Christmas 2019 and 2020
Christmas Day is celebrated across the United States on 25 December, and is one of the most actively celebrated holidays in the country. Most Americans try to get off both Christmas Day and Christmas Eve to celebrate, feast, and have fun with family and friends. And both religious and non-religious alike “keep Christmas” in their own way.
| Year | Date | Day | Holiday | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 24 Dec | Tue | Christmas Eve | AR, MI, NC, SC, TX & WI |
| 25 Dec | Wed | Christmas Day | National | |
| 26 Dec | Thu | Christmas Holiday | AR, NC, OK, SC, TN & TX | |
| 2020 | 24 Dec | Thu | Christmas Eve | AR, KS, KY, MI, NC, SC, TX & WI |
| 25 Dec | Fri | Christmas Day | National | |
| 26 Dec | Sat | Christmas Holiday | NC, OK, SC, TN & TX |
For most Americans, the Christmas season begins the day after Thanksgiving and the entire month of December is filled with holiday celebrations, from community events to family gatherings.
It’s hard to define exactly how Christmas is celebrated in the US because of the great diversity, due to the mixing of many cultures and many Christmas traditions. But, in general, most will have a family get together with a great feast.
Turkey or ham is commonly the main dish, but for some, Polish sausage and cabbage, lasagna, or roast duck might be instead. But one thing everyone shares in common is an abundance of sweets eaten throughout the season.
Christmas traditions include exchanging gifts and cards, putting up and decorating a Christmas tree, decorating the home with lights and other ornamentation, taking children to see “Santa Claus” at the local mall, and attending various parties on Christmas Eve and Day.
Most families set up a Christmas tree, typically a Douglas fir, and decorate it with lights, tinsel, ornaments, and candy canes. Many communities also erect a community tree in a public area; these trees are wide and tall, and they serve as the centerpiece for the community’s holiday celebrations.
The most iconic Christmas display in the US is clearly the lights and giant tree set up in Rockefeller Center, in New York City, each year, along with a huge public ice skating rink.