Easter is not a U.S. federal holiday mainly because it always falls on a Sunday, and Sunday is already a non-workday for most federal operations. Another reason often cited is that Congress has generally kept federal holidays tied to secular national observances, while Easter is a religious holiday.

Quick scoop

A federal holiday is a paid day off created by Congress for federal employees, and Easter Sunday is not included in the current list of 11 federal holidays. Easter Monday and Good Friday also are not federal holidays in the U.S.

Why it’s different

  • It lands on Sunday. Since Easter is always celebrated on a Sunday, making it a federal holiday would not create the same practical effect as a weekday closure.
  • Religious nature. U.S. holidays in federal law are usually framed around civic or historical events, and lawmakers have traditionally avoided officially designating a religious observance as a federal holiday.
  • Practical cost. Some explanations also point to the expense and disruption of adding another paid holiday for government and businesses.

What people are discussing now

There have been recent proposals to make Easter Monday a federal holiday, but it has not become law. That keeps Easter and the surrounding Holy Week observances in the “widely celebrated, but not federally recognized” category.

Bottom line

So the short answer is: Easter is important culturally and religiously, but it is not a federal holiday because it falls on Sunday and Congress has not made it one.

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