He gave some--but only some--federal employees (and only federal employees, since he could do no more) both Xmas eve and Boxing day off.
A few things should be noted. Giving Xmas eve off is a fairly common practice, if it's not on a weekend. These days, not doing so would strike people as Scrooge-ish and spiteful, mean spirited. (But if it's on Saturday or Sunday, meh--such an order would be redundant, unnecessary, and mockery-worthy.)
Giving Boxing day off isn't that uncommon, but only when it's a special circumstance: The day must fall on a Friday. If they don't get the day off, the workers go to the office on Monday and Tuesday; have Wednesday & Thursday off, and come back for Friday, to nobody's contentment.
Obama signed the same kind of EO in 2014. Bush II in 2008. and 2003. Trump in 2025. Clinton in 1997. Reagan even did it. So Trump's not doing something extreme or novel ... He's following 40 year precedent. Which is incredibly unlike him, I'd say.
Giving some federal employees the day off just makes a fairly unproductive day slightly more unproductive.
https://en.everybodywiki.com/Christmas_on_Thursday
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2025/12/25/is-dec-26-federal-holiday-time-off/87886693007/
(For the EOs from Obama, Bush II, Clinton, Reagan ... Google is your friend.)
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