holiday calendar without losing monthly context.
Use calendars and date tools when you need to turn holiday dates into schedules, deadlines or travel plans.
Major December 2027 dates include Christmas observed, Christmas Day, Kwanzaa, New Year’s Eve. The complete date-by-date table on this page also includes religious, cultural, awareness and informal observances.
There is 1 U.S. federal holiday in December 2027.
Banks and USPS follow service-specific holiday schedules. Federal holidays can affect operations, but branch, delivery and retail-window schedules should be verified for the exact date and location.
Many stores remain open for most observances, while major federal, family and shopping holidays can bring reduced, extended or location-specific hours. Check the store or local branch before traveling.
Use the December 2027 Calendar page for a full printable month grid and date planning.
Use December Holidays for the evergreen monthly hub and December Holidays 2026 for the exact 2026 date and weekday list. For upcoming 2027 planning, use this evergreen hub together with the December 2027 Calendar and the linked 2027 named-holiday pages.