According to Lostapedia, it was December 24th on the ship, but December 26th on the island.

That makes sense.

I'm thinking that nobody has marked the calendar for the past 2 days. The calendar is in the communications room that got destroyed. Now that room is off-limits. Minkowski was probably the one marking the calendar but he's been tied up since the 24th.

Wait, on second thought...Desmond called Penny from the boat and it really was Dec 24. Where did that "day 96" number come from anyway? The islanders? I haven't seen them marking any trees or calendar of their own, so it's likely they just lost count and are off by a couple days.

Desmond, talking to Penny, after 8 years....Penny continuing to look and believe....Desmond reconciling past and future....intense. :snap:

Jack and Juliet remarked that the helicopter took off over a day ago.

The online Lost community has been keeping track of the dates since the begining. The fan calculated date has been confirmed, at least once that I know of, by the producers. I feel it's safe to say that it is the 96th day on the island.

Oh... In the last episode, Locke was cooking dinner for everyone in the village. It was Christmas dinner per the production staff.

That was good!

I'm a bit confused though. At the beginning, Juliet and Harper were talking about Juliet being big news because she survived a plane crash (so at first I thought it was a FF). But she wasn't on the plane (and it was a FB).

It wasn't because she survived a crash....it was because she was there to solve their problem.

Anyone else think that "Date Ben" is creepy? Ugh... I wouldn't accept ham from that man.

1) We were supposed to think it was a flash forward ("feel like a celebrity" et al) but then Mr. Friendly came in and they revealed that it was a flashback to her first arrival to the island.

2) Yes, yes, YES "Date Ben" totally made me feel uncomfortable. I think we were supposed to feel that way, too.

Dang, they missed Christmas! That sucks! ;)