Holidays & key dates in December 2027
Christmas Day (observed)
Friday · Federal offices closed (observed day off) · applies to federal employees
Christmas Day
Saturday · US federal holiday
New Year's Day (observed)
Friday · Federal offices closed (observed day off) · applies to federal employees
See the full 2027 calendar with holidays for every date, observed day and long weekend.
Christmas Day on Saturday: the observed day is December 24
Christmas Day is a federal holiday on December 25. In 2027 it falls on a Saturday, so federal employees and offices observe the holiday on Friday, December 24. Christmas Eve is therefore a day off for many federal workers, and it is a day when many post offices and government offices are closed. Private employers, schools, banks and the stock market may follow different schedules, so check your own calendar.
Because December 24 is a day off for some people, plan final shopping, wrapping and delivery pickups for the days before. Use the calendar to mark the last day to ship gifts, and note the store hours for the week.
New Year's Day 2028 and the observed day on December 31
New Year's Day 2028 falls on Saturday, January 1, 2028. Under federal rules, when a holiday falls on a Saturday, the observed day is the previous Friday. That means federal offices observe the 2028 New Year holiday on Friday, December 31, 2027. This is a separate holiday from the one in January, and it appears on the calendar as an observed day off.
Note that the New Year's Day 2028 observance is on December 31, 2027. Stock exchanges such as the New York Stock Exchange normally stay open on that day, so financial markets are not closed. Check your bank for the exact schedule.
Holiday travel and winter break
Most schools close for winter break in late December, so families plan trips, visits and childcare around those dates. Mark the start and end of the break on the calendar, then list each travel day and the return time. Travel is heaviest in the days before Christmas, so book early and check for schedule changes.
December is also a good month for simple family traditions, such as baking, decorating or a weekly movie night. Write each plan in a day box so nothing gets lost in the busy season.
Closing the year and planning the next one
Use the final weeks of December to review the year. Note your major achievements and the goals you did not reach, and transfer open tasks to the 2028 plan. Many people print a new calendar in January, so use this page to make a note of the dates you want to carry forward.
Businesses often close their books in December, so finish invoices, payroll and year-end reports before the holiday closures. Mark the last working day for each team and make sure key contacts know the office hours during the break.