New York Court Holidays from Thanksgiving to New Year’s

The Short Answer

Three days in this stretch are public holidays under New York law: Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26, 2026; Christmas Day, Friday, December 25, 2026; and New Year’s Day, Friday, January 1, 2027. N.Y. Gen. Constr. Law § 24.

The federal court for the Eastern District of New York also closes on the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and New Year’s Eve. None of those three days is a public holiday under section 24, so none of them extends a deadline under New York’s holiday statute.

The 2026 Holiday Dates

The federal dates come from the Eastern District’s published holiday list for 2025 and 2026. The bankruptcy courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts list the same six days. For any closure the state court system adds this year, check its notices on nycourts.gov.

How a State Deadline Moves

New York’s holiday statute reads: “When any period of time, computed from a certain day, within which or after which or before which an act is authorized or required to be done, ends on a Saturday, Sunday or a public holiday, such act may be done on the next succeeding business day.” N.Y. Gen. Constr. Law § 25-a(1).

Applied to this year’s calendar:

• A period that ends on Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 26, runs to Friday, November 27.
• A period that ends on Christmas Day, Friday, December 25, runs to Monday, December 28.
• A period that ends on New Year’s Day, Friday, January 1, 2027, runs to Monday, January 4, 2027.
• A period that ends on Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve does not move, because neither day is a public holiday.

A period fixed by a contract is governed by section 25 of the same law, not section 25-a. The extension is a safety net, not a plan, so file the business day before.

How a Federal Deadline Moves

In federal court, when a period stated in days ends on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, “the period continues to run until the end of the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 6(a)(1)(C).

Rule 6(a)(6) defines a legal holiday as the days set by statute, including Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day; any day declared a holiday by the President or Congress; and, for periods measured after an event, any other day the state declares a holiday. A court’s own closure is not on that list.

So whether the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, or New Year’s Eve moves a federal deadline depends on whether it is declared a holiday under Rule 6(a)(6)(B) or (C). If not, Rule 6(a)(3) extends the time only when the clerk’s office is inaccessible, and for electronic filing the last day ends at midnight in the court’s time zone under Rule 6(a)(4)(A). Do not count on a closure to buy time.

Calendars in the Holiday Weeks

The Kings County Central Compliance Part calls its calendar on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays; see our Kings County CCP guide. This year Thanksgiving falls on a Thursday, and Christmas Day and New Year’s Day both fall on a Friday.

Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve are Thursdays and are not public holidays. Treat a conference calendared for either day as going forward unless the court says otherwise.

Adjourned dates set at November and December conferences often land in the holiday weeks. Check each new date against the table above before you calendar it.

Per Diem Coverage Over the Holidays

If your office is short-staffed the week of Thanksgiving or between Christmas and New Year’s, our office covers conferences, calendar calls, and motions in all five boroughs and in Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, and Orange counties. We also handle EBTs and EUOs.

Coverage is confirmed within 15 minutes, and you receive a written report the same business day. Book early for the days around the holidays. Rates, courthouses, and the booking form are on our per diem court coverage page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the day after Thanksgiving a court holiday in New York?

It is not a public holiday under New York’s General Construction Law § 24, so it does not extend a deadline under § 25-a. The federal court for the Eastern District of New York lists Friday, November 27, 2026 as a court holiday.

If a New York deadline falls on Christmas Day 2026, when is it due?

Christmas Day falls on Friday, December 25, 2026. Under General Construction Law § 25-a, a period that ends on a Saturday, Sunday, or public holiday runs to the next succeeding business day, which is Monday, December 28, 2026.

Are Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve court holidays in New York?

They are not court holidays under New York law. Neither is a public holiday under General Construction Law § 24. The federal court for the Eastern District of New York lists Thursday, December 24 and Thursday, December 31, 2026 as court holidays.

Can I get per diem coverage the week between Christmas and New Year’s?

Yes. Our office covers court appearances and depositions in all five boroughs and in Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, and Orange counties, with confirmation within 15 minutes and a written report the same business day.

Related: Per Diem Services · Kings County CCP Guide · Nassau County Per Diem · What Is a Per Diem Attorney? · All Articles

This article is general information, not legal advice. It reflects the New York statutes, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and the federal courts’ published holiday lists as of November 2026. Check the court’s own notices before relying on a closure. Attorney advertising.