Some federal workers will have a longer holiday break this year. In an executive order issued Thursday, President Trump declared that Christmas Eve and Dec. 26 will be federal holidays this year, meaning that federal departments and agencies will be closed.
As noted in the order, agencies may require certain employees to work on those dates if necessary for national security or other public needs. The order also does not change any existing laws. To establish a permanent federal holiday — which Christmas already is — Congress must pass legislation and then have the president sign it into law.
Why are Christmas Eve and Dec. 26 federal holidays this year?
It’s common for presidents to declare Christmas Eve a federal holiday, depending on where it falls on the weekly calendar, in order to extend the holiday break. President Trump did so during his first term in 2018, 2019 and 2020, and former President Joe Biden did so in 2024.
In 2021, Christmas fell on a Saturday, making Christmas Eve a federally observed holiday on a Friday, and in 2022, Christmas fell on a Sunday, meaning that Dec. 26 became the federally observed holiday, with Dec. 24 and 25 falling over the weekend. In 2023, Christmas was on a Monday, meaning that Christmas Eve was on a weekend.
This year marks the first time that Trump has ordered Dec. 26 to be a federal holiday.
Will I have off on Christmas Eve and Dec. 26 now?
If you’re a federal worker, and your job is not deemed necessary to work on Christmas Eve and Dec. 26, then yes, you will have off. However, these temporary federal holidays do not impact private companies — it’s at their discretion if they wish to give their employees the day off. If you did not already have these dates off as a private employee, this order likely won’t impact your work schedule.
What other federal holidays are there?
According to the Office of Personnel Management, the federal holidays in 2026 include:
Jan. 1: New Year’s Day
Jan. 19: Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday
Feb. 16: George Washington’s birthday
May 25: Memorial Day
June 19: Juneteenth National Independence Day
July 3: Independence Day
Sept. 7: Labor Day
Oct. 12: Columbus Day
Nov. 11: Veterans Day
Nov. 26: Thanksgiving Day
Dec. 25: Christmas Day
LATEST POSTS
- 1
NASA begins fueling rocket to launch astronauts on the first lunar trip in half a century - 2‘Democratizing space’ is more than just adding new players – it comes with questions around sustainability and sovereignty
- 35 Must-Attempt Fascinating Dishes from Around the World
- 4Greenland’s melting ice and landslide-prone fjords make the oil and minerals Trump is eyeing dangerous to extract
- 5Bruno Mars tour 2026: How to get tickets for 'The Romantic Tour,' presale times, prices and more
- Iran fires one of largest barrages in weeks ahead of Passover
- Charlotte faith leaders hold interfaith forum on Black and Palestinian solidarity
- 'We were genuinely astonished': This moss survived 9 months outside the International Space Station and could still grow on Earth
- How to watch the 2025 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for free
- France to build new nuclear aircraft carrier, Macron says
- EU delays signing of Mercosur free trade deal
- The Most Important Crossroads in Olympic History
- College students are now slightly less likely to experience severe depression, research shows – but the mental health crisis is far from over
- She was moments away from giving birth. The hospital discharged her
