Every weekend left
Saturday and Sunday pairs before Christmas.
- Sat 31 Oct – Sun 1 NovIn 3 days
- Sat 7 Nov – Sun 8 NovIn 10 days
- Sat 14 Nov – Sun 15 NovIn 17 days
- Sat 21 Nov – Sun 22 NovIn 24 days
- Sat 28 Nov – Sun 29 NovIn 31 days
- Sat 5 Dec – Sun 6 DecIn 38 days
- Sat 12 Dec – Sun 13 DecIn 45 days
- Sat 19 Dec – Sun 20 DecIn 52 days
Making the most of them
Weekends go fast in December. Give each one a job: one for decorating, one for markets, one for wrapping, one for baking. Our week-by-week checklist helps you spread it out, and the 24 recipes give you a bake for every weekend.
We count a weekend if its Saturday is still to come before Christmas Day.
How many weekends are left until Christmas?
The number above answers how many weekends until Christmas 2026. A weekend counts if its Saturday is still to come before Christmas Day. From late October there are eight full weekends, starting with Halloween weekend (31 October and 1 November) and ending with 19 and 20 December.
That might sound like plenty, but December weekends book up quickly. Parties, markets, family visits and the school nativity all compete for the same Saturdays and Sundays.
A weekend-by-weekend plan
- 31 Oct to 1 Nov: Halloween, then a cupboard clear-out for hiding gifts.
- 7 to 8 Nov: gift list and budget in the budget planner.
- 14 to 15 Nov: first shopping trip, order anything personalised.
- 21 to 22 Nov: Stir-up Sunday pudding and an early Christmas market.
- 28 to 29 Nov: Small Business Saturday, first Sunday of Advent, decorations up.
- 5 to 6 Dec: cards written, St Nicholas Day treats.
- 12 to 13 Dec: wrapping marathon and a light trail.
- 19 to 20 Dec: Super Saturday, final food plans, rest.
Each day has its own page if you need the detail: Saturdays and Sundays until Christmas.
Protect one weekend
A tip from people who love Christmas: pick one weekend and keep it completely free. No shopping, no parties, just a film, a walk and a bake. The classic Christmas movies list and the 24 Christmas recipes will fill it nicely.
The weekend after Christmas
Christmas 2026 is a Friday, so Christmas itself starts a long weekend: Christmas Day on Friday, Boxing Day on Saturday and Sunday 27 December. In the UK the Boxing Day bank holiday moves to Monday 28 December. It is a lovely, slow weekend for leftovers, walks, and the films you didn't get round to. Then New Year's weekend follows, with New Year's Day on Friday 1 January 2027.
Making weekend plans stick
Write each weekend's one job on the calendar now, before invitations start arriving. Share the list with whoever you live with, so everyone knows which weekend is for shopping and which is for resting. If a weekend fills up with something better, swap it with a quieter one rather than dropping the job.
Questions people ask
Quick answers about this countdown.
How many weekends until Christmas 2026?
The live number at the top counts them. From late October there are eight.
Does this weekend count?
Yes, if its Saturday is today or later.
What is the last weekend before Christmas 2026?
Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 December 2026.
More day-by-day countdowns
More countdowns, tools and Christmas reading on Christmas Days Left.