Advent 2026: It Starts Sunday, November 29 (Not December 1) and Ends December 24

If you are buying an Advent calendar or planning Advent candles, the date that trips people up is the start. In 2026, the first Sunday of Advent is November 29, not December 1. Advent always ends on Christmas Eve, which this year is Thursday, December 24. Below are all four Advent Sundays, why the start date shifts from year to year, what that means for a 24-door calendar, and a light weekly routine so the small traditions don't slip past in a busy month.

Advent 2026 dates at a glance

Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. In 2026 the dates are:

• First Sunday of Advent: November 29
• Second Sunday of Advent: December 6
• Third Sunday of Advent: December 13
• Fourth Sunday of Advent: December 20
• Advent ends: Christmas Eve, December 24

Several calendar references agree on these dates, including Catholic Church Times. The first Sunday of Advent is also the start of the church year, and in 2026 the Sunday readings move from cycle A to cycle B.

Why the start date moves every year

Advent is counted backwards from Christmas, so it always has four Sundays, but the number of days it covers changes. The first Sunday of Advent is the Sunday closest to November 30 (the feast of St Andrew), which means it can fall anywhere from November 27 to December 3.

In 2026 Christmas Day is a Friday, so the fourth Sunday of Advent lands on December 20 and Advent is almost a full four weeks long. In a year where the fourth Sunday falls on December 24, it is much shorter.

Does my Advent calendar start on November 29?

Usually not. Most store-bought Advent calendars have 24 doors and are meant to be opened from December 1, which is a Tuesday in 2026. Some calendars, candles and wreaths are tied to the church season instead, and those start on the first Sunday, November 29.

Check the packaging: if it numbers 1 to 24, start on December 1. If it is a wreath or a four-candle set, light the first candle on November 29.

A simple weekly plan for Advent

Traditions are easy to love and easy to forget once December gets busy. A small repeating routine helps:

• Sunday evening: light the week's candle (one candle in week one, two in week two, and so on).
• Each morning: open the calendar door, or read the day's reading or activity.
• Midweek: one practical job from your December list, such as ordering, wrapping or posting.
• Before December 20: confirm any travel, food orders and gifts that need to arrive by Christmas.

What to do before November 29

The week before is the useful one. A short checklist:

• Buy or find the calendar, candles and matches so you are not hunting for them on Sunday.
• Decide what the days will be, for example a door, a verse, a kind act or a family activity.
• Write the four Sunday dates somewhere visible: November 29, December 6, 13 and 20.
• Tell anyone sharing the routine, such as children or an older relative, what the plan is.

Frequently asked questions

When does Advent start in 2026? On Sunday, November 29, 2026.

When does Advent end in 2026? On Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24.

How many Sundays are in Advent 2026? Four: November 29, December 6, December 13 and December 20.

Is December 1 the start of Advent? Not in 2026. December 1 is when most 24-door Advent calendars begin, but the season of Advent starts on the first Sunday, November 29.

Why does the date change each year? Advent is the four Sundays before Christmas, so its start moves with the weekday Christmas falls on. The first Sunday is always between November 27 and December 3.

How ReminderIt helps

The traditions that matter to us are often the ones we forget when the month fills up. ReminderIt rings your phone at the time you choose and sends a WhatsApp message with Done and Snooze buttons, so the Sunday candle, the daily calendar door or a call to a relative on Advent Sunday gets a nudge.

Message ReminderIt on WhatsApp something like "Remind me every Sunday at 6pm in December to light the Advent candle". There's a 7-day free trial with no card, then it's $7/month.