December is the 12th and last month of the year, with 31 days. Its name comes from decem, Latin for ten, from the Roman calendar that began in March. It carries the year’s shortest days in the Northern Hemisphere and the largest cluster of major holidays of any month.
How many days does December have?
Thirty-one. December to January is another back-to-back pair of 31-day months, the year wrapping around from one long month straight into the next. The months of the year table shows the whole sequence.
What season is December?
Early winter in the Northern Hemisphere. The winter solstice around December 21 is the shortest day of the year; after it, daylight slowly lengthens again. South of the equator the same date is the summer solstice and the longest day.
What quarter is December in?
December closes the fourth quarter (Q4) and the calendar year. December 31 is the reporting deadline for calendar-year businesses and the cutoff for a great deal of tax and financial planning.
December holidays and observances
- The winter (or summer) solstice around December 21
- Christmas on December 25
- Hanukkah, an eight-day festival whose dates shift each year
- Kwanzaa from December 26 to January 1
- New Year’s Eve on December 31
December at a glance
The birthstones are turquoise, tanzanite, and zircon, the traditional flowers are the narcissus and holly, and the zodiac moves from Sagittarius into Capricorn around December 22. The month sits between November and January. For the current month, see what month is it.
December by the numbers
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Days in the month | 31 |
| Day of the year on December 1 | 335 (336 in a leap year) |
| Day of the year on December 31 | 365 (366 in a leap year) |
| December 1, 2026 falls on | Tuesday |
| December 1, 2027 falls on | Wednesday |
Because February 29 comes earlier in the year, every day in December has a day number one higher in a leap year. To find the day number of any date by hand, add up the days in the months before it and then add the date: December 15 is 334 + 15 = 349 in a common year. December 31 is the last day of the year, day 365, or day 366 in a leap year. The day of the year tool works it out for any date.
December 2026 calendar
December 2026 starts on a Tuesday and ends on a Thursday. Federal holidays (as observed) are in bold.
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
Key dates in December 2026 and 2027
| Date | Day | Event | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 24, 2026 | Thursday | Christmas Eve | |
| December 25, 2026 | Friday | Christmas Day | federal holiday |
| December 31, 2026 | Thursday | New Year’s Eve | |
| December 24, 2027 | Friday | Christmas Eve | |
| December 25, 2027 | Saturday | Christmas Day | federal holiday, observed Friday, December 24 |
| December 31, 2027 | Friday | New Year’s Day 2028 | observed on Friday, December 31, 2027 |
| December 31, 2027 | Friday | New Year’s Eve |
Business days in December
| Month | Weekdays | Federal holidays on weekdays | Business days |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 2026 | 23 | 1 | 22 |
| December 2027 | 23 | 2 | 21 |
Business days here are Monday to Friday minus observed US federal holidays. State holidays and company closures can lower the count further.