In the United States, federal holidays are holidays recognized by the government, upon which every non-essential federal office shuts down (even though the employees get paid).
Federal holidays come straight from the top—only Congress can designate one. In fact, Congress has been in the holiday making game since 1870, when they created the idea of a federal holiday to standardize existing holiday practices “in every State of the Union.”
At PR Hacker, we love getting the day off work on 11 federal holidays!
Where did federal holidays come from?
Federal holidays initially only applied to state employees in the District of Columbia, but were extended to all federal employees in 1885.
From four original federal holidays—Christmas, Thanksgiving, Independence Day, and New Year's Day—there are now ten, including more recent additions like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. day.
What many folks don't know is two federal holidays were added and subsequently removed, "The Eigth"—which celebrated American victory in the Battle of New Orleans, and "Victory Day": the commemoration of victory against Japan.
How to submit a federal holiday
We're pretty sure we've got them all, but if you see a federal holiday you think we're missing, then drop us a line. We're always up for expanding our library of national and global holidays!
