December 2026 runs from Tuesday the 1st to Thursday the 31st. Christmas Eve is Thursday, December 24, Christmas Day is Friday, December 25, and New Year's Eve is Thursday, December 31. With so much packed into the last two weeks, December rewards planning that starts early in the month.
Split the month into three parts
- Dec 1–11: decide and order. Gift lists, travel bookings, and anything that must be shipped.
- Dec 12–20: prepare. Wrapping, cards, food shopping lists, and finishing work tasks.
- Dec 21–31: celebrate and rest. Keep scheduled tasks to a minimum.
This split works because the things with outside deadlines, like shipping and bookings, come first. Anything you control fully, like wrapping, can wait until later.
Shipping cutoffs: check, don't guess
Carriers and stores publish their own last-order and last-ship dates for delivery before Christmas, and these change every year. Look up the actual dates for the services you use, then write them on your calendar a few days early. For example, if a store says to order by December 15, write “Order gifts” on December 12. The three-day margin covers delays and your own busy days.
Time off and work hours
Many workplaces close or run reduced hours around Christmas and New Year's, but the details differ by employer. Write your own confirmed days off on the calendar, and note any colleagues or services you depend on that will be unavailable. Shops, banks, and offices may also change their hours, so check before planning errands for December 24 or 31.
An example plan
| Date | Entry |
|---|---|
| Thu Dec 3 | Finalize gift list and budget |
| Tue Dec 8 | Order gifts that ship (check store cutoffs) |
| Sat Dec 12 | Write and mail cards |
| Fri Dec 18 | Last workday tasks wrapped up (if office closes) |
| Sat Dec 19 | Wrap gifts |
| Tue Dec 22 | Grocery shop for Christmas meal |
| Thu Dec 31 | Five-minute year review |
Printing December and January together
The maker's monthly layouts offer 1, 3, 6, or 12 months. There is no two-month option. To have December and January on hand, choose start month December 2026 and 3 months, which prints December, January, and February as three pages. Or create December and January as separate one-month calendars.
Setting up the page
- Choose Classic Monthly, December, 2026.
- Leave US holidays on to print Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Eve.
- Tap your shipping and prep days and type short notes.
- Pick a color you will enjoy for the month; text on the header adjusts automatically for contrast.
The year-end review
On December 31, take five minutes with your calendar pages from the year, if you kept them. Which months felt calm and which felt crowded? Write two or three notes to guide next year, such as “book November travel in September.” It is a small habit that makes the next December easier.
