In December 1870, after Congress made Christmas a federal holiday earlier that year, many U.S. federal workers and institutions observed December 25 as a paid holiday for the first time. The move recognized widespread Christian traditions and growing cultural importance of the holiday. Businesses and schools adjusted schedules around the new official status. Over time, Christmas in the United States blended religious observances with secular customs such as gift-giving, decorated trees, and Santa Claus imagery. The December holiday gradually became central to retail calendars and family traditions. Its new legal footing in the 1870s helped shape how Americans structured the winter season.
