US President Donald Trump signed an executive order giving federal employees extra time off around Christmas and declared Christmas Eve (Dec. 24) and Dec. 26 as federal holidays. The move effectively creates an extended holiday break around Christmas Day, which is already a federal holiday.
The order applies only to federal government employees
The newly declared holidays only apply to federal departments and agencies. Private businesses are not required by law to observe these holidays, although some may choose to offer the day off at their discretion.
Trump’s order allows agency and department heads to require certain employees to work depending on operational needs.
The December 26 holiday is a first for Trump
While past presidents have occasionally given federal employees a full or half day off on Christmas Day, Trump’s move this year goes even further, adding Dec. 26 as a one-time holiday for 2025.
Trump has 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 contrasts with Trump’s repeated criticism of the growing number of furloughs in the US.
“Too many furloughs in America. It’s costing our country BILLIONS of $ DOLLARS,” Trump wrote on Truth Social around June. He argued that excessive vacations hurt productivity and economic output.
Public holidays require Congressional approval
Presidents can declare one-time holidays for federal workers, but establishing a permanent holiday requires an act of Congress.
Changes to National Park Service days off
Separately, the Trump administration recently removed Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth from the list of free admission days compiled by the National Park Service.
It also added Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Constitution Day, Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday, Flag Day, and the agency’s 110th anniversary.
What stays open and closed during Christmas week
Federal offices: Closed on December 24, December 25 and December 26 (with exceptions)
US Postal Service: Closed Christmas Day; open December 24th and December 26th with regular mail delivery
Banks: Open December 24 and December 26; December 25 closed
Major retailers: Walmart, Target and Costco only close on December 25th and reopen on December 26th
US stock markets close early on Christmas Day
U.S. stock markets will remain open on Christmas Day but will close early, according to the holiday plans of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq. Both exchanges will close at 1:00 PM ET on December 24th, just before the Christmas holiday.
Under normal conditions, US stock markets are open from 9:30am ET to 4:00pm ET.
The US bond market will also see an early close on Christmas Day.
US stock markets will be fully closed on December 25, which is Christmas Day. Trading on 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 a.m. ET.
