When is Christmas Day?
In 2026, Christmas Day falls on Friday, December 25, 2026. It is classified here as a Jordanian public holiday.
History of Christmas Day
Christmas Day on December 25 is an official public holiday in Jordan. The date reflects the Western Christian calendar used by many churches, while some Eastern Orthodox communities celebrate Christmas in January. Including December 25 in the national holiday schedule recognises the country’s Christian citizens and the role Christian communities have played in Jordanian social, cultural and economic life.
Church services, family meals, trees, lights and gift-giving shape the season in homes and neighbourhoods. Amman’s shopping and hospitality districts often show a visible Christmas atmosphere, while towns and parishes maintain their own more intimate traditions. The official day off does not erase calendar differences between churches; it creates a shared civic space for the December celebration.
December 25, 2026 falls on Friday, already the principal weekly rest day under Jordanian labour practice. The standing circular does not create an automatic Sunday substitute for Christmas, so planners should not invent one without a new official decision. Labour guidance lists Christmas as a paid holiday for covered workers and separately provides Eastern-calendar Easter and Palm Sunday leave for Christian employees. Those rules recognise different legal mechanisms rather than making every Christian feast a universal shutdown.
How Christmas Day is observed
A nationwide public holiday on December 25. Government offices and banks close; church and business schedules vary by locality and denomination.
Traditions of Christmas Day
Church services
Jordanian Christian communities gather for Christmas liturgies, prayer and music in churches whose calendars and languages reflect several denominations.
Family meals
Relatives meet after Christmas worship for a festive meal, greetings and time together at home, with recipes shaped by family and locality.
Local celebrations
The scale of Christmas decorations, parish events and business changes varies among Amman, Madaba, Salt, Fuheis and other Jordanian communities.
Dates and observance rules are checked against the official Jordanian official and legal guidance. Lunar dates, annual Royal or Cabinet notices and employer schedules should be confirmed against official notices.
History sources: Jordan Ministry of Foreign Affairs: public holidays, Jordan Customs: official holidays and observances, Central Bank of Jordan: 2026 bank holidays, Jordan Prime Ministry: standing holiday circular, Jordan Ministry of Labour and ILO: paid-holiday guidance.
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