Christmas long weekend for US federal workers after Trump declares Dec 24, Dec 26 holidays
Donald Trump has granted federal employees Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas off through an executive order, creating a long holiday weekend around Christmas Day. The decision comes despite Trump’s repeated criticism of the growing number of non-working holidays in the US.
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order granting federal workers additional time off around Christmas, declaring Christmas Eve (December 24) and December 26 as federal holidays. The move effectively creates an extended holiday break around Christmas Day, which is already a federal holiday.
Order applies only to federal government employees
The newly declared holidays apply only to federal departments and agencies. Private businesses are not legally required to observe these holidays, though some may choose to offer time off at their discretion.
Trump’s order allows agency and department heads to require certain employees to work, depending on operational needs.
Dec 26 holiday is a first for Trump
While past presidents have occasionally granted federal employees full or half days off on Christmas Eve, Trump’s move goes further this year by adding December 26 as a one-time holiday for 2025.
Trump had previously declared Christmas Eve a holiday in 2019 and 2020, but extending the break to the day after Christmas is unusual.
Trump’s past criticism of too many holidays
The decision stands in contrast to Trump’s repeated criticism of the growing number of non-working holidays in the US.
“Too many non-working holidays in America. It is costing our Country $BILLIONS OF DOLLARS,” Trump wrote on Truth Social in June, around Juneteenth. He has argued that excessive holidays hurt productivity and economic output.
National holidays require congressional approval
Presidents can declare one-time holidays for federal workers, but establishing a permanent national holiday requires an act of Congress.
Changes to National Park Service free days
Separately, the Trump administration recently removed Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth from the National Park Service’s list of free entrance days.
At the same time, it added Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Constitution Day, Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday, Flag Day, and the agency’s 110th anniversary.
What remains open and closed during Christmas week
Federal offices: Closed on December 24, December 25 and December 26 (with exceptions)
US Postal Service: Closed on Christmas Day; open December 24 and December 26 with normal mail delivery
Banks: Open on December 24 and December 26; closed on December 25
Major retailers: Walmart, Target and Costco close only on December 25 and reopen December 26
US stock markets to close early on Christmas Eve
US stock markets will remain open on Christmas Eve but close early, according to the holiday schedules of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq. Both exchanges will end trading at 1 pm ET on December 24, ahead of the Christmas holiday.
Under regular conditions, US stock markets operate from 9:30 am ET to 4 pm ET.
The US bond market will also observe an early close on Christmas Eve.
US stock markets will be fully closed on December 25, which is Christmas Day. Trading across exchanges will remain suspended as part of the official market holiday. Normal trading will resume on December 26, with markets reopening at the standard time of 9:30 am ET.