When is Christmas Day?
In 2026, Christmas Day falls on Friday, December 25, 2026. It is classified here as a Lithuanian public holiday.
History of Christmas Day
Christmas Day, Kalėdos, commemorates the birth of Jesus and is one of Lithuania’s central church and family holidays. Its place in the public calendar reflects the country’s Catholic heritage, while its everyday atmosphere follows the intimate Kūčios celebration of the evening before.
After the meatless Christmas Eve supper, December 25 is traditionally more festive and relaxed. Families attend Mass, exchange gifts and sit down to a richer meal. The two-day public holiday gives relatives time to see one another without making the season a single rushed evening.
December 25 is independently listed in Article 123 and remains fixed without a substitute Monday. Because it also precedes the second Christmas holiday, covered employees who are lawfully scheduled on Christmas Day can be entitled to a one-hour shorter shift under Article 112; inability to shorten for operational reasons triggers the current overtime treatment. The main family supper belongs to Kūčios on December 24, while Christmas Day typically permits meat dishes, visits and Mass. That sequence distinguishes Lithuanian practice from English-speaking Boxing Day conventions.
How Christmas Day is observed
A nationwide public holiday. Churches hold Christmas services; public offices and most shops close or use limited holiday hours.
Traditions of Christmas Day
Christmas Mass
Many families attend a Christmas service on the evening before or during December 25. Participation varies among Lithuanian households, parishes, schools and municipalities.
Gifts and family meals
Presents and a festive meal bring relatives together after the Kūčios supper. Participation varies among Lithuanian households, parishes, schools and municipalities.
Winter visits
The public break creates time for grandparents, godparents and relatives to gather without haste. Participation varies among Lithuanian households, parishes, schools and municipalities.
Dates and observance rules are checked against the official Lithuanian legal and government guidance. Employer, school and local-service schedules can differ from the statutory public-holiday calendar.
History sources: Republic of Lithuania Labour Code: Article 123 public holidays, Ministry of Foreign Affairs: public holidays in Lithuania, State Labour Inspectorate: working time before public holidays.
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