# Is Christmas Eve a federal holiday?

*Presidents closed federal offices on December 24 by executive order in 2024 and 2025, and in 2027 the Christmas Day holiday itself is observed on Friday, December 24.*

- Type: Explainer
- Section: Culture
- By: Culture Desk
- Published: 2026-11-12T00:54:00-05:00
- Updated: 2026-11-12T00:54:00-05:00
- URL: https://factsdesk.com/culture/is-christmas-eve-a-federal-holiday/

## Key facts

- Christmas Eve, December 24, is not a federal holiday: the law lists 11 legal public holidays and the only one in December is Christmas Day, December 25. Source: [U.S. Government Publishing Office](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title5/html/USCODE-2024-title5-partIII-subpartE-chap61-subchapI-sec6103.htm). Confirmed 2026-11-12T00:53:00-05:00. Cite: https://factsdesk.com/culture/is-christmas-eve-a-federal-holiday/#christmas-eve-december-24-is-not-a-federal-holiday-the-law
- The Office of Personnel Management's 2026 schedule lists Christmas Day on Friday, December 25, 2026, and does not list December 24, 2026. Source: [U.S. Office of Personnel Management](https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/). Confirmed 2026-11-12T00:53:00-05:00. Cite: https://factsdesk.com/culture/is-christmas-eve-a-federal-holiday/#the-office-of-personnel-management-s-2026-schedule-lists
- In 2027 the Christmas Day holiday is observed on Friday, December 24, because December 25, 2027, falls on a Saturday. Source: [U.S. Office of Personnel Management](https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/). Confirmed 2026-11-12T00:53:00-05:00. Cite: https://factsdesk.com/culture/is-christmas-eve-a-federal-holiday/#in-2027-the-christmas-day-holiday-is-observed-on-friday
- Executive Order 14371, signed December 18, 2025, closed federal executive departments and agencies on Wednesday, December 24, 2025, and Friday, December 26, 2025. Source: [Federal Register, U.S. Government Publishing Office](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-12-23/html/2025-23847.htm). Confirmed 2026-11-12T00:53:00-05:00. Cite: https://factsdesk.com/culture/is-christmas-eve-a-federal-holiday/#executive-order-14371-signed-december-18-2025-closed-federal
- Executive Order 14129, signed December 18, 2024, closed federal executive departments and agencies on Tuesday, December 24, 2024. Source: [Federal Register, U.S. Government Publishing Office](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-12-26/html/2024-31143.htm). Confirmed 2026-11-12T00:53:00-05:00. Cite: https://factsdesk.com/culture/is-christmas-eve-a-federal-holiday/#executive-order-14129-signed-december-18-2024-closed-federal

No, Christmas Eve is not a federal holiday. The law that sets the holidays for federal employees, [5 U.S.C. 6103](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title5/html/USCODE-2024-title5-partIII-subpartE-chap61-subchapI-sec6103.htm), lists 11 legal public holidays, and the only one in December is Christmas Day, December 25. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management's [federal holidays schedule](https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/) for 2026 lists Christmas Day on Friday, December 25, and does not list December 24, which falls on a Thursday this year.

## December 24 in 2026 and 2027

The two years differ because of where December 25 lands in the week. The dates below are from the Office of Personnel Management's [schedule](https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/).

| Year | Christmas Day holiday | Is December 24 a holiday? |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2026 | Friday, December 25 | No, it is not on the schedule |
| 2027 | Friday, December 24 | Yes, as the observed Christmas Day |

December 25, 2027, is a Saturday. The Office of Personnel Management [says](https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/) that when a holiday falls on a Saturday, the Friday before is treated as the holiday for pay and leave purposes for most federal employees, who work Monday through Friday. That makes Friday, December 24, 2027, a paid day off for those employees. The day off is the Christmas Day holiday moved one day earlier, and Christmas Eve itself is still not a holiday in the law. The full list is in [what the federal holidays are](/culture/what-are-the-federal-holidays/).

## When a president closes federal offices on Christmas Eve

A president can close federal offices on December 24 by executive order, and the order covers only the year it names. The two most recent years both had one.

| Year | Order | Days closed |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2025 | [Executive Order 14371](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-12-23/html/2025-23847.htm) | Wednesday, December 24, and Friday, December 26 |
| 2024 | [Executive Order 14129](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-12-26/html/2024-31143.htm) | Tuesday, December 24 |

Both orders were signed on December 18 of their year, one week before Christmas Day. Each one closed the executive departments and agencies and excused their employees from duty, and each one let agency heads keep certain offices open and require certain employees to work for reasons of national security, defense or other public need. Neither order changed the list of holidays in the law.

For pay and leave, a day closed this way counts as a holiday. Both orders say the closed days fall under Executive Order 11582 and 5 U.S.C. 5546 and 6103(b), the provisions that govern holiday pay and leave, and the Office of Personnel Management's [fact sheet on holidays](https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/pay-administration/fact-sheets/holidays-work-schedules-and-pay/) says holidays declared by executive order are treated as holidays for pay and leave purposes.

## Who the answer covers

The Office of Personnel Management [says](https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/) that 5 U.S.C. 6103 establishes the public holidays for federal employees, and the orders in [2024](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-12-26/html/2024-31143.htm) and [2025](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-12-23/html/2025-23847.htm) applied to executive departments and agencies.

## Sources

1. [Federal Holidays](https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/), U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 2026-11-12 (primary source)
2. [5 U.S.C. 6103, Holidays, United States Code, 2024 Edition](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title5/html/USCODE-2024-title5-partIII-subpartE-chap61-subchapI-sec6103.htm), U.S. Government Publishing Office, 2026-11-12 (primary source)
3. [Executive Order 14371, Providing for the Closing of Executive Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government on December 24, 2025, and December 26, 2025](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-12-23/html/2025-23847.htm), Federal Register, U.S. Government Publishing Office, 2025-12-23 (primary source)
4. [Executive Order 14129, Providing for the Closing of Executive Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government on December 24, 2024](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-12-26/html/2024-31143.htm), Federal Register, U.S. Government Publishing Office, 2024-12-26 (primary source)
5. [Fact Sheet: Holidays, Work Schedules and Pay](https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/pay-administration/fact-sheets/holidays-work-schedules-and-pay/), U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 2026-11-12 (primary source)