On December 18, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order, granting federal workers extra time off during the holiday season. This order designated Christmas Eve (Dec. 24) and December 26 as official federal holidays. The change extends the holiday break for federal employees, creating an extended long weekend for those working within the federal government.
Federal Workers’ Extra Time Off During the Holidays
By declaring Christmas Eve and Dec. 26 as federal holidays, Trump has ensured that employees within the federal government will have an extended break. These holidays come in addition to the already recognized Christmas Day holiday on December 25.
This move follows a previous trend of temporary holiday orders by U.S. Presidents. For example, Barack Obama declared Dec. 26 a federal holiday in 2014. Similarly, Trump had previously issued Christmas Eve holiday proclamations in 2019 and 2020 during his first term. While private businesses are not required to observe federal holidays, they may choose to give their employees the same days off.
How Trump’s Holiday Order Affects Federal Workers
The executive order applies specifically to federal government employees. Therefore, federal departments and agencies are required to close their offices for both Christmas Eve and December 26. However, some federal workers may still need to report to work, depending on the discretion of agency leaders. In other words, while the holiday order applies to many federal employees, exceptions may still exist depending on job functions.
Are Private Businesses Affected by These New Holidays?
No, private businesses are not required to observe these additional holidays. Christmas Eve and December 26 are only federal holidays, meaning they apply to federal government employees. Private employers have the flexibility to decide whether to give their employees paid time off on these days, but they are not obligated by law to do so.
Which Services Will Be Open or Closed on Christmas Eve and Dec. 26?
While federal government offices may remain closed on Christmas Eve and Dec. 26, private services may still operate. Here’s a quick rundown of what’s open and closed:
- U.S. Postal Service: Post offices will be closed on Christmas Day (Dec. 25), and no mail will be delivered. However, post offices will operate for retail transactions on Dec. 24 and Dec. 26.
- Banks: According to the Federal Reserve, banks will be open on both Christmas Eve (Dec. 24) and Dec. 26, but they will be closed on Christmas Day (Dec. 25).
- Private Retailers: Major retailers, such as Target, Walmart, and Costco, generally follow the tradition of closing only on Christmas Day. For instance, Target stores will be open on Christmas Eve from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. but will remain closed on Christmas Day, reopening on Dec. 26.
Trump’s Views on Federal Holidays
President Trump has often expressed his concern over the number of federal holidays in the United States. In May 2025, he posted on Truth Social about the overabundance of holidays, particularly regarding World War I and World War II commemoration days. Trump argued that there were too many paid holidays and that the country was losing valuable workdays.
He has also previously commented on Juneteenth, another federally recognized holiday, stating that the cost of these holidays was too high, with billions of dollars in lost productivity. Trump’s critiques have sparked debates on the balance between recognizing historical events and economic productivity.
President Donald Trump’s executive order to declare Christmas Eve and December 26 as federal holidays provides federal workers with extra time off for the holiday season. However, private businesses are not legally required to observe these holidays. While federal workers can enjoy an extended long weekend, the decision remains in the hands of their agency leaders, and exceptions may apply. The order aims to offer employees much-needed time off during the winter holidays, but its scope is limited to the federal sector.
