Holiday Calendar

The United States recognizes 11 federal holidays: New Year's Day (Jan 1), Martin Luther King Jr. Day (third Monday in January), Presidents' Day (third Monday in February), Memorial Day (last Monday in May), Juneteenth (June 19), Independence Day (July 4), Labor Day (first Monday in September), Columbus Day (second Monday in October), Veterans Day (November 11), Thanksgiving (fourth Thursday in November), and Christmas Day (December 25). On these days federal offices, post offices, and most banks are closed; the New York Stock Exchange and bond markets usually close as well (with occasional early closes the day before). Federal holidays only mandate closure for federal employees — private employers, states, and schools choose their own observances, which is why your state may add Patriots' Day, Cesar Chavez Day, or the day after Thanksgiving.

The labels overlap in casual use but mean different things. Federal holidaysare set by Congress and apply to federal employees and federal offices — they don't automatically close private businesses. Public holidays(sometimes called state holidays) are set by each state legislature, so they vary widely: Massachusetts observes Patriots' Day, Texas observes Confederate Heroes Day, Hawaii observes King Kamehameha Day, and most states add the day after Thanksgiving. Bank holidaysare the days the Federal Reserve closes, which tracks the federal holiday list and means ACH transfers, wires, and check clearing all pause. Stock-market holidays mostly match federal holidays but not always — Good Friday closes the NYSE even though it isn't a federal holiday. Private employers pick their own subset and add floating or religious days at their discretion.

On federal holidays USPS does not deliver or pick up regular mail, and UPS and FedEx pause ground service (most express and freight options run on a modified schedule — check the carrier's holiday page before promising a date). Banks close, which delays ACH, wires, and check clearing by a full business day; payroll runs scheduled to land on a holiday typically settle the previous business day, but only if the originator submitted on time. Office-based businesses, government services, and most professional offices close; retail, grocery, restaurants, gyms, and pharmacies usually stay open with reduced hours (Christmas and Thanksgiving are the major exceptions). Plan e-commerce promotions and B2B deadlines around a realistic 24–48 hour delivery slip in the week of any major federal holiday, and longer around Thanksgiving and the December holiday stretch.

The remaining federal holidays in 2026, with quick context:

• Memorial Day — Monday, May 25: Long weekend; federal offices, banks, and markets closed.
• Juneteenth — Friday, June 19: Falls on a Friday this year, creating a three-day weekend; banks and federal offices closed.
• Independence Day — Saturday, July 4 (observed Friday, July 3): Federal offices and banks close Friday for the observed date; markets closed Friday.
• Labor Day — Monday, September 7: Long weekend; unofficial end of summer; markets and banks closed.
• Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples' Day — Monday, October 12: Federal offices and banks closed; stock market open; many private employers work this day.
• Veterans Day — Wednesday, November 11: Midweek; federal offices and banks closed; stock market open, bond market closed.
• Thanksgiving — Thursday, November 26: Many private employers also close Friday Nov 27; major shipping cutoff window.
• Christmas Day — Friday, December 25: Three-day weekend; near-universal closure including most retail.

Most countries set their own national holidays and the overlap with the US list is small. The UK observes eight bank holidays in England and Wales, with Scotland and Northern Ireland adding their own — Boxing Day (Dec 26) and the early May bank holiday have no direct US equivalent. Canada combines federal statutory holidays with provincial ones, so Family Day, Victoria Day, and Canada Day land differently than US dates. The EU has no unified holiday list: France closes for Bastille Day (July 14) and Assumption (Aug 15), Germany varies the public holiday count by Bundesland (Bavaria adds several Catholic feast days), and most of southern Europe takes extended August breaks. Beyond Western calendars, Lunar New Year shuts down much of East Asia for a week or more, Diwali brings multi-day closures across India, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha move each year on the Gregorian calendar and pause business across the Muslim world, and Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur affect Israel and many global Jewish communities. For any team or supply chain that crosses borders, a US-only calendar will quietly miss the closures that matter most.