2025 has been a stressful year for federal employees. A record-setting government shutdown, lay-offs, furloughs, RIFs, and eliminating many employees working at home, among other changes. Given the turmoil, most federal employees would now welcome an extra paid holiday at Christmas.
FedSmith has been writing about this topic for the last few years, as it remains of interest to the federal workforce.
Going back 85 years provides a broad perspective on the topic. This broad perspective is helpful this year because of how the holiday is positioned within the week of Christmas.
We hope readers will find this interesting and provide an extra boost to the Christmas season!
The calendar tells the real story behind this article’s thesis: Christmas Eve 2025 falls on a Wednesday, which historically means little or no extra leave. The day after Christmas, however, is a different matter.
Here is the bottom line up front.
- Christmas Eve (Dec. 24): Very low chance of an extra day off.
- Day after Christmas (Dec. 26): Strong chance of a full day off (with pay) for most federal employees.
The analysis below explains why this is the case.
How Presidents Decide
For 85 years, Christmas-related leave has generally depended on three things:
- The day of the week Christmas Eve falls on
- A president’s willingness to issue goodwill gestures
- Political timing
When Christmas Eve lands on a Monday or Tuesday, presidents often grant a full holiday. Midweek dates—Wednesday or Thursday—rarely get more than a half-day, and often no extra time off at all.
Full-Day Closures (examples)
- Kennedy (1962)
- Nixon (1973)
- Carter (1979)
- George W. Bush (2001, 2007)
- Obama (2012)
- Trump (2018–2020)
- Biden (2024)
Half-Day Closures (examples)
These have typically been used in mid-week years. Examples include:
- Truman (1946–48)
- Eisenhower (1953, 1957, 1959)
- Reagan (1987)
- George H. W. Bush (1990)
- Clinton (1998)
- Obama (2009, 2015)
The pattern is simple: the easier the calendar, the more generous the leave.
Trump’s First-Term Behavior
Donald Trump broke precedent during his first term in office by granting a full day off every year he faced the issue—2018, 2019, and 2020—even when the calendar didn’t support it (2020 was a Thursday).
This shows:
- Historical norms do not constrain him.
- He is willing to give federal employees a full day off, even in years when past presidents did not.
That matters in this analysis for an extra day off in 2025.
Christmas Eve 2025: The Hardest Day to Justify
A Wednesday date has been the least favorable for federal employees for an extra day off.
- No modern president has granted a full day off on a Wednesday.
- Only Truman ever granted even a half-day.
- Most Wednesday years receive nothing.
If Trump repeats his first-term generosity, a full or half-day is possible, but the calendar gives him no cover.
Practical outlook for December 24:
- Full day: possible, but not very strong.
- Half-day: a possible compromise.
- No order: very likely for December 24th.
December 26: A Completely Different Story
The day after Christmas is when history speaks with one voice on this issue.
Every president who has ever granted December 26 as a holiday has done so only when it fell on a Friday.
Full-Day December 26 Closures (All Fridays):
- Truman – 1952
- Eisenhower – 1958
- Nixon – 1969
- Ford – 1975
- Carter – 1980
- Reagan – 1986
- Clinton – 1997
- George W. Bush – 2003
- George W. Bush – 2008
- Obama – 2014
That’s 10 times in more than six decades—all Fridays. And no president has ever granted it on any other weekday.
Trump’s past willingness to give extra time off aligns perfectly with this long-standing pattern. A Friday after Christmas is an easy decision with no operational downside.
Practical outlook for December 26:
- Full day off: highly likely.
Final Takeaway
Federal employees should not expect much for Christmas Eve 2025. A half-day is the best bet; a whole day is possible, but not a strong possibility.
But the day after Christmas—Friday, December 26—is perfectly positioned. Both the long-term record and Trump’s own pattern point to a high probability of a full day off for most federal employees.
Conclusion: December 26 as a day off is a strong possibility. Christmas Eve remains uncertain but unlikely.
