When Does Advent Start in 2027? Dates & Planning Timeline

Advent 2027 begins on Sunday, November 28 and ends on Friday, December 24. That is 27 days, because Advent always starts on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve. If your child's countdown calendar has 24 doors, you will most likely open door one on Wednesday, December 1.

This guide gives you the full 2027 date table, the reason the start day moves, and a September-to-December timeline so nothing sneaks up on you. It pairs with our big list of Christmas countdown activities for kids. Reading this in 2026? Advent 2026 begins Sunday, November 29, and our guide to starting an advent calendar late will help.

Key takeaways

• Advent 2027: Sunday, November 28 to Friday, December 24 (27 days).
• Thanksgiving 2027: Thursday, November 25, three days before Advent begins.
• Christmas 2027: Saturday, December 25. Hanukkah begins at sundown the evening before.
• 24-door calendars: usually numbered to start on December 1, a Wednesday in 2027, which leaves three "bonus days" before door one.

What are the key dates for the 2027 holiday season?

Date (2027)	What happens	Why it matters for your countdown
Thu, Nov. 25	Thanksgiving (U.S.)	Last easy chance to load your calendar before Advent begins
Sun, Nov. 28	First Sunday of Advent	The church-calendar start of the season
Wed, Dec. 1	Door one of a 24-door calendar	The usual start for a countdown calendar
Sun, Dec. 5, 12 and 19	Second, third and fourth Sundays of Advent	Handy days for a bigger mission
Fri, Dec. 24	Advent ends on Christmas Eve	Door 24, your finale; Hanukkah begins at sundown
Sat, Dec. 25	Christmas Day	The federal holiday is observed Friday, Dec. 24

Dates come from Hallow's Advent schedule, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and Hebcal. The Sundays in between are counted from the first Sunday.

Why does the Advent start date change every year?

Advent is counted backward from Christmas. It starts on the fourth Sunday before December 25, which is the Sunday closest to November 30, so the first Sunday can fall anywhere from November 27 to December 3 (Wikipedia). Depending on the year, Advent lasts 22 to 28 days.

In 2026, with Christmas on a Friday, Advent runs from Sunday, November 29 through Thursday, December 24: 26 days. In 2027, with Christmas on a Saturday, it begins a day earlier on the calendar and lasts 27 days.

Some Christian traditions count the season differently. Wikipedia notes, for example, that the Ambrosian rite begins Advent in mid-November, and Eastern Orthodox churches keep a 40-day fast before Christmas. If your congregation follows its own calendar, use that for church life and use these dates for a home countdown.

Should your countdown start on November 28 or December 1?

There is no wrong answer. Pick the start your household can keep up with.

Option	How it works	Best for
Start Wed, Dec. 1	Door 1 on Dec. 1, door 24 on Christmas Eve	Dated doors and simple routines
Start Sun, Nov. 28	27 days of doors or surprises	Families following the church calendar
Hybrid	Launch on Nov. 28, open door 1 on Dec. 1	A ritual start without extra prep

Starting December 1 puts six weekend days inside your countdown: December 4, 5, 11, 12, 18 and 19. Save bigger projects, like baking or building a cardboard castle, for those doors, and keep weekday missions under 15 minutes.

Not sure which style to pick? Our guide to how to choose a kids' advent calendar compares nine types, and the cost-per-day comparison shows what each one adds up to.

What can you do with the three bonus days (Nov. 28 to 30)?

If you start with the church calendar, you will have three days before door one. Use them to build anticipation instead of adding more doors.

1. Sunday, Nov. 28, launch day. Hang the calendar, let your child decorate door one's number, and agree on the rules: one door a day, no peeking.
2. Monday, Nov. 29, look-ahead day. Mark December 24 and any trips, concerts or visits so you know which days need a tiny mission.
3. Tuesday, Nov. 30, set-the-scene day. Choose a countdown song or story for each morning and make a cozy corner for opening doors.

On the Sundays of Advent (November 28, December 5, 12 and 19), you might add a simple family pause: read a story, call a grandparent or share what each person is looking forward to. If your family lights candles, an adult should light them and stay nearby.

What is the September-to-December planning timeline?

Work backward from Sunday, November 28. Each step is small on purpose, because a countdown should feel like a gift, not a second job.

When	What to do	Time (est.)
Early September	Decide your values, budget and how many minutes a day you truly have	30 minutes
Mid-September	Choose the calendar style and fillers	1 hour
By mid-October	Order anything that ships or needs printing	20 minutes
Late October	Gather supplies and test one mission to time it	1 hour
Nov. 1 to 21	Print, fold and number clue cards or fillers; check ages and allergies	2 to 3 hours
Nov. 22 to 25	Load and hang the calendar; plan the kickoff	1 hour
Sun, Nov. 28	Optional launch day	20 minutes
Wed, Dec. 1	Door one	10 to 20 minutes a day

If you choose an advent passport, protect the shipping step. Wonderkin's current Around the World passport mails a printed passport and 24 stickers to you, and the parent guide and clue cards are printable PDFs. Whatever you buy, check the delivery estimate before you count on a date, and remember you supply the 24-compartment calendar.

Running behind? Nothing breaks if you skip ahead. A set of numbered envelopes and a list of ten-minute missions can come together in a weekend, and a late start is still a real countdown. The point is the ritual, not the schedule.

Where do Santa letters fit into your timeline?

Santa letter dates change every year and depend on the method you use, so we keep them in one place instead of repeating them here. Start with our Santa letter mailing deadlines guide, which is written for 2026, and look for a 2027 version before you finalize your plan. Settling your letter plan in the same sitting as your calendar plan leaves December with one less open loop.

What if your family celebrates more than one holiday?

Hanukkah 2027 begins at sundown on Friday, December 24, which is Christmas Eve, and ends at nightfall on Saturday, January 1, 2028 (Hebcal). Hanukkah has its own meaning and customs, so give it its own space on the family calendar rather than folding it into a Christmas countdown.

If you celebrate both, put the dates side by side so the first night of Hanukkah doesn't collide with Christmas Eve plans, and choose a countdown with flexible doors you can pause. Wondering whether an advent calendar fits your household at all? Read do you have to be Christian to do an advent calendar.

How do you plan a countdown you will actually finish?

• Pick a daily time (breakfast, after school or bedtime) and a ceiling of 10 to 15 minutes.
• Prep one week at a time instead of all 24 days at once.
• Keep a "plan B" door for rough days: a hug coupon, a story or hot cocoa.
• Match doors to ages. For mixed ages, see advent calendars for kids of different ages.
• Check small parts and food allergies before you fill any door.
• Give yourself permission to double up or skip a day.

Make it magical with Wonderkin

Wonderkin Adventures is a small shop run by a working mom and veterinarian who loves her daughter. Its advent passports (Around the World, Wildlife Explorer and Magical Creature) pair a printed passport and 24 stickers, mailed to you, with a printable parent guide. As of November 2026 each is $28 (regularly $40); you supply the calendar. Browse the advent calendars collection, and check the shop for what's available when you plan for 2027.