President Donald Trump signed an executive order designating Wednesday, December 24, 2025, and Friday, December 26, 2025, as federal holidays, granting hundreds of thousands of government employees an extended holiday break. This order will close non-essential federal agencies from Christmas Eve through the following Sunday. Agency heads, however, retain the authority to keep offices open for national security, defense, or other public needs. This move follows a precedent set by Trump in previous years (2018, 2019, 2020) and by President Obama in 2014, though granting both surrounding days off is less common.
Crucially, this executive order does not legally obligate private sector businesses, banks, or financial markets to close. While most federal offices will be shut, the U.S. Postal Service is expected to operate with likely shortened hours on Christmas Eve and resume normal operations on December 26, with mail delivery on both days but not on Christmas Day. Financial markets, including the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq, will have a modified schedule, closing early on December 24th and reopening for a full day on December 26th. Most major banks will remain open on both December 24th and 26th, with branches closing early on Christmas Eve, while online banking and ATMs will function as usual.
Shipping carriers have varying plans, with FedEx expecting to be operational on December 26th, while UPS will offer no pickup or delivery services that day. Major private retailers like Walmart and Target are unaffected and will remain open for last-minute shoppers on Christmas Eve, closed on Christmas Day, and fully open on December 26th.