December home evening in Utah Valley is shaped by two calendars at once: the Church's, which puts the First Presidency's Christmas devotional on Sunday, December 6 and a sacrament-meeting-only Sunday on December 20, and the sky's, which gives Provo its earliest sunsets of the year. There are four Mondays in December 2026: December 7, 14, 21 and 28. Below is how each one lines up, with prices and times checked October 20, 2026.
The Church's December, at a glance
| Date | What | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Sun. Dec. 6, 6 p.m. MST | First Presidency's Christmas devotional, streamed | Church newsroom |
| Sun. Dec. 20 | One-hour sacrament meeting focused on the Savior's birth | 2026 broadcast calendar |
| Thu. Dec. 24 to Fri. Dec. 25 | Mount Timpanogos Temple closed | Temple page |
| Thu. Dec. 31 | Mount Timpanogos Temple closed | Same |
The devotional is a broadcast; the newsroom page says it will be streamed on Broadcasts.ChurchofJesusChrist.org, BYUtv and the Church's YouTube channel. If you'd rather attend a broadcast in person in another year, our Christmas devotional guide explains how the Conference Center tickets have worked.
December 7: the devotional Monday, and the earliest sunset
Talk about Sunday's devotional while it's fresh. Give each child one job the night before: listen for one story, one scripture, or one song. On Monday, each reports. If the family missed it, the stream is on demand, so watch one talk together.
Notice the sunset. In Provo the sun sets at 5:02 p.m. on December 7, according to Sunrise-Sunset.org. That's earlier than on the solstice two weeks later (5:05 p.m.). The short explanation for children: the shortest day is the one with the least daylight in total, and after early December the mornings keep getting darker faster than the evenings do. Go outside at 5 p.m., watch the light go behind the mountains west of Utah Lake, and come back in for the lesson. It takes ten minutes and nobody needs a coat for longer than that.
A youth-stage show in Pleasant Grove. The Ruth and Nathan Hale Theater's season page lists The Christmas Star on its Youth Stage from December 7 to 10, 2026, so opening night is a Monday. The page doesn't post prices on the season list; check before promising it. The theater's two main December shows, Disney's Frozen and A Christmas Carol, are also running.
Luminaria on a standard night. December 7 and December 14 are both standard nights on Thanksgiving Point's 2026 pricing calendar: $26 for adults and $19 for children at regular prices, 4 to 9 p.m. on the 14th. See our Luminaria guide for the walk itself.
December 14: finals week
For student families, keep it to an hour at home. BYU's academic calendar lists Monday, December 14 as a final exam day. If one parent is a student, this is the week for the shortest home evening of the year: a hymn, a Christmas chapter, and a treat from somewhere that stays open late. Our FHE treats guide lists the Monday-night options.
For everyone else, the free lights. City and shopping-center light displays don't charge admission, and walking one after dinner is the cheapest December outing there is. Most hadn't posted 2026 dates when we checked; our Christmas in Provo calendar adds them as cities announce them, and the nativity and crèche guide covers the stake and community nativity exhibits.
December 21: the longest night, and a game
The December solstice is at 1:50 p.m. Mountain Standard Time on Monday, December 21, 2026, according to the U.S. Naval Observatory. Provo gets 9 hours and 21 minutes of daylight, sunrise at 7:44 a.m. and sunset at 5:05 p.m.
A light-of-the-world lesson on the darkest evening. Turn off every light in the house after dinner. Light one candle or flashlight and read John 8:12 by it. Then let each child light one more, and read the verses about the star in Matthew 2. By the end the room is bright. This is the only evening of the year when the calendar makes the point for you.
Or a UVU game at 6 p.m. UVU's men's basketball schedule lists a home game against Justice at the UCCU Center in Orem on Monday, December 21, at 6 p.m. Children 5 and under are free with a paying adult and UVU students can reserve free tickets, per UVU's ticket page. For Provo families it's also the first day of winter break: the district calendar shows no school from December 21 through January 1.
Luminaria gets more expensive this week. December 21 and 28 are premium nights: $29 to $31 for adults and $22 to $24 for children at regular prices. The walk is closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, per Thanksgiving Point's event page.
The Sunday before is different this year. On December 20 the Church has invited wards to hold only a one-hour sacrament meeting, focused on the Savior's birth. Ask the children on Monday what they remember from it.
December 28: the Monday between
Christmas is Friday, December 25, and New Year's Day is Friday, January 1, both legal holidays under Utah Code 63G-1-301. The Monday in between is quiet, the children are home, and some places keep holiday hours.
A family council about the new year. The Church's General Handbook lists family councils among the things home evening may include. December 28 is the night for one: what each person wants to do in 2027, written down and put somewhere you'll find it in a year. In January the Church's Come, Follow Me study moves to the New Testament, according to the Church News announcement of the 2027 calendar, which gives the council an easy first item: how the family will read it.
Check before you drive. If you want an outing, our winter break guide covers what stays open between the holidays, and our Christmas Day guide has the holiday itself. Luminaria is open Monday the 28th on a premium night, 4 to 9:30 p.m.
The weather, and what it rules out
NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals for the Provo BYU station give December an average high of 41.4 degrees, an average low of 24.4, and 11.2 inches of snow. After 5:30 p.m. every December Monday is dark and below freezing on an average night, so anything outdoors (the solstice candle walk, the lights) should be short and close to the car.
If your ward is still planning its own party, our ward Christmas party guide has the logistics. For the temple lights in Salt Lake, see Temple Square in December.
Related Guides
- Family Home Evening in Utah Valley: 52 Ideas for the Year
- November Family Home Evening Ideas in Utah Valley
- January Family Home Evening Ideas in Utah Valley
- Christmas in Provo
- Luminaria at Thanksgiving Point
- FHE Treats in Utah Valley
- Winter Break in Provo
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Monday dates in December 2026?
When is the 2026 First Presidency Christmas devotional?
Is the shortest day on a Monday in 2026?
Why is the earliest sunset not on the solstice?
How much is Luminaria on a Monday in December 2026?
Is there a UVU basketball game on a Monday in December?
When does winter break start for Provo schools?
What is the Sunday before Christmas in 2026?
Sources
The facts in this guide were checked against these sources. Hours, fees and rules change, so confirm anything time-sensitive with the source before you go. How we make Provo.com.
- Earth's Seasons 2026, U.S. Naval Observatory. Checked October 20, 2026.
- 2026-2027 School Year Calendar, Provo City School District. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Utah Code 63G-1-301, Legal holidays, Utah State Legislature. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Final Exam Day, December 14, 2026, BYU Academic Calendar. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Utah Valley University men's basketball schedule 2026-27, UVU Athletics. Checked October 20, 2026.
- UVU Athletics tickets, UVU Athletics. Checked October 20, 2026.
- First Presidency's Christmas Devotional 2026, Newsroom, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 20, 2026.
- 2026 Churchwide broadcast events, Newsroom, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple: details and closures, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Ruth and Nathan Hale Theater: Season shows, Ruth and Nathan Hale Theater. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Luminaria 2026 pricing calendar (PDF), Thanksgiving Point. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Thanksgiving Point: Luminaria, Thanksgiving Point. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Church announces dates for 2027 broadcasts and events, Church News. Checked October 20, 2026.
- General Handbook 2.2.4, Home Evening, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Sunrise and sunset times for Provo, Utah (API, America/Denver), Sunrise-Sunset.org. Checked October 20, 2026.
- U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, Provo BYU station (USC00427064), NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Checked October 20, 2026.
