Yes. Most banks are open on Christmas Eve, because December 24 is not a Federal Reserve holiday, so ACH and wire payments keep moving. Many branches close early. 63 days until .
- Banks: open; most follow the Federal Reserve schedule, but hours are set by each bank, so check your branch.
- Federal Reserve, FedACH and Fedwire: Yes. is a business day for United States (Federal Reserve and banks).
- USPS: open. Christmas Eve is not a postal holiday; post offices are open and mail is delivered, though some offices close early.
- UPS and FedEx: they set their own holiday schedules, separate from banks and USPS; check with the carrier before you ship.
- NYSE and Nasdaq: Yes. is a business day for NYSE and Nasdaq (stock market), with an early close at 1:00 pm ET (Christmas Eve).
- Bond market: for Thursday, December 24, 2026, SIFMA recommends an early close at 2:00 pm ET.
- Federal offices (OPM): Yes. is a business day for United States (federal).
- Is it a business day? Yes for banks in 2026 and 2027. Business days here are Monday to Friday minus the holidays of the calendar named in each line.
The 2027 twist: Christmas Day 2027 is a Saturday, so federal employees get Friday, December 24, 2027 off. The Federal Reserve Banks and most banks stay open that Friday, while the NYSE is closed. Details are in the table below.
What’s open and closed on Christmas Eve 2026, 2027 and 2028
Each line below is worked out from the official holiday calendars of the institution named (federal offices from OPM, banks from the Federal Reserve, stocks from the NYSE).
Christmas Eve 2026 (Thursday)
- Banks and the Fed: Yes. is a business day for United States (Federal Reserve and banks).
- Stock market: Yes. is a business day for NYSE and Nasdaq (stock market), with an early close at 1:00 pm ET (Christmas Eve).
- Federal offices: Yes. is a business day for United States (federal). An executive order could still close federal offices (see below).
Christmas Eve 2027 (Friday)
- Banks and the Fed: Yes. is a business day for United States (Federal Reserve and banks). The Board of Governors is closed, but the Reserve Banks that run FedACH and Fedwire are open.
- Stock market: No. is not a business day for NYSE and Nasdaq (stock market): Christmas Day (observed), for the holiday on .
- Federal offices: No. is not a business day for United States (federal): Christmas Day (observed), for the holiday on .
- USPS and the bond market: USPS and SIFMA have not published their 2027 schedules yet. We will add them when they do.
Christmas Eve 2028 (Sunday)
No. is a Sunday, so it is not a business day. Christmas Day 2028 is a Monday, so the holiday itself is the day off everywhere.
Executive orders and early closes: why Christmas Eve is tricky
Christmas Eve is not one of the 11 federal holidays set by law. In some years the President closes federal offices on it by executive order, usually only a few days ahead. That is what happened in 2025: Executive Order 14371, signed on December 18, 2025, closed executive departments and agencies on Wednesday, December 24 and Friday, December 26, 2025.
An order like that covers federal agencies only. It did not close the Federal Reserve: the Kansas City Fed confirmed that all Reserve Banks were open on both days, because they “are not government agencies”. The Postal Service, which is independent, also kept post offices open and delivered mail on December 24, 2025. Banks and stock exchanges set their own schedules.
For 2026, no executive order has been issued as of Thursday, October 22, 2026. If you deal with a federal office (the IRS, Social Security, a passport agency), check OPM in December before you plan around December 24.
Early closes are the other thing to plan for. When Christmas Eve is a weekday trading day, the NYSE closes at 1:00 pm ET (1:15 pm for eligible options), and SIFMA usually recommends that the bond market close at 2:00 pm ET. Many bank branches close early too, often around midday, so a check you deposit in the afternoon may only count as received the next business day.
Direct deposit, ACH and payday around Christmas
Because the Fed is open on Christmas Eve, ACH payments and direct deposits settle as usual on December 24. Christmas Day is a Fed holiday, so nothing settles on December 25. If your payday falls on Christmas Day, most employers pay on the business day before instead.
- Last bank business day before Christmas: 1 business day before is , excluding United States (Federal Reserve and banks) holidays.
- First bank business day after Christmas: 1 business day after is , excluding United States (Federal Reserve and banks) holidays.
Mobile deposits made after your bank’s cut-off on Christmas Eve are normally processed on the next business day. To count a deadline in business days across the holidays, use the business days calculator or check the date a set number of business days from today.
Is there mail on Christmas Eve?
Yes. USPS delivers mail and keeps post offices open on Christmas Eve, and closes only on Christmas Day. In 2025 USPS ran a normal Christmas Eve even though federal agencies were closed by executive order. Hours vary by location, so check usps.com for your local post office. UPS and FedEx set their own holiday schedules; check the UPS and FedEx sites for Christmas Eve pickup and delivery times.
Is the stock market open on Christmas Eve?
In 2026, yes, but only until 1:00 pm ET. The NYSE calendar lists Thursday, December 24, 2026 as an early close. In 2027 the stock market is closed on Christmas Eve, because the NYSE observes the Saturday Christmas on Friday, December 24. The bond market follows the SIFMA recommendation: a 2:00 pm ET early close on December 24, 2026. Every full close and early close is on our stock market holidays list.
Observed-date rules for Christmas
| Who | Christmas on a Saturday | Christmas on a Sunday |
|---|---|---|
| Federal offices (OPM) | Day off on the Friday before | Day off on the Monday after |
| Federal Reserve Banks and most banks | Reserve Banks open on the Friday before (Board of Governors closed) | Closed on the Monday after |
| NYSE and Nasdaq | Closed on the Friday before | Closed on the Monday after |
Christmas Eve FAQ
Is Christmas Eve a bank holiday?
No. Christmas Eve is not on the Federal Reserve holiday schedule, so it is a bank business day in 2026 and 2027. Individual banks may close branches early or, rarely, all day; check your bank’s holiday hours.
Is Christmas Eve a business day?
For banks, yes: Yes. is a business day for United States (Federal Reserve and banks). For federal offices: Yes. is a business day for United States (federal). In 2027 the two differ, because December 24 is the observed federal Christmas holiday.
Is there mail on Christmas Eve?
Yes. USPS delivers on Christmas Eve and post offices are open, some with shorter hours. There is no regular delivery on Christmas Day.
Is the stock market open on Christmas Eve?
On December 24, 2026, yes, with a 1:00 pm ET close. On December 24, 2027, no: it is the NYSE’s observed Christmas holiday.
Are banks open the day after Christmas?
December 26 is not a Fed holiday. In 2026 it is a Saturday, so only branches with Saturday hours are open; the next bank business day after Christmas is shown above.
More holiday answers
- All holidays: what’s open and closed
- How many weeks and working days until Christmas
- Are banks open on New Year’s Eve? and on New Year’s Day?
- US federal holidays 2025–2030
- Business days calculator
Sources, last checked October 21, 2026: Federal Reserve holiday schedules (frbservices.org) and federalreserve.gov; OPM federal holidays; NYSE holidays and trading hours; SIFMA holiday schedule; about.usps.com; ups.com; fedex.com.