Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2026 Store Hours: What Closes Early on Dec. 24 and What Is Open on Dec. 25
Store hours for Christmas Eve, Thursday, Dec. 24, 2026, and what is open on Christmas Day: stores, pharmacies, banks, mail and markets, plus a printable.
In this article
Last updated Oct. 21, 2026, 12:30 a.m. ET. Home Depot and Lowe's have published their 2026 Christmas plans. Most chains post holiday hours in December; we update this list as they do.
Christmas Eve falls on Thursday, Dec. 24, 2026, and Christmas Day on Friday, Dec. 25, so most stores will close early on a weekday and stay shut on Friday. Home Depot has already posted its 2026 hours: open until 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve and closed on Christmas Day. Lowe’s says its stores will be closed on Christmas Day. For other chains, last year’s hours are the best guide until each one confirms. Below: Christmas Eve closing times, what is open on Christmas Day, banks, mail and the stock market, and a free checklist in three styles.
Christmas Eve 2026 closing times
| Store | Christmas Eve, Dec. 24 | Christmas Day, Dec. 25 | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Depot | Closes 5 p.m. | Closed | 2026 confirmed |
| Lowe’s | Not yet announced | Closed | Christmas Day closure confirmed for 2026 |
| Walmart | 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. in 2025 | Closed in 2025 | 2026 not announced |
| Sam’s Club | 8 a.m. (Plus) or 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in 2025 | Closed in 2025 | 2026 not announced |
| Costco | 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in 2025 | Closed in 2025 | 2026 not announced |
| H-E-B | 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. in 2025; pharmacy to 5 p.m. | Closed in 2025 | 2026 not announced |
| Trader Joe’s | 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in 2025 | Closed in 2025 | 2026 not announced |
| Target | Hours varied by store in 2025 | Closed in 2025 | 2026 not announced |
| Whole Foods | Hours varied by store in 2025 | Closed in 2025 | 2026 not announced |
The 2025 hours come from Spectrum News’s holiday list of Dec. 23, 2025, and Home Depot’s from its newsroom. Christmas Eve hours often differ by location and inside malls.
What is closed on Christmas Day
Last year Aldi, Costco, Harris Teeter, Home Depot, IKEA, Jewel-Osco, Kroger, Lowe’s, Macy’s, Meijer, Publix, Sam’s Club, Sprouts, Target, Trader Joe’s, Walmart and Whole Foods all closed on Christmas Day, Scripps News reported. Expect the same list in 2026: the stores reopen on Saturday, Dec. 26, which also starts the busy week of returns and gift-card shopping.
What is usually open on Christmas Day
CVS and Walgreens keep a share of their stores open on Christmas Day, though pharmacy counters may close or keep shorter hours. Selected Albertsons and Safeway stores, 7-Eleven and other convenience stores, and McDonald’s restaurants whose owners choose to open are the other usual options. Starbucks cafes inside hotels, airports and grocery stores are more likely to open than standalone stores. Movie theaters run Christmas Day showings. Call ahead or check the store’s page before you go.
Banks, mail, markets and government
| Service | Thursday, Dec. 24 | Friday, Dec. 25 |
|---|---|---|
| Stock market (NYSE, Nasdaq) | Open, closes early at 1 p.m. ET | Closed |
| Banks | Open; branches may close early | Closed (federal holiday) |
| U.S. Postal Service | Open, normal delivery | Closed, no regular delivery |
| UPS and FedEx | Operating | No regular pickup or delivery |
| Federal offices | Open unless a new executive order closes them | Closed |
Christmas Day is a federal holiday by law. Christmas Eve is not; in 2024 and 2025, presidents gave federal workers the day off by executive order, but each order covered only that year. The New York Stock Exchange’s 2026 calendar sets the 1 p.m. close on Dec. 24.
Plan the last week
The USPS deadlines for Christmas delivery are Dec. 17 for Ground Advantage and First-Class Mail, Dec. 18 for Priority Mail and Dec. 19 for Priority Mail Express; the details are in our USPS holiday shipping deadlines. Many schools are already on winter break by then. For the start of the season, see Black Friday 2026 store hours, and Costco’s holiday closures run through 2027.
Our free Christmas Eve checklist lists closing times, what is usually open on Christmas Day, the shipping deadlines, an errands list and a Christmas Day plan, in classic red and green, winter blue or an ink-saver version. Put the week on our December 2026 printable calendar or a weekly planner, and see the date in other years on when is Christmas Day.
Free printable downloads
Every template is free, needs no sign-up and prints on US Letter paper. Choose PDF for printing or PNG for screens and documents.
Christmas printables
Christmas Eve 2026 Last-Minute Checklist (Classic)
Christmas Eve closing times, what is usually open on Christmas Day, the USPS deadlines, an errands checklist and a Christmas Day plan.
Christmas Eve 2026 Last-Minute Checklist (Winter)
The same checklist in winter blue: closing times, what is open on Dec. 25, errands and a Christmas Day plan.
Christmas Eve 2026 Last-Minute Checklist (Ink Saver)
A black-and-white version that uses little ink, with the same closing times, errands and Christmas Day plan.
Frequently asked questions
What time does Walmart close on Christmas Eve 2026?
Walmart has not announced 2026 hours. On Christmas Eve 2025 its stores were open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and they were closed on Christmas Day.
What stores are open on Christmas Day 2026?
Most big retailers and grocery chains close on Christmas Day. Many CVS and Walgreens stores, 7-Eleven and some McDonald's and Starbucks locations open, often with shorter hours and pharmacies closed or limited. Check your local store.
Is the post office open on Christmas Eve?
Yes. Thursday, Dec. 24, is a normal U.S. Postal Service day with mail delivery. Post offices are closed and there is no regular delivery on Christmas Day, a federal holiday.
Is the stock market open on Christmas Eve 2026?
Yes, until 1 p.m. ET. The New York Stock Exchange closes early on Thursday, Dec. 24, 2026, and is closed on Friday, Dec. 25.
Are banks open on Christmas Eve?
Yes. Dec. 24 is not a Federal Reserve holiday, so banks are open, though some branches close early. Banks are closed on Christmas Day.
Is Christmas Eve a federal holiday in 2026?
No. Christmas Day is a federal holiday by law. In 2024 and 2025, presidents gave federal workers Christmas Eve off by executive order, but each order covered only that year, and none has been issued for 2026.
Sources
- Store Holiday Hours (The Home Depot)
- Lowe's Unveils Holiday 2026 Lineup with New Gifts and Decor, MyLowe's Rewards Perks and Weeks of Black Friday Savings (Lowe's via PR Newswire, 2026-10-08)
- Here are the holiday hours for H-E-B, Target and more (Spectrum News, 2025-12-23)
- What stores are open or closed for Christmas 2025? (Scripps News, 2025-12-23)
- Holidays and Trading Hours (New York Stock Exchange)
- Federal Reserve Bank Holidays (Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System)
- Federal employees get Christmas Eve off (FedSmith, 2025-12-18)
Related news
USPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines 2026: Dec. 17 for Ground Advantage, Dec. 18 for Priority, Dec. 19 for Express
Black Friday 2026 Store Hours: Walmart, Target, Best Buy Opening Times and Who Closes on Thanksgiving
Winter Break 2026: Dates for 21 of the Largest U.S. School Districts, and Who Goes Back on Jan. 4, 5 or Later
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