December 24 and 26 Temporary Federal Holidays Via Executive Order
Some federal workers may be getting two bonus days off this holiday week, thanks to an executive order by President Donald Trump. What are the new federal holidays, who can expect to get the days off, and how will this executive order impact other businesses? We have all of the details for you right here.
Christmas Eve and December 26 Temporary Federal Holidays This Year
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday, December 18, declaring that both Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas Day be designated as official federal holidays in 2025. Because Christmas Day falls on a Thursday this year, qualified workers will enjoy a five-day weekend under this order.
It is important to note that December 24 and December 26 are only federal holidays in 2025. The change is not a permanent addition to the official federal holiday schedule. In order for a holiday to become permanent, Congress must first pass specific legislation before sending it on to the Oval Office to be signed into law by the president. This last happened in 2021 when Juneteenth became an official federal holiday under the direction of the Biden administration.
However, it is not unusual for presidents to mandate temporary holiday orders. This is most common around winter holiday celebrations. For example, former President Barack Obama issued a temporary holiday declaration on December 26 in 2014. Because this date fell on a Friday that year, it made sense to give federal workers a long four-day weekend around Christmas. Similarly, President Trump did the same thing on Christmas Eve in both 2019 and 2020.
Who Should Expect to Get December 24 and December 26 Off This Year?
The temporary holiday order does not apply to everyone equally. Most workplaces outside of the federal government do not follow this calendar. In addition, because Christmas Eve and December 26 are not permanent additions to the federal schedule, it is up to individual offices to decide if employees will need to report that day.
Trump's order explicitly said that the schedule is at the discretion of agency leaders. The order states that leaders are allowed to require essential staff to report to work on the two days "for reasons of national security, defense, or other public need." For example, both the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) said that they will remain open. Both agencies are asking for volunteers to staff the phone lines these days.
While private businesses may decide to adhere to the temporary schedule, they are not required by law to do so. It is unlikely that businesses will decide to give the days off at the last minute.
Although most federal government offices will be closed Wednesday through Friday, locations such as post offices and banks will only be closed on Christmas Day. For example, the U.S. Postal Service states on its website that mail will not be delivered on Christmas Day. However, post offices will be open for business on December 24 and December 26.
According to the latest update from the Federal Reserve, banks will operate as normal on December 24 and December 26. Like most everything else in the country, they will be closed on Christmas Day.
It is a whole different ballgame when it comes to private retailers. Most big box retail outlets will only close on Christmas Day. For example, Target will be open from 7 am to 8 pm on Christmas Eve, closing their doors a bit earlier than usual on this day. The retailer will be closed all day on Christmas, scheduled to open as normal on Friday, December 26. Shoppers can expect similar hours for other retailers.
As always, it is best to check with a specific business for their hours before heading out for errands.
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