Many New Yorkers are getting an unexpected five-day weekend later this month.
On Thursday, President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order making Wednesday, December 24, Christmas Eve, and Friday, December 26, the day after Christmas, federal holidays.
Two Federal Holidays Created
“All executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government shall be closed and their employees excused from duty on Wednesday, December 24, 2025, and Friday, December 26, 2025, the day before and the day following Christmas Day, respectively,” the Executive Order states.
For all the news that the Hudson Valley is sharing, make sure to follow Hudson Valley Post on Facebook, and download the Hudson Valley Post Mobile App
The order gives most federal employees a five-day Christmas break. Agency heads can require essential staff to work in support of national security or public needs.
The reason for the extra days off is an “early holiday gift” to create a five-day weekend for the Christmas holiday. Christmas is always a federal holiday.
Alert: Residents On Edge As Purple Warnings Appear Across New York
For pay and leave purposes, federal employees are told to treat Dec. 24 and Dec. 26 the same as other federal holidays.
Most Federal Offices Will Be Closed
The order also means that most federal offices will be closed on December 24 and December 26.
Most post offices will be closed, and regular mail delivery isn’t expected on these days.
Most banks follow the Federal Reserve’s holiday schedule, so banks across New York will likely be closed.
Last year, President Joe Biden gave federal workers Christmas Eve off.
Keep Reading:
Top Holiday Toys From the Year You Were Born
LOOK: The top holiday toys from the year you were bornLooking back on trends from 1924 through 2023, Stacker gathered a list of toys that came out each holiday season that captivated the public zeitgeist.
Gallery Credit: Stacker
Relive Christmases Past With These Nostalgic Decorations
LOOK: These Nostalgic Decorations Will Bring Back the Magic of Christmas Past
From snow-in-a-can to disco ball ornaments, childhood Christmases were pure magic—and filled with buckets of glitter. Did your favorite holiday decorations make the list?
Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz
26 Highest Paying Jobs in New York StateIt’s getting harder and harder to make ends meet living in New York State. So we researched the 26 highest paying jobs in the state. Hudson Valley Post analyzed the most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to craft our list.