The 40 Days of Christmas: when Christmas officially begins, November 16
The 23rd Annual · Nov 16 → Dec 26
The 40 Days of Christmas begin in
Beginning November 16, 2026
It's here. Go celebrate. Merry Christmas.
It's the 40 Days OF Christmas, not the 40 Days TO Christmas.
November 16 marks the official start of the season. It isn't a countdown to December 25. It's the day you can openly throw yourself into all of it: the music, the movies, the glad tidings, the lights, the nog.
Bust out "It's A Wonderful Life" or "Elf." Start wishing strangers a Merry Christmas. Then, on December 26, it all comes down at once. The new year begins clean. No drift, no slump, no half-lit January tree.
Christmastime is the best time.
Halloween doesn't come close. Easter tries. New Year's is more of a day than a holiday. And Thanksgiving? I'm happy for it, truly, but all it has ever done is hold Christmas back from starting when it should. Not anymore. Thanksgiving no longer gets to decide when we begin.
Why 40 days?
50 is too much. 30 is not enough.
Consider Halloween. October 1 rolls around and it's instantly fair game to decorate, to get spooky, to celebrate all month long. That's a full 30 days. If Halloween gets 30, Christmas, the best of them all, deserves a little more. So: 40.
How to join.
Simple. Celebrate early. Spread the word. Let people know the cheer can start well before the turkey. The best way to spread Christmas cheer, after all, is singing loud for all to hear.
The Official 40DoX Playlist.
A new Christmas song for every one of the 40 days. Follow along on Spotify and let it carry you from November 16 all the way to the 26th.
Follow on SpotifyGet the reminder.
One email when the 40 Days begin on November 16. No spam, no list-selling, just a nudge to start the season on time.
You're on the list. See you November 16. Merry Christmas.