Advent countdown
Advent Countdown
When the four Sundays of Advent begin and how long until Christmas Day.
Advent starts
Sunday, November 29, 2026
First Sunday of Advent.
Days until Christmas 2026
98
Advent begins on Sunday, November 29, 2026. From today there are 98 days until Christmas Day on Friday, December 25, 2026.
until Christmas Day on Friday, December 25, 2026
Why the date moves every year
Advent is anchored to a day of the week rather than to a date. It begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day, which places the start somewhere between November 27 and December 3. When Christmas falls on a Sunday the season stretches to its full twenty eight days, and when Christmas falls on a Monday it shrinks to twenty two.
That is also why a shop bought Advent calendar rarely lines up with the church season. Calendars almost always run from December 1 to December 24 because it is simpler to print, while Advent itself often starts in November. Our Advent calendar page covers the calendar side, and this page tracks the season.
The four Sundays and what each one stands for
First Sunday: hope
One candle is lit and the season begins. In many homes this is the weekend the wreath appears and the first decorations go up.
Second Sunday: peace
Two candles. Practically, this is the last comfortable weekend for posting cards to another country and for ordering anything that has to be made rather than picked off a shelf.
Third Sunday: joy
Three candles, and the rose coloured one in many wreaths. The mood of the season lifts here, and it is the traditional weekend for baking, concerts and school performances.
Fourth Sunday: love
All four candles burn. In some years this Sunday lands on December 24, which makes for a very full day. From here the focus shifts to food, family and the evening itself, which our Christmas Eve traditions page covers in detail.
Four ways to mark Advent this year
You do not need a wreath or a church service to use the season. What Advent offers is a rhythm: four weeks, four weekends, and a clear finish line. These four ideas all fit that shape.
Light one candle each Sunday
The simplest version of the tradition and the easiest to keep. Four candles, one lit on each Sunday, with the whole wreath burning by the last week of December.
Four Sundays
Read more about Light one candle each Sunday
Fill a calendar with plans, not sweets
Write one small activity behind each door instead of buying chocolate. A film, a walk to see the lights, a phone call to a grandparent. It costs less and children remember it longer.
December 1 to 24
Read more about Fill a calendar with plans, not sweets
Use the season as a planning runway
Advent is roughly four weeks, which happens to be exactly the lead time most personalised gifts and international cards need. Treat the first Sunday as your deadline for ordering anything made to measure.
Practical use
Read more about Use the season as a planning runway
Keep one quiet evening a week
The original point of the season was preparation rather than performance. One evening with no shopping, no wrapping and no screens does more for December than another trip to town.
Weekly ritual
Read more about Keep one quiet evening a week
How Advent is kept around the world
In Germany and Austria the Advent wreath sits at the centre of the season and the Christmas markets open around the first Sunday. In Sweden and Norway the season carries Saint Lucia on December 13, with candles, white robes and early morning singing. In Mexico the nine nights of Las Posadas begin on December 16 with processions between neighbours homes.
The common thread is preparation stretched over weeks rather than crammed into a single day. Our Christmas around the world hub goes country by country if you want to borrow something new for your own December.
Frequently asked questions
- When does Advent start?
- Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day. The exact date changes each year and is shown above.
- How long is Advent?
- Advent lasts between 22 and 28 days depending on which day of the week Christmas falls on.
- What are the four Sundays of Advent?
- They are the four Sundays before Christmas Day. Many families light one additional candle on an Advent wreath each Sunday.
- What do the Advent candles mean?
- The four candles are commonly read as hope, peace, joy and love. Three are usually purple and the third, lit on the Sunday of joy, is often rose coloured. Some wreaths add a white candle in the centre that is lit on Christmas Day itself.
- Is Advent the same as an Advent calendar?
- Not quite. Advent is the church season that begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, while most Advent calendars simply run from December 1 to December 24. That is why a calendar and the liturgical season rarely start on the same day.
- Does Advent start on the same date every year?
- No. Because it is tied to a Sunday rather than a date, Advent begins somewhere between November 27 and December 3. The exact date for this year is shown above.
- Do Orthodox churches keep Advent?
- Many keep a longer preparation known as the Nativity Fast, which usually begins in mid November and runs for forty days. The tone is similar but the length and the customs differ from the western season.
Quick facts
- Advent starts
- Sunday, November 29, 2026
- Christmas Day
- Friday, December 25, 2026