No. Christmas Eve is not a federal holiday. In 2026 it falls on Thursday, December 24, a regular federal workday; only Christmas Day, Friday, December 25, is a holiday. Presidents have sometimes given federal employees December 24 off by executive order, most recently in 2024 and 2025.
The federal holiday list in 5 U.S.C. 6103 includes Christmas Day but not the day before it. That leaves two ways Christmas Eve can become a day off for federal workers: a one-time executive order, or a year when Christmas falls on a Saturday and is observed on Friday, December 24. This guide explains both, lists recent orders, and covers what banks, markets and the Postal Service do on December 24.
Is Christmas Eve a federal holiday in 2026?
- Christmas Eve: Thursday, December 24, 2026. Not a federal holiday.
- Christmas Day: Friday, December 25, 2026. Federal holiday, observed on the day.
- Long weekend: Friday, December 25 to Sunday, December 27.
Unless an executive order says otherwise, federal offices are open on December 24, 2026. As of early October 2026, no order closing agencies that day had been announced. Recent orders have been signed in mid-December, so a late decision is normal. Count down with days until Christmas Eve and days until Christmas.
Executive orders that gave Christmas Eve off
An executive order can close executive departments and agencies for a day and treat it like a holiday for pay and leave, but it does not create a legal public holiday. Agency heads can keep offices open and call in staff for national security, defense or other public needs. Recent examples, all published on govinfo.gov:
| Year | Day closed | Order | Signed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Monday, December 24 | Executive Order 13854 | December 18, 2018 |
| 2019 | Tuesday, December 24 | Executive Order 13900 | December 17, 2019 |
| 2020 | Thursday, December 24 | Executive Order 13965 | December 11, 2020 |
| 2024 | Tuesday, December 24 | Executive Order 14129 | December 18, 2024 |
| 2025 | Wednesday, December 24 and Friday, December 26 | Executive Order 14371 | December 18, 2025 |
There is no fixed pattern or legal requirement. Orders have covered Christmas Eves on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and each one applied to a single year. The 2025 order, which also closed agencies on December 26, says plainly that neither day became a legal public holiday. If you are a federal employee, the official word comes from your agency and the Office of Personnel Management.
When Christmas Eve is the observed holiday
When Christmas falls on a Saturday, federal employees get Friday, December 24 off as the observed holiday. That happens next in 2027. In that year, Christmas Eve is a federal day off without any executive order.
| Year | Christmas Eve | Christmas Day | Federal day off for Christmas |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Thursday, December 24 | Friday, December 25 | Friday, December 25 |
| 2027 | Friday, December 24 | Saturday, December 25 | Friday, December 24 |
| 2028 | Sunday, December 24 | Monday, December 25 | Monday, December 25 |
| 2029 | Monday, December 24 | Tuesday, December 25 | Tuesday, December 25 |
| 2030 | Tuesday, December 24 | Wednesday, December 25 | Wednesday, December 25 |
2027 is also the year New Year’s Day 2028 is observed on Friday, December 31, so federal workers get two Friday holidays in a row. The federal holidays 2027 guide covers that year in full. Christmas Eve 2027 is also the first night of Hanukkah; see the Hanukkah guide for dates.
Banks, markets and the post office on December 24
Because Christmas Eve isn’t a holiday on its own, most services run, sometimes with shorter hours.
| Service | Thursday, December 24, 2026 | Friday, December 24, 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Federal offices | Open, unless an executive order closes them | Closed (Christmas observed) |
| Federal Reserve Banks | Open | Open (Saturday-holiday rule) |
| Most banks | Open, some with shorter hours | Many open; check yours |
| New York Stock Exchange | Open, early close at 1:00 p.m. ET | Closed |
| Post offices | Open; hours vary by location | Check usps.com nearer the date |
The Federal Reserve Banks stay open on the Friday before a Saturday holiday, even though the Board of Governors and federal offices close, according to the Federal Reserve holiday schedule. Stock market hours come from the NYSE holiday calendar. The Postal Service runs independently: in 2025, even with agencies closed by executive order, post offices were open on Christmas Eve, with hours varying by location. Check usps.com closer to the date.
State governments and private employers
Federal rules only cover federal employees. Some states give their own employees Christmas Eve off. Texas, for example, lists Christmas Eve Day, Thursday, December 24, 2026, as a state holiday with offices closed, according to the Texas Comptroller’s holiday schedule. Other states keep their offices open. Private employers set their own policies: some close for the day, some close early, and some treat it as a normal workday. Check your employee handbook, union contract or state personnel office.
Planning deadlines around Christmas
A Thursday Christmas Eve followed by a Friday holiday means the last business day before Christmas is Thursday, December 24, 2026, and some offices will be closed or short-staffed. If you need something processed, such as a payment, a signature or a shipment, aim for Wednesday, December 23 or earlier. After the holiday, business resumes on Monday, December 28.
When a deadline is counted in business days, Christmas Day removes one day in late December, and New Year’s Day on Friday, January 1, 2027 removes another. The business days calculator handles both, and the 2026 holiday calendar shows the rest of the year.
Frequently asked questions
Is Christmas Eve a federal holiday?
No. Christmas Day is the federal holiday. Christmas Eve becomes a federal day off only by executive order or when Christmas falls on a Saturday, as in 2027.
Do federal employees get Christmas Eve off in 2026?
Not unless the President issues an executive order. As of early October 2026, none had been announced. Recent orders came in mid-December.
Is the stock market open on Christmas Eve 2026?
Yes, with an early close. The New York Stock Exchange closes at 1:00 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday, December 24, 2026.
Is the post office open on Christmas Eve?
Yes, in 2026. Post offices are open on Thursday, December 24, though hours vary by location. They are closed on Christmas Day.
Is Christmas Eve 2027 a holiday?
For federal employees, yes. Christmas 2027 falls on a Saturday, so the holiday is observed on Friday, December 24, 2027, and the stock market is closed that day.