How the weather forecast affects your plans for the week before Christmas
We break down all the expected pattern changes and precipitation chances across the United States in the week leading up to Christmas.
For some lucky employees, the Christmas break will be a little longer.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday, Dec. 18, making Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas federal holidays in 2025. As Christmas falls on a Thursday this year, some workers will have extra time off from Wednesday, December 24th to Friday, December 26th.
Having a few extra days off around the holidays is welcome news for most people, but not all Americans will be able to take advantage of it.
Who has Christmas Eve and December 26th off? And will your business be interrupted on those days? Here’s what you need to know.
Is Christmas Eve, December 26th, an official holiday?
Although Christmas Eve and December 26 were declared federal holidays in 2025, they are not permanently added to the holiday schedule.
To permanently designate a specific day as a federal holiday, a bill must be passed by Congress and signed into law by the president. This was last done when Juneteenth was added in 2021 under the Biden administration.
It is not at all unusual for presidents to issue temporary leave orders, especially during winter celebrations. In 2014, President Barack Obama declared December 26, the same Friday as this year, a federal holiday. President Trump did the same thing on Christmas Eve during his first term in 2019 and 2020.
Who takes Christmas Eve, December 26th, off?
Unfortunately, President Trump’s order does not mean most Americans will have Christmas Eve and December 26th off.
Many non-government workplaces follow the federal holiday schedule when providing paid time off to their workers. However, Dec. 24 and Dec. 26 have not been permanently added to the federal schedule, so people who haven’t already taken vacation on those days are unlikely to get a last-minute Christmas surprise.
Only federal agencies will be closed on this day. According to President Trump’s order, some employees may still have to come to work at the discretion of agency leaders. Private companies can decide to give their employees time off, but they are not required by law.
Will banks, stores, and post offices be closed on Christmas Eve, December 26th?
While federal government offices may close around Christmas this year, banks, post offices and private retail stores are generally open.
According to the U.S. Postal Service website, post offices will be closed and no mail will be delivered on Christmas Day. The post office will be open for retail transactions on December 24th and December 26th, and mail will also be delivered on those days.
Banks will follow their normal schedule of being open on Dec. 24 and 26 and closed on Christmas Day, the Fed said.
Large independent retailers such as Target, Walmart, and Costco follow the traditional rule of only closing on Christmas Day, which generally falls on December 25th. Target stores will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve and closed on Christmas Day. We will resume normal business hours on Friday, December 26th. Similarly, Walmart stores, Costco and other private businesses will be closed on Christmas Day.
