Following past practice, President Bush has granted federal employees an additional day off without charge to leave on December 26, which falls on a Friday. It has been the tradition of Presidents to grant the extra day off when the calendar falls that way (as well as granting December 24 off when it falls on a Monday). "
The heads of executive branch departments and agencies may determine that certain offices and installations of their organizations, or parts thereof, must remain open and that certain employees must report for duty on December 26, 2008, for reasons of national security or defense or other public need," Bush said in an executive order. It is not traditional to grant January 2 as an extra day off when it falls on a Friday.
