Christian Holidays: Fact Sheet

Christian Holidays: Fact Sheet

Christian Holidays: Fact Sheet
Updated December 12, 2022
Congressional Research Service
https://crsreports.congress.gov
R45000

Christian Holidays: Fact Sheet

Introduction
Christianity is one of the three major Abrahamic faiths, alongside Islam and Judaism. The Pew
Research Center estimates that 63% of Americans self-identify as Christian.1 There are a large
number of Christian traditions, with great variation in which holidays are celebrated and how.
This fact sheet highlights two holidays—Easter and Christmas—observed by a significant portion
of American Christian denominations and addresses the ways these holidays are currently
recognized in the United States.
This fact sheet is designed to assist congressional offices with work related to Christian holidays.
It contains sample speeches and remarks from the Congressional Record, presidential statements
and remarks, and selected historical and cultural resources.
This is part of a series of Congressional Research Service fact sheets on religious holidays in the
United States.
Major Holidays and Observances
With the exception of Christmas, the official government observance of most Christian holidays
is determined at the state or local level.
Internationally, many countries celebrate these and other Christian feasts and liturgical days at the
national level. Parliaments, banks, schools, and other institutions may be closed on these days.
Easter
Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ and is the oldest annual Christian holiday
or feast.2 The holiday is often observed with a special church service, followed by a family or
community gathering that involves a special meal. Many Christians also include processions or
parades; egg dyeing, rolling, and hunts; and sweets gifting in their celebrations.3
Easter does not occur on the same date each year. It is observed on the first Sunday following the
first full moon on or after March 21. Some Eastern Orthodox traditions use the Julian calendar to
calculate the date of Easter, instead of the Gregorian calendar. This means in some years Easter
falls on the same date for both and in other years there can be as many as five weeks’ difference.
State and local governments do not typically observe Easter as an official holiday, although some
do recognize other days related to Easter with early or all-day closings. For example, state offices
are closed on the Friday before Easter in Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky (for
half the day), Louisiana, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, and Tennessee.

1 Stephanie Kramer et al., Modeling the Future of Religion in America, Pew Research Center, September 2022, p. 20,
https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2022/09/13/how-u-s-religious-composition-has-changed-in-recent-decades/.
2 “Easter,” in A Dictionary of Comparative Religion, ed. S. G. F. Brandon (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1970),
p. 252.
3 Christian Roy, “Easter (Christianity),” in Traditional Festivals: A Multicultural Encyclopedia, vol. 1 (Santa Barbara,
CA: ABC-CLIO, 2005), pp. 121-128.
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Christian Holidays: Fact Sheet

Christmas
Christmas commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. The holiday is often observed by special
church services and community-wide activities, such as caroling. Although the celebration of
Christmas varies greatly the world over, some common elements in the United States are
Christmas plays or pageants, decorating and displaying Christmas trees, and gift-giving.4
Christmas is always observed on December 25. Some Eastern Orthodox traditions use the Julian
calendar and, due to the differences between the Julian and Gregorian calendars, celebrate
Christmas on the Gregorian date January 7. This date was chosen sometime in the fourth century
A.D. and is generally considered to have been chosen to supersede non-Christian holidays
commonly celebrated at the same time of year.5
Christmas is a federal holiday. It was one of the first four holidays established by federal
legislation.6 When the original legislation was signed into law in 1870, it was an unpaid holiday
exclusively for federal employees in the District of Columbia. The push for this legislation was
led mainly by commercial interests that “wanted certain holidays to be formalized.”7
Occasionally, Presidents have issued executive orders closing all executive branch departments
and agencies of the federal government on the day immediately preceding or following
Christmas.
Congressional Recognition
Some Members of Congress make floor statements, issue press releases, or enter Extensions of
Remarks into the Congressional Record to recognize federal holidays and observances. The
following are examples of such statements.
Representative Martha Roby, “Easter Brings an Abundance of Hope,” press release, April 10,
2020.
Senator Joe Manchin, “Manchin Wishes West Virginians a Merry Christmas and Happy
Holidays,” press release, December 24, 2019.
Representative Ted Poe, “WWI Christmas,” Extensions of Remarks, Congressional Record, daily
edition, vol. 163 (December 20, 2017), p. E1734.
Representative Doug LaMalfa, “A Christmas Greeting,” remarks in the House, Congressional
Record, daily edition, vol. 162 (December 8, 2016), p. H7554.
Representative Louie Gohmert, “An Easter Prayer,” remarks in the House, Congressional Record,
daily edition, vol. 158 (March 29, 2012), p. H1796.
Senator Robert C. Byrd, “Springtime and Easter,” remarks in the Senate, Congressional Record,
daily edition, vol. 154, part 2 (March 13, 2008), p. S2119.

4 Christian Roy, “Christmas (Christianity),” in Traditional Festivals: A Multicultural Encyclopedia, vol. 1 (Santa
Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2005), pp. 61-72.
5 “Christmas,” in A Dictionary of Comparative Religion, ed. S. G. F. Brandon (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons,
1970), p. 195.
6 CRS Report R41990, Federal Holidays: Evolution and Current Practices, by Jacob R. Straus.
7 Olivia B. Waxman, “The Surprising Story of Christmas in the United States,” Time, December 23, 2016.
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Christian Holidays: Fact Sheet

Presidential Recognition
From the White House Easter Egg Roll to the lighting of the National Christmas Tree, many
Presidents have made remarks in relation to Christian holiday celebrations held at the White
House. They have also issued statements recognizing the observance of Christian holidays. Some
recent examples include
Presidential addresses and remarks—Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (2021-)
Presidential addresses and remarks—Donald J. Trump (2017-2021)
Presidential addresses and remarks—Barack Obama (2009-2017)
Presidential addresses and remarks—George W. Bush (2001-2009)
Presidential proclamations and remarks from 1993 to the present are available through
the govinfo service on the Government Publishing Office website. Earlier remarks (including
selected audio and video clips) are available through The American Presidency Project,
established by the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Historical and Cultural Resources
Numerous resources provide information on the history and celebration of Christian holidays.
Some of these include
Library of Congress, “Easter Week Illuminations.” This blog post talks about several
representations of Easter Week in the Library’s collection.
Library of Congress, “Highlighting the Holidays.” This series of blog posts discusses particular
holiday symbols and traditions, mainly relating to Christmas. Additional blog posts can be found
by searching for “Christmas” in the search box.
Library of Congress, “National Jukebox: Christmas.” This search returns all of the Christmas
music hosted by the Library’s National Jukebox project.
Smithsonian, “Religion in Early America.” This website is for an exhibit at the National Museum
of American History that shows 18th and 19th century religious practices in the United States.
U.S. House of Representatives, “The Annual Easter Egg Roll at the Capitol.” Highlights
congressional involvement in the evolution of the annual Easter Egg Roll.
U.S. House of Representatives, “The Origins of the Capitol Christmas Tree.” Short overview of
the history of the Capitol Christmas Tree.
The Library of Congress Prints and Photographs section has many images of people celebrating
Christmas and Easter in its online catalog.
Related CRS Reports
CRS Report R41990, Federal Holidays: Evolution and Current Practices, by Jacob R. Straus
CRS Report R43539, Commemorations in Congress: Options for Honoring Individuals, Groups,
and Events, coordinated by Jacob R. Straus
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Christian Holidays: Fact Sheet

Author Information

Elizabeth C. Larson

Senior Knowledge Services Librarian

Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan
shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and
under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other
than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in
connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not
subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be reproduced and distributed in
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