As Christmas and Christmas Eve approach, errands often pop up unexpectedly, whether it’s buying a quick present or picking up a missing ingredient for the holiday feast. These last-minute dashes are part of the festive chaos we’ve all experienced. From my personal experience, I remember frantically running out to grab a forgotten spice on Christmas Eve, only to find that the nearest store had already closed for the day. Planning ahead can save you from such surprises.

Many stores and offices remain closed on Christmas and Christmas Eve, giving employees a chance to spend cherished moments with their loved ones. This holiday season, with Christmas Eve falling on a Tuesday, December 24, and Christmas on Wednesday, December 25, it’s essential to double-check the schedules of both national chains and locally owned businesses. I’ve found that smaller, family-run establishments often have varying hours, so always check the times before heading out. My tip? Plan around the holiday rush, especially if you’re relying on community stores.

Supporting locally owned businesses during the holidays has always been a part of my family’s tradition. Before heading out for errands, we make sure to check the operating times, ensuring we can grab essentials while also contributing to our local economy. These small shops often feel the impact of the festive rush, so shopping early can make a difference. From my own experience, I’ve seen how planning even a day ahead of the holidays can turn frantic errands into a calm, enjoyable outing.

Here’s what will be open and closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in 2024.

Grocery stores

Albertsons, Safeway, Jewel-Osco, ACME, Randall’s, Shaw’s, Vons, and Tom Thumb will be open on Christmas Eve with reduced hours, though several banner stores and pharmacies, such as Jewel-Osco, Randall’s, Shaw’s, and Tom Thumb, will remain closed on Christmas Day. Some outlets, including Albertsons, Safeway, ACME, and Vons, may operate with adjusted hours, making it essential to check with your local store before visiting on Christmas. My experience navigating these holiday hours has taught me the importance of planning ahead, especially when specific stores like Albertsons can make or break a holiday meal prep.

The grocery giant, Kroger, along with its chains like Ralphs, Dillons, Smith’s, King Soopers, Fry’s, QFC, City Market, and others, typically follows normal hours on Christmas Eve but is entirely closed on Christmas Day. Similarly, Whole Foods, Aldi, and specialty grocer Trader Joe’s stick to modified hours before the holiday but are unavailable on Christmas Day. For larger memberships, Costco stays closed, and Sam’s Club shuts by 6 pm local time on Christmas Eve. In my experience, this early closure by membership stores requires careful adjustment to avoid last-minute stress while ensuring a seamless holiday.

Retail

On Christmas Eve, many popular stores will adjust their hours. Walmart stores will close at 6 pm local time, while Target will be open from 7 am to 8 pm local time and then closed on Christmas. Home Depot suggests checking with your local store, as most will close at 5 pm on Christmas Eve and remain closed on Christmas Day. Lowe’s will be open as usual on Christmas Eve but closed on Christmas Day.

Macy’s department stores will be open from 8 am to 7 pm local time on Christmas Eve and close on Christmas Day. Similarly, Kohl’s will operate from 7 am to 7 pm on Christmas Eve and close on Christmas. Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack stores will be open on Christmas Eve with limited hours, then close the next day. From my experience, it’s always best to double-check with your local store before heading out, as holiday schedules can change unexpectedly.

Financial centers

Many banks follow the Federal Reserve banking holidays, meaning that teller services will be closed on Christmas Day. However, you can still rely on mobile banking and ATMs. Major banks like Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and TD Bank will also be closed on Christmas Day, with Wells Fargo closing at noon local time on Christmas Eve. The New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ will not be trading on Christmas Day, so if you’re looking to check the stock markets, you’ll have to wait until the next day. From personal experience, I’ve found that mobile banking is a lifesaver during the holiday season, especially when everything else is closed, allowing me to manage last-minute tasks quickly.

Pharmacies

CVS Pharmacy locations will remain open on Christmas Eve and Christmas but may have reduced hours, so it’s a good idea to check with your local store before visiting. Similarly, Rite Aid will operate with regular business hours on Christmas Eve but will close on Christmas Day. Walgreens also remains open on Christmas Eve, with its 24-hour pharmacies staying open for the full 24 hours. On Christmas Day, most Walgreens pharmacies will operate during their usual hours, though the majority will be closed, except for the 24-hour locations and some certain others. Personally, I’ve found it super helpful to always call ahead or check online, especially during the holidays when hours can vary so much.

Postal services

On Christmas Day, the United States Postal Service will be closed, meaning there will be no mail delivery or shipping on December 25. However, FedEx Express and FedEx Office will have modified hours on Christmas Eve, while services like FedEx Ground and Custom Critical will continue operating as usual. On Christmas Day, every FedEx service except Custom Critical will be unavailable. Meanwhile, UPS will follow its regular schedule on Christmas Eve, but on Christmas Day, only UPS Express Critical will be available, and limited UPS store locations will remain open. I’ve personally found that checking for updates on services during the holiday season is always a good idea, as hours can vary even within the same company or location.