How long until December 21?
It is 106 days, 3 hours, 40 minutes, 34 seconds until December 21, 2026.
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Temporal Context & Calendar Metrics for December 21
Excludes 31 weekend days (Saturdays & Sundays).
97.3% of annual orbital cycle.
Winter Solstice occurred December 21
Fire element (Nov 22 - Dec 21).
About December 21: Significance & History
Calendar Significance & Context
Winter Solstice (Northern Hemisphere) / Summer Solstice (Southern Hemisphere)December 21 marks the 355th day of the year (356th in leap years) within the fourth quarter. Historically, key milestones on this date include the events of 1620 (William Bradford and the Mayflower Pilgrims land at Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts) and 1968 (Apollo 8 launches on the first crewed mission to orbit the Moon, carrying astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders). Notable figures born on this day include Benjamin Disraeli (born 1804) and Joseph Stalin (born 1878). The date also observes Winter Solstice (Northern Hemisphere) / Summer Solstice (Southern Hemisphere).
On This Day in History
- 1620
William Bradford and the Mayflower Pilgrims land at Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts.
- 1968
Apollo 8 launches on the first crewed mission to orbit the Moon, carrying astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders.
- 1988
Pan Am Flight 103 is destroyed by a terrorist bomb over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing all 259 aboard and 11 on the ground.
Notable Birthdays
- Benjamin Disraelib. 1804
Two-time Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and prominent Conservative statesman.
- Joseph Stalinb. 1878
General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and leader of the USSR from 1924 to 1953.
- Samuel L. Jacksonb. 1948
American actor and producer whose films have collectively grossed over $27 billion worldwide.
Explore Related Calendar Dates
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Day 21 Across All Months:
Frequently Asked Questions About December 21
What day of the year is December 21 and how much of the year has elapsed?
December 21 is Day 355 of 365 in the calendar year, representing 97.3% of the total annual cycle.
What day of the week is December 21 next falling on?
The upcoming occurrence of December 21 falls on a Monday (December 21, 2026).
Can I pop out the countdown to December 21 into a floating desktop widget?
Yes. In desktop Chrome 116+ and supported browsers, click "Pop Out" to display a compact, floating zero-latency picture-in-picture countdown over other windows.
What is the astrological Zodiac sign for December 21?
People born on December 21 fall under the Sagittarius Zodiac sign (♐), associated with the Fire element (Nov 22 - Dec 21).