Christmas Eve and December 26 were declared federal holidays in the United States this year after an executive order signed by President Donald Trump, Aleteia.org reported.
Some American government employees will have a longer vacation this year. In an executive order, US President Donald Trump announced that Christmas Eve and December 26 will be public holidays this year, which means that federal departments and agencies will be closed, the executive order said.
As noted in the order, agencies may require certain employees to work on these dates if necessary for national security or other public needs.
The executive order also does not change any existing laws. In order to designate a permanent public holiday – which is already Christmas – Congress must pass a law, which the president must then sign.
It is common for presidents to declare Christmas Eve a holiday depending on the day of the week it falls on, to extend the holiday break. President Trump did this during his first term in 2018, 2019, and 2020, and former President Joe Biden will do the same in 2024.
In the United States, Christmas is the only federal holiday that is also a religious holiday. Christmas Eve and December 26 are not usually federal holidays. Around the world, many countries have Christmas Eve or December 26 as public holidays, along with other religious holidays throughout the year.