Is Christmas Eve a Business Day?
Yes. Christmas Eve is not one of the 11 U.S. federal holidays, so Thursday, December 24, 2026 counts as a business day. Presidents have closed federal offices on December 24 eight times since 2001, most recently in 2025. Those orders treat the day as a holiday only "insofar as they relate to the pay and leave of employees," so bank, mortgage and most deadline rules keep counting it.
| Thursday, December 24, 2026 | Business day? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Federal holiday list | No holiday | Not in 5 U.S.C. 6103(a) |
| Bank deposit holds | Business day | Not in the holiday list of 12 CFR 229.2(g) |
| Mortgage rescission, Closing Disclosure timing | Business day | Only 5 U.S.C. 6103(a) holidays are skipped (12 CFR 1026.2(a)(6)) |
| Federal Reserve services | Open | Not on the Federal Reserve's 2026 holiday schedule |
| New York Stock Exchange | Open, closes 1:00 p.m. ET | NYSE 2026 holiday calendar |
| Federal offices | Open unless the President closes them | No order for 2026 published as of October 2026 |
| Federal court deadlines | Counts, unless the day is "declared a holiday by the President" | Fed. R. Civ. P. 6(a)(6)(B); see below |
Applies to 2026. Last updated: October 2026.
Every federal Christmas Eve closure since 1997
Closing federal offices around Christmas takes a presidential executive order each time. These are all such orders published in the Federal Register since 1997, by the day they closed.
| Day closed | Order | Signed |
|---|---|---|
| Fri, Dec 26, 1997 | EO 13068 | Nov 25, 1997 |
| Thu, Dec 24, 1998 (half day) | EO 13109 | Dec 17, 1998 |
| Mon, Dec 24, 2001 | EO 13238 | Dec 5, 2001 |
| Tue, Dec 24, 2002 (half day) | EO 13281 | Dec 19, 2002 |
| Fri, Dec 26, 2003 | EO 13320 | Dec 9, 2003 |
| Mon, Dec 24, 2007 | EO 13453 | Dec 6, 2007 |
| Fri, Dec 26, 2008 | EO 13482 | Dec 12, 2008 |
| Thu, Dec 24, 2009 (half day) | EO 13523 | Dec 11, 2009 |
| Mon, Dec 24, 2012 | EO 13633 | Dec 21, 2012 |
| Fri, Dec 26, 2014 | EO 13682 | Dec 5, 2014 |
| Thu, Dec 24, 2015 (half day) | EO 13713 | Dec 11, 2015 |
| Mon, Dec 24, 2018 | EO 13854 | Dec 18, 2018 |
| Tue, Dec 24, 2019 | EO 13900 | Dec 17, 2019 |
| Thu, Dec 24, 2020 | EO 13965 | Dec 11, 2020 |
| Tue, Dec 24, 2024 | EO 14129 | Dec 18, 2024 |
| Wed, Dec 24 and Fri, Dec 26, 2025 | EO 14371 | Dec 18, 2025 |
Two patterns stand out. Six of the eight full-day Christmas Eve closures fell on a Monday or Tuesday, and three of the four half days on a Thursday. And every order was signed late, between late November and December 21. A 2026 order, if one comes, would most likely arrive in December, not before.
What a closure order actually changes
Each recent order has the same three working parts. It closes executive departments and agencies and excuses employees from duty. It lets agency heads keep offices open "for reasons of national security, defense, or other public need." And it says the day "shall be considered as falling within the scope of Executive Order 11582 of February 11, 1971, and of 5 U.S.C. 5546 and 6103(b) and other similar statutes insofar as they relate to the pay and leave of employees of the United States."
That last clause is the limit. The day becomes a holiday for federal paychecks and leave balances. It does not join the list of legal public holidays in 6103(a), and that list is the one bank and mortgage rules point to. The orders also bind only the executive branch: banks, the Federal Reserve, stock exchanges and private employers decide for themselves.
Christmas Eve 2026, counted three ways
Refinance signed Tuesday, December 22, 2026
- Day 1: Wed Dec 23. Day 2: Thu Dec 24, Christmas Eve, a business day for rescission.
- Skipped: Fri Dec 25 (Christmas Day).
- Day 3: Sat Dec 26, because Saturday counts for rescission.
- The right to cancel runs until midnight, Saturday, December 26, 2026. A closure order for December 24 would not change this.
Count Monday to Friday and skip Christmas Eve, and you would get Tuesday, December 29: three days too late. Why Saturday counts here is explained on is Saturday a business day.
An order with "3 business days" placed Monday, December 21, 2026
- Counting federal holidays only: Tue Dec 22, Wed Dec 23, Thu Dec 24. Due Thursday, December 24.
- If the store closes on Christmas Eve: Tue Dec 22, Wed Dec 23, then Mon Dec 28. Due Monday, December 28.
A 14-day federal court period starting Thursday, December 10, 2026
- Day 14 is Thursday, December 24.
- If Christmas Eve were "declared a holiday by the President," the deadline would roll past Christmas Day and the weekend to Monday, December 28.
Rule 6 doesn't say whether a closure order limited to pay and leave counts as such a declaration, and the recent orders never call the day a holiday. Courts publish their own closure notices; with a deadline on December 24, file by December 24.
Black Friday, Good Friday and the day after Christmas
- Black Friday, November 27, 2026: a business day. It is not a federal holiday and not on the Federal Reserve's schedule. The NYSE stays open but closes early at 1:00 p.m. ET. Many stores and offices close or shorten hours by their own choice.
- Good Friday, April 3, 2026: a business day for federal rules and the Federal Reserve. The NYSE is closed all day.
- The day after Christmas: not a federal holiday, but presidents closed federal offices on December 26 in 1997, 2003, 2008, 2014 and 2025. In 2026 it falls on a Saturday.
Questions
Is Christmas Eve a federal holiday in 2026?
No. It is not in 5 U.S.C. 6103(a). Federal offices close on it only if the President signs an order, and none had been published for 2026 as of October 2026.
What about Christmas Eve 2027?
Different answer. Christmas Day 2027 falls on a Saturday, so federal offices observe it on Friday, December 24, 2027, while Federal Reserve Banks stay open that Friday. See federal vs bank working days.
Are banks open on Christmas Eve?
The Federal Reserve is open on December 24, 2026, and for deposit-hold rules the day is a business day. Each bank sets its own branch hours, and many close early.
Does Christmas Eve count for a 3-day mortgage cancellation?
Yes. The rescission rule skips only Sundays and the 6103(a) holidays, so Christmas Eve counts even in a year federal offices are closed.
Is the stock market open on Christmas Eve 2026?
Yes, until 1:00 p.m. Eastern. It is closed on Christmas Day.
Sources: 5 U.S.C. 6103; Executive Orders 13068, 13109, 13238, 13281, 13320, 13453, 13482, 13523, 13633, 13682, 13713, 13854, 13900, 13965, 14129 and 14371 as published in the Federal Register (text quoted from EO 14371; EOs 14129 and 13965 use the same section 3 wording); 12 CFR 229.2(g); 12 CFR 1026.2(a)(6); Fed. R. Civ. P. 6(a); Federal Reserve Financial Services holiday schedules; NYSE holidays and trading hours (2026). This page explains how days are counted; it is not legal advice.