Christmas Day 2025 in the United States

On December 25, people across the United States celebrate Christmas, one of the nation’s most important holidays. For Christians, it marks the birth of Jesus, while for many others, it is a time of family gatherings and festive traditions.

Is Christmas Day a Public Holiday?

This is a state public holiday. State government offices are closed. Some schools and businesses may also be closed on this day.

When Is Christmas in the United States?

Christmas is celebrated on December 25 every year in the United States. It is the central celebration of the holiday season, which runs from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day.

Public Life on Christmas Day

• Closures: Schools, banks, and government offices are closed. Many stores and restaurants are also closed or have shorter hours. Some grocery stores stay open on Christmas Eve for last-minute shopping, but most places close on Christmas Day.
• Transportation: Buses, trains, and subways often run on a holiday schedule. Airports are very busy because many people travel to visit their families.
• Community life: Streets are usually quiet, but homes, shops, and public spaces are often decorated with colorful lights and Christmas displays.

How People Celebrate Christmas

Families often gather during Christmas to spend time together, share special meals, and exchange gifts. For many Christians, attending church services on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day is an important part of the celebration.

Many households also celebrate with traditions on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, making the holiday a two-day tradition.

Children especially look forward to the arrival of Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. They hang stockings and may leave out cookies and milk for him, along with a carrot for Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer.

Homes across the country are decorated with Christmas trees, wreaths, lights, candy canes, snowmen, and nativity scenes. In some neighborhoods, families set up elaborate outdoor Christmas lights that attract visitors from near and far.

Food is an important part of the celebration as well. Traditional meals often feature roast turkey or ham with sides like mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, and roasted vegetables. These courses are followed by desserts such as pies, decorated cookies, and gingerbread houses. Drinks like eggnog are also popular during the season.

Some people—Christian and non-Christian alike—also volunteer their time to help others in need during the holiday season, contributing to food drives, community meals, and other acts of service.

National Traditions

• National Christmas Tree: Since 1923, a large tree near the White House has been lit each year in a special ceremony.
• Capitol Christmas Tree: Every year since 1964, a tree has been displayed on the west lawn outside the US Capitol building in Washington, D.C. The US Forest Service, an agency of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), has provided the trees since 1970 from various national forests across the country.

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Regional Customs

• In New York City, famous traditions include the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, ice skating, and holiday shows like the Radio City Christmas Spectacular and The Nutcracker.
• Hispanic communities celebrate with Las Posadas and Nochebuena (Christmas Eve celebrations).
• In the Southwest, people decorate with luminarias (paper lanterns).
• In snowy regions, families enjoy sleigh rides, skiing, or building snowmen.
• In Hollywood, California, the Hollywood Christmas Parade—originally the Hollywood Santa Claus Lane Parade—has been held annually since 1928. The parade features celebrity Grand Marshals, colorful floats, marching bands, and ends with Santa Claus and his sleigh.

History of Christmas in the United States

Christmas traditions in the US go back hundreds of years. In the 1500s, Spanish settlers in Florida and the Southwest celebrated with church services and feasts. But in 1659, Puritans in Massachusetts actually banned Christmas, believing it was unbiblical. The ban ended in 1681.

In the 1700s and 1800s, European immigrants brought customs like decorated trees, nativity plays, and Christmas songs.

By 1823, the poem A Visit from St. Nicholas (also known as ’Twas the Night Before Christmas) made Santa Claus popular in America. German traditions, such as decorating Christmas trees, also spread widely.

In 1870, Congress made Christmas an official holiday for federal workers. By the 1900s, Christmas had become a mix of religious traditions, family celebrations, and growing commercial influence.

Symbols of Christmas in the United States

• Christmas trees are a central decoration, symbolizing life and renewal.
• Christmas lights brighten homes and streets, symbolizing hope and festivity.
• Nativity scenes depict the birth of Jesus and are especially meaningful for Christians.
• Angels, often part of decorations and stories, symbolize the announcement of Jesus’ birth.
• Santa Claus embodies joy, generosity, and children’s excitement.
• Reindeer are linked to the magic of Santa’s journey on Christmas Eve.
• Snowmen are beloved seasonal figures made iconic through songs like Frosty the Snowman.
• Christmas TV shows and movies, enjoyed by children and adults alike, are a major part of the season’s celebrations and festive culture.

Did You Know?

The modern American image of Santa Claus—a jolly man in a red suit with a white beard—gradually evolved over the 19th century. Clement Clarke Moore’s 1823 poem A Visit from St. Nicholas and Thomas Nast’s illustrations in Harper’s Weekly helped shape his popular identity in the United States.

In the 1930s, Coca-Cola advertising, drawn by artist Haddon Sundblom, further spread a familiar version of this cheerful figure. Santa’s earlier roots go back to Saint Nicholas of Myra, who lived in what is now Turkey, and to European folklore traditions, including the Dutch Sinterklaas and Scandinavian nisse.

About Christmas Day in Other Countries

While we diligently research and update our holiday dates, some of the information in the table above may be preliminary. If you find an error, please let us know.