The US Federal Government recognizes 11 public holidays throughout the year, and keeping track of all of them — plus knowing which ones fall on a Monday for a long weekend — isn't always easy. This feed sends you a single reminder covering the full year of federal holidays, so you can mark your calendar and plan ahead. Click on the green Configure button and choose how far in advance you want to be alerted.
Why use a reminder for public holidays?
- Plan time off properly: Several federal holidays (MLK Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day) fall on a Monday, which means an easy three-day weekend if you plan around it.
- Don't get caught off guard at work: Federal offices, post offices, and many banks close on these days. If you're expecting mail, a government appointment, or a bank transfer, knowing the date in advance saves you a wasted trip.
- Stay ahead of business closures: Many private companies also follow the federal calendar, so this is useful even if you don't work for the government.
- One feed, the whole year: Instead of separately tracking New Year's Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the rest, you get them all in one place.
A brief history of federal holidays
Federal holidays in the US date back to June 28, 1870, when Congress designated the first four: New Year's Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. At the time, the law only applied to federal employees in Washington, D.C. — it wasn't extended to all federal employees nationwide until 1885.
Since then, more holidays have been added to reflect the country's history and values. Martin Luther King Jr. Day became a federal holiday in 1983, signed into law by President Ronald Reagan. The most recent addition is Juneteenth National Independence Day, signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2021, commemorating the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Texas were informed of their freedom.
Floating vs. fixed dates
Of the 11 federal holidays, six are "floating" — always falling on the same weekday (like the third Monday of January for MLK Day) — while the rest are fixed calendar dates, such as July 4th for Independence Day. When a fixed-date holiday lands on a weekend, it's usually observed on the nearest weekday for federal employees.
The full list
New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Washington's Birthday (Presidents' Day), Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day.
Worth knowing
The day after Thanksgiving — often called Black Friday — is not a federal holiday, even though many private employers treat it like one. And Christmas remains the only federal holiday with religious origins; all the others are secular.
So whether you're scheduling vacation days, expecting government mail, or just want to know when the next long weekend is coming, click that green Configure button and let the dates come to you.