Advent 2026 Countdown

The timer above counts to midnight on November 29 in your local time. To count the days from any other starting date, enter it in the date calculator. Below are the four Sundays, the season's length, start dates through 2031 and printable sheets for both start dates.

When does Advent start in 2026?

Advent 2026 starts on Sunday, November 29, 2026. The USCCB's Advent page lists the season as Sunday, November 29, 2026 to Thursday, December 24, 2026, and the USCCB 2026 liturgical calendar gives November 29, 2026 as the First Sunday of Advent. The Church of England calendar shows the same date, 29 November 2026; in the UK, the day is often called Advent Sunday. timeanddate also lists Sun, Nov 29, 2026.

In Catholic practice, the season technically opens with Evening Prayer on Saturday, November 28, per the USCCB, but the first Sunday of Advent is the date most calendars and churches print.

Why the start date changes every year

Advent begins on the Sunday that falls on or closest to November 30, according to the Universal Norms quoted by the USCCB. November 30 is St Andrew's Day, and timeanddate describes the start as the Sunday nearest that feast. Because that Sunday is always the fourth Sunday before Christmas, the first Sunday of Advent can only land between November 27 and December 3.

Advent Sunday vs. Advent calendars (December 1)

These are two different start dates. The church season starts on the first Sunday of Advent, November 29, 2026. Most Advent calendars start on December 1 and run 24 days to Christmas Eve. timeanddate notes that some calendars show 24 days, while many show 25, with the last opening on Christmas Day. In 2026, a December 1 calendar starts two days after the first Sunday of Advent.

The four Sundays of Advent 2026

The USCCB names these the First, Second, Third and Fourth Sundays of Advent and calls the third one Gaudete Sunday.

How long is Advent 2026?

Advent 2026 lasts 26 days, from Sunday, November 29 through Thursday, December 24, counting both days. The season always holds four Sundays, but its total length shifts with the weekday Christmas falls on. timeanddate puts the range at 22 to 28 days. When Christmas Eve is a Sunday, as on December 24, 2028, the fourth Sunday of Advent is Christmas Eve itself and the season is at its shortest.

How many days until Advent?

As of Friday, October 30, 2026, there are 30 days until the first Sunday of Advent on Sunday, November 29, 2026. That is 4 weeks and 2 days.

Here is how to check it for yourself on the date calculator:

1. Set the Start Date to October 30, 2026.
2. Set the End Date to November 29, 2026.
3. Read the result: 30 total days, or 4 whole weeks and 2 extra days.

The calculator leaves out the start date and includes the end date. For a live count to the minute, use the timer at the top of the page.

Advent dates 2026 to 2031

The start dates match the year lists from timeanddate and the Church of England's calendar page and table of variable dates. The lengths count from the first Sunday through December 24.

Advent traditions in brief

Purple is the liturgical color of Advent, and the USCCB notes that priests wear violet or purple through the season, except on Gaudete Sunday, when rose may be worn. Many families and churches keep an Advent wreath during the four weeks. Many Eastern churches keep a 40-day Nativity Fast instead of Advent, according to timeanddate. For background on Advent calendars and why counting down helps, see the history and benefits of countdown calendars.

Count down your way: printable, custom or live

Starting December 1. The free printable Advent-style Christmas countdown has 24 boxes for December 1 to 24 plus a box for Christmas Day. You can change the "Calendar title" field (it reads "Christmas Countdown" by default), then click "Print calendar." To keep a copy, choose Save as PDF in your browser's print settings.

Make this printable: Christmas countdown printable. Type your title in "Calendar title," then click "Print calendar."

Starting on the first Sunday of Advent. On the printable countdown page, use the custom countdown: enter an "Event name" such as Advent Sunday and the "Target date" November 29, 2026, then click "Generate custom countdown." The sheet counts from the day you generate it. A sheet made on October 30, 2026 has 31 boxes numbered 31 down to 1, one for each day including the day you print it, so you cross off one box each day.

Make this printable: custom countdown printable. Fill in "Event name" and "Target date," click "Generate custom countdown," then click "Print This Calendar" (or "Start Over" to change it).

Live and shareable. Click "Share This Countdown" at the top of this page to open the homepage countdown builder with the title and date already filled in. From there you can set a time, add a custom message and a completion message, pick a color, gradient or image background, and share a view-only "Share Timer Only" link, a QR code or embed code. No account is needed.

Counting down to Christmas instead. The Christmas 2026 countdown runs a live timer to December 25.

Advent 2026 FAQ

Related countdowns

• Christmas 2026 countdown: live timer to December 25
• All holiday countdowns
• Thanksgiving countdown: US Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26, 2026, three days before Advent starts
• Hanukkah countdown
• Business days until Christmas: for church offices and staff planning December
• Countdown to winter break: for families planning December

To count the days from your own start date to November 29, 2026, or to any later Advent, use the date calculator.