Is Christmas Eve a federal holiday? Here’s what you need to know as Biden’s executive orders are released

Christmas Eve is not a designated federal holiday. Still, U.S. presidents including Joe Biden and Donald Trump used the holiday to give the country’s more than 2 million federal employees a day off.

The White House announced Thursday that Biden signed an executive order to provide federal employees with a rest day on December 24, 2024.

According to the White House announcement, “all executive departments and agencies of the federal government will close and their employees will be furloughed on Tuesday, December 24, 2024, the day before Christmas.”

While most federal employees will be furloughed, the White House said heads of executive departments and agencies will decide whether some of their organizations’ offices and facilities must remain open on Tuesday.

The news comes days after Congress reached a last-minute bipartisan deal to avert a government shutdown. Biden signed the bill Saturday morning so government action could begin.

The following is information about the Christmas Eve day off for the Association.

Christmas Eve 2024: Are banks, post offices, UPS and FedEx still open? Will the mail be delivered?

Will the president give federal employees the day off on Christmas Eve?

Presidents treat Christmas Eve differently in that they can designate it as a holiday for federal employees.

During President-elect Donald Trump’s first term, he gave federal employees a Christmas Eve break in 2018, 2019 and 2020. A day off, but not on Christmas Eve, December 26, 2014, is considered a holiday. Former President George W. Bush designated December 24 as a holiday more than once during his two terms in office.

What are the federal holidays in 2025?

Normally, the United States recognizes 11 federal holidays, but Inauguration Day 2025 will appear on the list. Employers and organizations will decide whether to grant a holiday.

According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the 11 regular federal holidays that will be recognized in 2025 are as follows:

• January 1, 2025 – New Year

• January 20, 2025 – Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday

• January 20, 2025 – Inauguration Day

• February 17, 2025 – Washington’s Birthday

• May 26, 2025 – Memorial Day

• June 19, 2025 – National Independence Day, June 11

• July 4, 2025 – Independence Day

• September 1, 2025 – Labor Day

• October 13, 2025 – Aboriginal Day

• November 11, 2025 – Veterans Day

• November 27, 2025 – Thanksgiving Day

• December 25, 2025 – Christmas

Written by: Brandi D. Addison, Savannah Kuchar, Bart Jensen and Riley Begin, USA TODAY Network

This article originally appeared in USA TODAY: Is Christmas Eve a federal holiday? Here’s what you need to know in 2024