There’s always something to do at the last minute, isn’t there? Perhaps you need to pick up a forgotten gift before Christmas morning. Maybe you want to run some errands before the long weekend. In any case, you need to know what’s open/closed on Christmas Eve. The answer may be a bit more complicated in 2021 than in other years. Why? Because Christmas Day falls on a weekend. This changes the rules for federal holidays. Let’s explore.
When Are Federal Holidays Observed?
We have 11 federal holidays on the calendar as of 2021. (It was previously 10, until Juneteenth was named a federal holiday this year.) However, depending on the dates of when those fall, we sometimes celebrate a little bit extra. For example, New Year’s Eve is not an official federal holiday. Only New Year’s Day is. However, since this year New Year’s Day falls on a weekend, we actually observe it the day before. Therefore, we observe it on December 31, 2021. As a result, we actually have 12 observed federal holidays in this calendar year.
Is Christmas Eve a Federal Holiday?
Like New Year’s, Christmas Eve is not a federal holiday. Only Christmas Day is a federal holiday. Therefore, in a typical year, you might expect banks to close on Christmas Day but not on Christmas Eve. However, this year, Christmas Day falls on a Saturday. As a result of that, we observe it the day before. In other words, we observe it on Christmas Eve in 2021. So, even though banks might typically stay open on Christmas Eve, they’ll close this year because they’re treating it as the day that Christmas itself is observed at the federal level.
What’s Open/Closed on Christmas Eve 2021?
Because of this shift in the day of the week when we observe the holiday, you can expect more things to close on December 24, 2021 than is typical for most Christmas Eves. Banks are one example. However, certain things typically remain open. For example, convenience stores and gas stations typically stay open for both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. So, let’s look at what’s open/closed on Christmas Eve this year in particular?
What’s Closed on Christmas Eve 2021?
Expect any place that typically closes for federal holidays to close on Christmas Eve 2021. Therefore, expect the following types of places to likely close:
- Banks and credit unions
- Stock market
- Schools including daycares and colleges
- Medical and dental offices, although of course the ER will be available for emergencies
- Professional services; expect doctors, lawyers, etc. to close for the holidays
- Courthouses, libraries, and other government services
Is The Post Office Open on Christmas Eve?
The post office is an interesting exception to the list of federal institutions closed on 12/24/21 in observance of Christmas. Typically, the post office would close on Christmas Day. On Christmas Eve, hours vary by location, including some locations that remain open LATER than usual. This year, however, is a toss up.
According to USPS.com, things can go either way at USPS on Christmas Eve 2021. Some locations will stay open later than usual, despite the fact that the federal holiday is widely observed on this day. This gives people a chance to get their last-minute Christmas items in the mail. (Although, of course, they won’t be delivered until after Christmas.)
On the other hand, some locations will close early on 12/24/21. You’ll have to check with your specific location for holiday hours. All locations will stay closed on Christmas Day, whether or not they’re typically open on Saturdays.
What’s Open on Christmas Eve 2021?
So, as we’ve seen some post office locations may have open hours on Christmas Eve. Other than that, what’s open/closed on Christmas Eve? Some of the things that will likely be open, but may have limited hours, include:
- Gas stations
- Drug stores
- Convenience stores
- Retail stores
Note again that some stores will close earlier than usual even though they’re open on Christmas Eve. Many of these stores will close entirely on Christmas Day, or they’ll have limited hours on that day. This gives employees the opportunity to enjoy the holidays with their families.
For example, Target is open on Christmas Eve. You can head there to do some last minute gift shopping. However, most locations close early, by 8 pm if not earlier. They remain closed through Christmas Day and re-open on Sunday, December 26, 2021.
Restaurants Open on Christmas Eve 2021
Prevention has a list of restaurants that are open on Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day this year. Ruth’s Chris Steak House, for example, is open every single day of the year including Christmas. Other popular dining establishments on the list where you can dine (or pick up a holiday meal) on Christmas Eve include:
- Applebee’s
- Boston Market
- Chili’s, some locations
- Cracker Barrel, until 2 pm on Christmas Eve
- Denny’s
- Domino’s Pizza
- IHOP
- Legal Sea Foods
- Macaroni Grill, offering a three-course meal for $25 per person on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
- McDonald’s
- Outback Steakhouse, until 8 pm on Christmas Eve
- Waffle House
Retail Stores Open on Christmas Eve 2021
In addition to restaurants, many retail stores stay open on Christmas Eve. We mentioned Target, which closes at 8 pm on Christmas Eve 2021 in most locations. Additional examples of retail stores open on Christmas Eve this year include:
- Apple, open until 6 pm
- Bed, Bath and Beyond, open until 6 pm
- Best Buy, open until 6 pm
- Big Lots, open regular hours, which are typically 9 am – 9 pm
- Costco, open regular hours
- CVS, open regular hours at most locations, although some may close early
- Dick’s Sporting Goods, open until 6 pm
- Dillard’s, open until 6 pm
- GameStop, open until 6 pm
- Home Depot, open until 5 pm
- IKEA, open until 5 pm
- JCPenney, open until 6 pm
- Kmart, open regular hours at most locations (8 am – 10 pm), although some may close early
- Kohl’s, open until 6 pm
- Lowe’s, open regular hours at most locations (6 am – 9 pm), although some may close early
- Macy’s, open until 6 pm
- Old Navy, open until 7 pm
- Sears, open until 6 pm
- Walmart, open until 6 pm
More About What’s Open/Closed on Christmas Eve
Before you head out to shop or run errands, it’s worth it to check online to see what’s open/closed on Christmas Eve 2-2021. It’s easy to pull up store locators online to find specific information for each location near you. Many of these list their holiday hours right on the store’s website when you pull up the location. However, you can also call the number it gives you to double check.
When Do Things Re-Open After Christmas Eve 2021?
Most retail stores that close early on Christmas Eve 2021 will remain closed through Christmas Day. Then they’ll re-open with their regular Sunday hours on December 26, 2021. Services that don’t typically offer weekend hours, such as the post office and the bank, will re-open as normal on Monday, December 27, 2021. Remember that they will close again on New Year’s Eve, re-opening the following Monday.
Read More:
- Is Target Open on Christmas Eve 2021?
- Here Is The Federal Holiday Schedule 2021
- 10 Steps To Avoid Overspending on Christmas Gifts
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Kathryn Vercillo is a professional writer who loves to live a balanced life. She appreciates a good work-life balance. She enjoys balance in her relationships and has worked hard to learn how to balance her finances to allow for a balanced life overall. Although she’s only blonde some of the time, she’s always striving for total balance. She’s excited to share what she’s learned with you and to discover more together along the way.
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