Federal holidays in 2025 and the best way to use them

THE WOODLANDS, TX – We’ve already enjoyed about ten percent of our federal holidays allotted in the new year, with this work week literally being split between 2024 and 2025 on Wednesday. With one federal holiday down and ten more to go until December 31, it’s worth noting that New Year’s Day was the only midweek holiday this year, and all the rest are within two days of a weekend, greatly increasing your chances of taking extended vacations using minimal personal time off.

It should be noted that – contrary to popular opinion – no private sector workers are guaranteed federal holidays off. Fortunately, on average, 77 percent of civilian workers are given paid holidays by their employers, with an average of about eight holidays per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Who gets which holidays off is a wide range, with Christmas, Thanksgiving, Independence Day, and New Year’s Day averaging more than 90 percent of workers, and President’s Day, Good Friday, New Year’s Eve, and Veterans all scoring less than 20 percent.

Here are this year’s federal holidays:

• Wednesday, January 1 – New Year’s Day
• Monday, January 20 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• Monday, February 17 – Presidents Day
• Monday, May 26 – Memorial Day
• Thursday, June 19 – Juneteenth
• Friday, July 04 – Independence Day
• Monday, September 1 – Labor Day
• Monday, October 13 – Columbus Day
• Tuesday, November 11 – Veterans Day
• Thursday, November 27 – Thanksgiving Day
• Thursday, December 25 – Christmas Day

You’ll note that a majority of the holidays – six of them – occur on the day going into or coming out of a weekend, guaranteeing three-day weekends for those who receive the time off from their employers without having to put in for a single vacation day. Taking just one day’s worth of vacation time or PTO each will garner you a half-dozen four-day weekends for 2025.

Additionally, the two holiday biggies – Thanksgiving and Christmas – are both on a Thursday this year, so getting the next-day Fridays off will guarantee you four-day weekends by only using a total of two days of PTO. It should be kept in mind that – again contrary to popular belief – neither Christmas Eve nor New Year’s Eve are recognized federal holidays.