Feds will have Dec. 24 and Dec. 26 off [View all]
Source: Government Executive
December 18, 2025 04:43 PM ET
President Donald Trump in an executive order on Thursday gave the federal workforce a holiday on Dec. 24 and 26. Because Christmas falls on a Thursday this year, this provides government workers with a five-day weekend.
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.
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.
During his first term, Trump was relatively generous when it came to excusing work on Christmas Eve. In 2019, he unexpectedly gave feds Dec. 24 off, even though Christmas was on a Wednesday. And 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.
Read more: https://www.govexec.com/pay-benefits/2025/12/feds-will-have-dec-24-and-dec-26/410226/
The article said the last time Christmas Day was on a Thursday was back in 2014, and usually they would give off that Friday but not the Wednesday! I was still working then and was using my "Use or Lose" leave, so, was already off...
(when they do that, people with scheduled use or lose have to pay attention so they don't lose a day that ended up being an "Administrative Leave" day due to the Presidential order).
They have also done this if Christmas Day is on a Tuesday and they will give that Monday (Christmas Eve) off.
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