President Trump issued an executive order establishing Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas as federal holidays this year, giving government workers a five-day weekend
President Trump issued an executive order establishing two new federal holidays this year including Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas. Federal employees will now have a five-day weekend beginning on Christmas Eve. Because Christmas falls on a Thursday this year, this provides government workers with an extended break.
According to the directive, agency heads can require certain offices to remain open on either day due to national security, defense or other public need. The executive order would be the latest in a series of crowd-pleaser policy announcements from the president, who is struggling to counter Americans’ growing displeasure with the economy.
Historical context
In the past, presidents have given federal workers Christmas Eve as a full or half-day holiday, typically announcing the decision in late December. It is somewhat unusual for a president to give both the 24th and 26th off. Christmas falling on Thursday represents the last time this calendar configuration occurred, when then-President Obama gave federal workers Friday off.
During his first term, Trump was relatively generous when it came to excusing work on Christmas Eve. In 2019, he unexpectedly gave federal employees December 24 off even though Christmas was on a Wednesday. In 2020, when Christmas Eve fell on a Thursday, he gave them the full day off, even though other recent presidents have only granted half days when Christmas fell on the last day of the work week.
Comparison to previous administrations
By also giving federal employees the day after Christmas off, Trump aligns with former President Barack Obama, who did the same thing in 2014, the last time Christmas fell on a Thursday. Obama, however, did not give the government workforce an additional day off on Christmas Eve that year. Civil servants some years get an extra day off on Christmas Eve, which is not a federal holiday, especially if doing so would create a four-day weekend.
Broader policy context
Trump said Thursday he will sign an executive order to begin the process to reclassify cannabis as a Schedule III drug and announced Wednesday night in a televised speech that all U.S. military members are receiving $1,776 bonus checks. He’s also talked about sending out tariff rebate checks.
The announcement represents an early holiday present for federal workers after a rough year. Federal holidays set a baseline expectation for days off in the private-sector workforce. Most recently, former President Biden signed a law establishing Juneteenth as a federal holiday, and more private employers have given workers that day as a paid holiday.
Legislative versus executive action
Presidents have designated one-time holidays in the past, but typically Congress establishes a federal holiday, and presidents sign off on those laws. Trump said in a Truth Social post last summer that the United States has too many non-working holidays, making this executive action somewhat surprising given his previous statements.
The executive order creates temporary federal holidays rather than permanent additions to the federal calendar. This approach differs from congressional action establishing permanent federal holidays like Juneteenth, which required legislation signed into law.
Impact on federal workforce
The extended weekend provides significant time off for the federal workforce during the holiday season. Government employees will be able to take advantage of the five consecutive days away from work without using personal leave time. This represents a notable benefit for civil servants who have faced challenging working conditions and policy uncertainty in recent years.
The announcement came relatively late in December compared to some previous years when Christmas Eve holiday decisions were made earlier in the month. However, providing both December 24 and 26 as holidays goes beyond what many federal employees might have anticipated based on historical patterns.
Private sector implications
Federal holidays often influence private sector practices, though private employers maintain discretion about which holidays to observe. Some companies follow the federal holiday schedule while others establish their own policies. The designation of Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas as federal holidays this year may prompt some private employers to consider similar arrangements for their workforces.
The creation of a five-day weekend demonstrates how calendar positioning can significantly affect holiday planning. When major holidays fall midweek, questions arise about whether to provide additional days off to create extended breaks. This year’s Thursday Christmas date created the opportunity for Trump to grant an unusually long weekend.