Thanksgiving
HolidayThu, November 26 · in 38 days
The unofficial starting gun. In the North Pole mailroom this is the day the letter sacks stop being counted in hundreds and start being counted in tonnes.
Season 2026
The Christmas calendar
Real dates for the 2026–2027 season, from Advent to Epiphany, alongside the North Pole workshop schedule — so December stops sneaking up on you.
Next up: Thanksgiving · Thu, November 26 · in 38 days
Your delivery plan
A live countdown to Christmas Eve, and a private planner for the day each child's letter arrives.
Countdown to Christmas Eve 2026
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Letters are digital, so there is no postal cut-off — you choose the day each child's delivery arrives.
Plan each child's letter
Add a child and the day you'd like their North Pole delivery to land. Kept privately on this device — no account, nothing sent to us.
No arrival dates planned yet. Most families pick 1 December, St Nicholas Day, or Christmas Eve itself.
Black Friday
TraditionFri, November 27 · in 39 days
A good day to get the personalized letter done and off the list while everyone else is queueing.
First Sunday of Advent
HolidaySun, November 29 · in 41 days
Light the first candle, open the first calendar door. The best day to hand over the Santa letter and Nice List certificate — it sets the tone for the whole month.
December 1 — countdown begins
TraditionTue, December 1 · in 43 days
Advent calendars open, the tree usually goes up this week, and the Christmas mission sheet gets its first tick.
Shoes by the door
TraditionSat, December 5 · in 47 days
In the Netherlands, Germany and much of central Europe children leave a shoe out tonight for St Nicholas.
St Nicholas Day
HolidaySun, December 6 · in 48 days
The feast day of the bishop the whole legend grew from. Small gifts, chocolate coins, oranges in the toe of a stocking.
Reindeer flight training closes
North PoleSat, December 12 · in 54 days
Reindeer Operations finishes altitude drills. From here the team is on rest and carrots only.
St Lucia's Day
HolidaySun, December 13 · in 55 days
Candles, white robes and saffron buns across Scandinavia — the light-in-midwinter tradition Christmas borrowed from.
Last calm weekend
Good to knowTue, December 15 · in 57 days
If you want the letter read at leisure rather than in the last-minute scramble, this is the week to print it.
Las Posadas begins
HolidayWed, December 16 · in 58 days
Nine nights of processions, songs and piñatas across Mexico and Central America, ending on Christmas Eve.
Winter solstice
HolidayMon, December 21 · in 63 days
The shortest day in the northern hemisphere. At the North Pole itself the sun has been down since October — the workshop runs entirely on lantern light.
Sleigh loading day
North PoleWed, December 23 · in 65 days
The Sorting Hall closes and Logistics loads the sleigh in route order. Nothing new goes in after tonight.
Christmas Eve
HolidayThu, December 24 · in 66 days
Carrots by the door, the reindeer checklist ticked off, the Christmas Eve letter read at bedtime. Santa departs when the last child in the eastern time zones is asleep.
Christmas Day
HolidayFri, December 25 · in 67 days
The Santa Was Here certificate is the first thing to find on the mantelpiece.
Boxing Day / St Stephen's Day
HolidaySat, December 26 · in 68 days
Leftovers, long walks and the second wave of visiting family — a good day for the keepsake box.
New Year's Eve
HolidayThu, December 31 · in 73 days
The workshop's one genuinely quiet night of the year.
Epiphany / Three Kings' Day
HolidayWed, January 6 · in 79 days
Twelfth Night. Gifts arrive today in Spain and much of Latin America, and traditionally the decorations come down.
Next year's planning begins
North PoleThu, January 7 · in 80 days
The Nice List Department archives the season and the workshop starts again. Eleven and a half months to go.
Get ahead of the calendar
The letter takes about two minutes and arrives instantly — no post, no cut-off date. But the earlier it lands, the longer the magic lasts.
Write this year's letter