Federal employees across the United States are set to enjoy an unusually generous holiday season this year, after President Donald Trump signed an executive order on December 18, 2025, granting two additional paid days off around Christmas. According to Federal News Network, the executive order directs all executive branch agencies to close on Wednesday, December 24, and Friday, December 26, 2025. These days bookend the standard Christmas holiday, which falls on Thursday, December 25, giving most federal workers an enviable five-day weekend stretching from December 24 through December 28.
While the move has sparked excitement among the federal workforce, it comes with some caveats. The executive order, as reported by FedSmith and My Federal Retirement, clarifies that certain agencies and offices may remain open if necessary, and some federal employees could still be required to report for duty on those days for reasons of national security, defense, or other public need. As the order itself states: "All executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government shall be closed and their employees excused from duty on Wednesday, December 24, 2025, and Friday, December 26, 2025, the day before and the day following Christmas Day, respectively. The heads of executive departments and agencies may determine that certain offices and installations of their organizations, or parts thereof, must remain open and that certain employees must report for duty on December 24, 2025, or December 26, 2025, or both, for reasons of national security, defense, or other public need."
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) quickly issued guidance to help agencies navigate the new holidays, stating: "To celebrate Christmas, President Trump has issued an Executive Order excusing Federal employees from duty on Wednesday, December 24, 2025 and Friday, December 26, 2025, except those who, in the judgment of the head of the agency, cannot be excused for reasons of national security, defense, or other public need. For pay and leave purposes, this period will be treated as falling within the scope of statutes and Executive orders governing holidays for Federal employees." In practical terms, this means that employees required to work may be eligible for holiday pay provisions, in line with existing federal statutes.
This double dose of holiday cheer is a rare occurrence in recent federal history. According to Federal News Network and other sources, while it is not uncommon for presidents to grant federal employees an extra day off around Christmas—usually Christmas Eve—granting both Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas is highly unusual. In fact, this is the first time in recent memory that federal employees have received two additional days off around the Christmas holiday. The last time a president granted the day after Christmas as a holiday was in 2014, when former President Barack Obama excused federal employees on Friday, December 26. In 2012, Obama also gave employees the day off on Monday, December 24. Former President George W. Bush provided a similar benefit in 2007 and 2001, giving federal workers Monday, December 24 off.
President Trump himself has a history of holiday generosity. During his first term, he granted federal employees Christmas Eve off in 2018, 2019, and 2020. His successor, President Joe Biden, continued the tradition by giving federal employees Christmas Eve off in 2024. However, this year marks the first time under Trump’s leadership that both the day before and the day after Christmas have been added to the federal holiday calendar.
For many federal employees, the news has been met with enthusiasm—and perhaps a bit of surprise. After all, Christmas Eve is not a regularly scheduled federal holiday, unlike Christmas Day or New Year’s Day. The decision to add December 26 as a paid day off is even more exceptional. As FedSmith noted, "Another day off in addition to Christmas Eve is rare and apparently unprecedented for a president to do that." The timing of the holidays this year may have played a role in the decision: with Christmas Day falling on a Thursday, granting the adjacent Wednesday and Friday as holidays effectively creates a five-day break, something that is sure to be appreciated by many families eager to travel or simply relax at home.
The executive order is not without its practical considerations. Agency heads retain the authority to require certain employees to work on the new holidays if their presence is deemed essential for national security, defense, or other critical public needs. This ensures that vital government functions will continue uninterrupted, even as most workers enjoy their extended break. For those who do work on these days, OPM’s guidance assures that the time will be treated as a federal holiday for pay and leave purposes, potentially entitling them to additional compensation.
The tradition of giving federal employees extra time off around Christmas is not mandated by law, but rather left to the discretion of the sitting president. According to Federal News Network, "There is no guarantee that presidents will grant federal employees extra time off around Christmas, but many have done so in recent years." The practice is often announced just before the holiday season, adding an element of anticipation—and sometimes uncertainty—for federal workers making their holiday plans.
The full list of federal holidays, as outlined by the Office of Personnel Management, includes: New Year’s Day (January 1), Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. (third Monday in January), Washington’s Birthday (third Monday in February), Memorial Day (last Monday in May), Juneteenth National Independence Day (June 19), Independence Day (July 4), Labor Day (first Monday in September), Columbus Day (second Monday in October), Veterans Day (November 11), Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November), and Christmas Day (December 25). Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas, however, are typically not included—making this year’s executive order all the more notable.
For federal employees, the announcement means more than just extra time off; it’s a moment to pause and enjoy the holidays with family and friends, without the need to dip into personal leave. As My Federal Retirement put it, "President Trump issued an executive order today giving most federal employees two additional paid holidays in 2025, specifically Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas." The move has been widely covered in federal workforce publications and is expected to boost morale as the year draws to a close.
With the executive order now in effect and guidance from OPM in place, federal agencies are preparing for the upcoming closures, while ensuring essential services remain operational. For most federal workers, though, the message is clear: this holiday season, there’s a little more time to celebrate.
