US federal holidays 2021: Full list from Thanksgiving to Christmas
Federal holidays are often celebrated with paid time off
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.From Independence Day to Thanksgiving, there is plenty to put in the calendars for 2021.
First introduced by Congress in 1885 when it was decided that federal employees should have certain days off from work, the list of US federal holidays eventually grew to the 10 days of historical significance that Americans now recognise.
And, to ensure that Americans get the chance to celebrate the holidays no matter what day they fall on, there are guidelines for celebrating.
Federal holidays that fall on a Saturday are observed by federal employees on the previous Friday, whereas holidays that fall on Sunday are observed the following Monday.
On these days, non-essential federal government offices are closed and banks, post offices and schools may also be closed.
For employees in the private sector, federal holidays may or may not mean a day off - as companies cannot legally be required to observe the holiday. Fortunately, most employers will still give employees the day off on holidays such as Thanksgiving or Christmas - or pay extra to employees working on the day.
These are the dates of the 2021 US federal holidays to mark on your calendar.
2021 federal holidays
New Year’s Day: Friday, January 1
Martin Luther King Jr Day: Monday, January 18
President’s Day: Monday, February 15
Memorial Day: Monday, May 31
Independence Day: Sunday, July 4
Independence Day (Observed): Monday, July 5
Labor Day: Monday, September 6
Columbus Day: Monday, October 11
Veterans' Day: Thursday, November 11
Thanksgiving: Thursday, November 25
Christmas Day (observed): Friday, December 24
Christmas Day: Saturday, December 25
Other important days to note:
Valentine’s Day: Sunday, February 14
St Patrick’s Day: Wednesday, March 17
Good Friday: Friday, April 2
Easter: Sunday, April 4
Mother’s Day: Sunday, May 9
Father’s Day: Sunday, June 20
Halloween: Sunday, October 31
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments