President Trump’s Executive Order on Holidays
President Trump signed an order giving federal employees time off both Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas. The president typically grants only one of those days.
Fox – 5 Atlanta
For many people, December 26th may feel like a holiday. Offices are still mostly empty, families are still in town, and employers don’t expect many jobs to end on a Friday like they did in 2025.
However, its status as an official holiday is not the same as Christmas Day.
If the president issues a temporary order, Dec. 26 could become a holiday for federal employees, just as President Donald Trump declared Christmas Eve this year and Dec. 26 in 2025 as federal holidays. Unfortunately, the rest of us are still at the mercy of workplace goodwill.
Christmas falls on a Thursday this year, and Americans are focused on the long weekend that follows. But who gets the day off after Christmas? Also, will your work be interrupted due to temporary closures?Here’s what you need to know.
Is December 26th a federal holiday?
December 26, the day after Christmas, was declared a federal holiday in 2025, but it will not be 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, which falls on a Friday, as a federal holiday. Trump did the same on Christmas Eve during his first term in 2019 and 2020.
Currently, the only holiday recognized by the federal government is Christmas, which falls on December 25th.
Who takes December 26th off?
Unfortunately, President Trump’s order does not mean most Americans will be able to take time off from work on December 26th.
Many non-government workplaces follow the federal holiday schedule when providing paid time off to their workers. Dec. 26 has not been permanently added to the federal schedule, so those who have not yet taken the holiday are unlikely to benefit from the permanent federal holiday.
According to President Trump’s order, only federal agencies will be closed on that day, but some employees may be required to report 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, shops, and post offices be closed on December 26th?
While federal government offices may close around Christmas this year, banks, post offices and private retail stores are generally open.
U.S. Postal Service post offices will begin retail trading on Dec. 26, and mail will be delivered the same day. Offices will be closed on Christmas Day and no mail will be delivered.
Banks will follow their normal schedule of closing on Christmas Day and opening on Dec. 26, 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 only on Christmas Day.
