Christmas and New Year Skiing 2026/27: Dates, Snow and Where to Go

A ski chalet at Christmas works because there is nothing to organise. No turkey to buy, no in-laws to seat, just snow, a fire and a table someone else has laid. New Year has a different appeal: fireworks over the village, a long lunch on the mountain, and a reason to stay up late.

The calendar is kind this year. Christmas Day 2026 is a Friday, and so is New Year's Day 2027. That makes the two festive weeks easy to plan.

The 2026/27 festive weeks at a glance

Most chalets change over on a Saturday. With Saturday changeovers, the two festive weeks are:

Christmas week ends on Boxing Day, which is also when the New Year guests arrive. Expect busy airports and roads that Saturday.

Some chalets offer Sunday or midweek arrivals over the holidays, or a ten- or eleven-night stay across both weeks. If you want Christmas and New Year in one trip, ask. A longer stay can also make the flight times easier.

School dates

Many English and Welsh councils finish the autumn term on Friday 18 December 2026 and go back in the first week of January. Council calendars for Cardiff, Swansea and Havering follow that pattern. If your school does the same, either festive week fits without missing school.

There are exceptions. Powys schools finish on Tuesday 22 December 2026. Northern Ireland's common school holidays run from 21 December 2026 to 1 January 2027. Scottish councils set their own dates, and academies anywhere can differ. Check the GOV.UK term dates finder or the school's own calendar before you book.

Christmas snow: plan for early season

Christmas is early in the ski season. Some years bring deep December snow, and some bring a thin cover. Nobody can promise either, so choose a resort that can cope with a lean December.

What helps:

• High skiing. Look at where the main skiing sits, not only the village altitude. A low village with a high gondola can still give good Christmas skiing.
• Glaciers. Resorts with glacier skiing usually have snow at the top early in the season. Sölden and Kaprun's Kitzsteinhorn are Austrian examples, and Tignes and Les Deux Alpes have glaciers in France.
• Snowmaking. Most major Alpine resorts rely on snowmaking to open the main runs in December. Resorts that have invested heavily in it are a safer bet in a lean year.
• North-facing slopes. Shaded slopes keep their snow longer, but the days are short and cold at Christmas.

Our guide to snow-sure, high-altitude ski resorts explains this in more detail. The early-season skiing page lists chalets in resorts that open early.

Christmas week or New Year week?

Christmas week

Christmas week is often the calmer of the two on the slopes, because many families stay home for Christmas Day itself. Children love it. The village lights are up, there may be a Christmas market, and Father Christmas sometimes turns up on skis.

Things to know:

• In Austria and Germany, Christmas Eve is the main family celebration. Some restaurants close early or serve only a set menu that evening.
• Lifts usually run on Christmas Day, but ski schools may have shorter hours or no classes. Check before you book lessons.
• Shops close or keep short hours on 25 December, so self-catered groups should stock up on the 24th.

New Year week

New Year is usually the busiest week of the winter in the big resorts. Many villages have fireworks at midnight, and some put on a torchlit descent by the ski instructors. Restaurants fill up weeks in advance.

Things to know:

• Book New Year's Eve dinner as soon as you book the chalet, unless the chalet is catered and includes it.
• Lift queues are longest in the days between Christmas and New Year.
• 1 January is quiet in the morning and busy by lunchtime.

Where to go

For festive atmosphere

Old towns and traditional villages feel most festive. Kitzbühel has a medieval centre and a real town to explore. Alpbach is a small, wooden village, and Seefeld has a town square and plenty of cross-country skiing. Innsbruck's Christmas markets are an easy add-on, as the Innsbruck ski city break explains.

In France, Chamonix is a real mountain town with plenty to do off the slopes. In Switzerland, Zermatt and Saas-Fee are car-free, and both are especially pretty at Christmas. The Switzerland chalet holiday guide covers both.

For the best chance of snow

Choose high resorts with glacier access or a strong snowmaking record. Tignes, Val d'Isère, Alpe d'Huez, Cervinia, Livigno, Sölden and Obertauern all suit an early-season trip. The Alpe d'Huez Christmas page lists festive chalets there.

For families with young children

Choose a compact village where the ski school meets close to the chalet. Days are short in December, and small children tire quickly in the cold. Serfaus, Fiss and Alpbach all suit young families, as does a purpose-built French resort such as Flaine. See the best family ski resorts in Austria.

Questions to ask a catered chalet

Catered chalets are especially popular at Christmas and New Year, but what is included varies. Ask:

1. Is Christmas Eve dinner, Christmas Day dinner or both included?
2. Does the staff day off move during the festive week?
3. Is a New Year's Eve dinner included, and is it served early enough to see the fireworks?
4. Are children's meals served earlier on festive evenings?
5. Are drinks included with the festive meals?
6. What happens if the chalet changes over on Boxing Day and the next guests arrive late?

Self-catered groups should know shop opening hours on 24, 25 and 31 December and 1 January, and order an arrival shop if the chalet is not walkable to a supermarket. The catered vs self-catered guide has a fuller checklist.

Booking tips

• Book early. Festive weeks are short and in high demand. Well-placed chalets for large groups go first.
• Fly early on changeover day. A delay on 26 December leaves little slack.
• Book ski school and equipment at the same time as the chalet.
• Check the cancellation terms. If December snow is thin, a flexible booking gives you options.

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• Skiing at Christmas
• New Year ski chalets
• Find me a chalet
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