Federal holidays should be redistributed across the calendar year to improve scheduling and fairness
Source: Josh Blackman. "New in City Journal: Let’s Fix Our Federal Holiday Schedule." February 17, 2026. reason.com
The Gist
The author argues that America's federal holidays are poorly arranged because they were added randomly over time. He wants to spread them out more evenly across the year and make them easier for schools and businesses to plan around.
Conclusion
The United States should rearrange its 11 federal holidays according to three principles: bipartisan appeal, easier scheduling for schools and workplaces, and more even distribution throughout the year
Premises
- Current federal holidays were added piecemeal over centuries without systematic planning
- The current calendar creates scheduling difficulties for schools and workplaces, particularly with holidays clustered together
- Six holidays are concentrated in cold months while only one falls in spring, creating unfair distribution
- Holidays in close proximity (like Labor Day and MLK Day) disrupt continuity in academic and work schedules
- A systematic redistribution following three principles would create a more functional calendar
Assumptions
- Holiday scheduling problems are significant enough to warrant federal calendar reform
- Bipartisan political support is achievable for holiday redistribution
- Even distribution of holidays throughout the year is inherently more fair and beneficial
- The benefits of redistribution outweigh the costs and disruption of changing established dates