Donald Trump signs executive order allowing federal employees to take Christmas Eve off with pay for the second year running
- President Donald Trump decreed that all employees would be ‘excused’ with pay
- Order follows President’s decision to also give Christmas Eve off last year
- Historically Presidents have avoided the holiday when it falls mid-week
President Donald Trump has handed two million Federal government employees a Christmas Eve holiday with pay for the second year running.
In an executive order he decreed that all employees are to be ‘excused’ on Tuesday December 24 in a moment of Christmas cheer.
The unexpected festive gift comes despite the fact presidents have rarely given Christmas Eve off when it has fallen in the middle of the week.
President Donald Trump has handed two million Federal government employees Christmas Eve off despite it falling on a Tuesday. (Pictured: Trump at the National Christmas Tree Lighting outside the White House on December 5)
White House has been preparing for Christmas and has been filled with festive decorations
In the order, Trump states: ‘All executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government shall be closed and their employees excused from duty on Tuesday, December 24, 2019, the day before Christmas Day.
‘The heads of executive departments and agencies may determine that certain offices and installations of their organizations, or parts thereof, must remain open and that certain employees must report for duty on Dec. 24, 2019, for reasons of national security, defense, or other public need.’
Historically Presidents have avoided giving the holiday when it falls on a Tuesday.
The last time was in 1935, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave the holiday, according to the deputy director for management at the Office of Management and Budget Margaret Weichert, reports the Federal News Network.
Christmas Eve off is not traditionally granted by Presidents on a Tuesday. Pictured above is the Red Room in the White House, decorated for Christmas
It has been claimed that the last time a Tuesday Christmas Eve was given off was in 1935. Pictured above is the East Colonnade in the White House ready for Christmas
President Obama gave workers Christmas Day off when it fell on a Friday, in 2014, and on a Monday, in 2012.
President George W. Bush also gave the holiday when it fell on a Monday in both 2007 and 2001.
Trump also closed federal offices for Christmas Eve last year, when it fell on a Monday.
President Obama gave Christmas Eve off when it fell on a Friday, in 2014, and a Monday, in 2012. Pictured above is the Green Room in the White House and its decorations