When is the first day of winter in 2026?
Monday, December 21Winter begins at the solstice, at 3:50 p.m. Eastern on Monday, December 21, 2026. It's the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, and the days start getting longer after that.
Christmas dates
What day of the week is Christmas in 2026? 
When does Advent start in 2026? 
Why is Christmas on December 25? 
When is the Rockefeller Center tree lighting in 2026? 
When should I put up my Christmas tree? - What time is the solstice where I live?
- 3:50 p.m. Eastern, 2:50 p.m. Central, 1:50 p.m. Mountain and 12:50 p.m. Pacific.
- When does winter end?
- At the spring equinox on Saturday, March 20, 2027.
See the whole Christmas Checklist
Last checked Monday, November 9, from U.S. Naval Observatory.
From our shop Tartan tumbler Mr. Abernathy won't climb the tower without coffee, and he has never spilled a drop. Our tartan tumbler. 
