President Trump signed an executive order naming both Christmas Eve (Dec. 24) and Dec. 26 as federal holidays this year, closing most federal agencies on those dates. Agencies may still require certain employees to work for national security or other essential needs. The move is temporary and does not change federal law — only Congress can create permanent holidays. Private employers are not required to observe these temporary federal holidays.
Trump Declares Christmas Eve And Dec. 26 Federal Holidays This Year — What It Means For Federal Workers
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President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order designating both Christmas Eve (Dec. 24) and Dec. 26 as federal holidays for this year. As a result, most federal departments and agencies will be closed on those dates.
The order makes clear that agencies may still require certain employees to work on those days when necessary for national security or other essential public needs. The proclamation is temporary and does not change existing law: creating a permanent federal holiday requires Congress to pass legislation and the president to sign it into law. (Christmas Day is already a permanent federal holiday by that process.)
It is common for presidents to declare adjacent days as federal holidays to lengthen the holiday period, depending on which weekday Dec. 25 falls. Trump previously declared Christmas Eve a holiday in 2018, 2019 and 2020, and President Joe Biden made a similar declaration in 2024. This year is the first time Trump has also designated Dec. 26 as a federal holiday.
If you are a federal employee whose position is not designated as essential for those dates, you should receive the days off. These temporary federal holidays do not compel private employers to close; private companies may decide independently whether to give employees the days off. If your private employer did not already give these dates off, the executive order likely will not change your work schedule.
How Observed Dates Can Shift
The federal observance of Christmas-related holidays can shift when Dec. 25 falls on a weekend. For example:
- 2021: Christmas on Saturday → observed Friday, Dec. 24.
- 2022: Christmas on Sunday → observed Monday, Dec. 26 (Dec. 24–25 were weekend days).
- 2023: Christmas on Monday → Christmas Eve fell on the weekend for observance purposes.
Other Federal Holidays (OPM List For 2026)
According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the official federal holidays for 2026 include:
- Jan. 1 — New Year’s Day
- Jan. 19 — Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Feb. 16 — Washington’s Birthday (Presidents’ Day)
- May 25 — Memorial Day
- June 19 — Juneteenth National Independence Day
- July 3 — Independence Day (observed)
- Sept. 7 — Labor Day
- Oct. 12 — Columbus Day (observed)
- Nov. 11 — Veterans Day
- Nov. 26 — Thanksgiving Day
- Dec. 25 — Christmas Day
Bottom line: Federal workers not needed for essential duties should get Dec. 24 and Dec. 26 off this year, but the order is temporary and does not require private-sector employers to follow suit.
