Updated October 2026
Most liquor stores are closed on Christmas Day, and in several states the law requires it. Texas and North Carolina ban liquor store sales on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, and state-run stores in Pennsylvania and Virginia close on Christmas. On Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, most stores open but close early, often by 6 p.m. or 8 p.m. In many states, grocery and convenience stores can still sell beer and wine on the holiday.
Holiday alcohol rules are set state by state, and sometimes county by county. A store that is open on Christmas Eve in one state may be legally closed on Christmas Day in the next. This guide covers the rules you can confirm in state law or from state liquor agencies, what to expect from grocery and convenience stores, and how to plan so you are not caught short. For the late-November version of this question, see are liquor stores open on Thanksgiving.
Christmas Eve hours
Christmas Eve is a normal sales day in most states, but many stores close early. State agencies publish their own schedules:
- Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board says Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores open at their usual time on Thursday, December 24, 2026, and close by 6 p.m.
- Virginia: For the 2025 season, Virginia ABC announced that all stores would close at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Check Virginia ABC’s announcement for the 2026 schedule.
Private liquor stores set their own hours within state law. Many close early on Christmas Eve, so call ahead or check the store’s website.
States that close liquor stores on Christmas
In 2026, Christmas falls on a Friday. These rules come straight from state statutes or the state agency that runs the stores:
- Texas: Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code § 105.01 prohibits liquor sales on New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, as well as on Sundays. When Christmas or New Year’s Day falls on a Sunday, the ban moves to the following Monday.
- North Carolina: N.C. Gen. Stat. § 18B-802 bars ABC stores from opening on any Sunday, New Year’s Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day. Local ABC boards may add other closing days.
- Pennsylvania: The PLCB says all Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores will be closed on Christmas Day, Friday, December 25, 2026.
- Virginia: Virginia ABC closed all stores on Christmas Day in 2025. Check its announcement for the 2026 schedule.
Many other states either restrict holiday sales or leave it to local rules and store owners. If your state is not listed, the safest assumption is that dedicated liquor stores will be closed or on short hours, and that you should check your local store.
Why does this vary so much? Federal law, such as the standards of identity in 27 CFR § 5.143, controls what goes into the bottle and onto the label. The Twenty-first Amendment leaves retail sales, including hours and holiday closures, to each state.
New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day
New Year’s Eve is usually one of the busiest days of the year for liquor stores. State-run stores often stay open later than on Christmas Eve:
- Pennsylvania: Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores open at the usual time on Thursday, December 31, 2026, and close by 8 p.m., according to the PLCB.
- Virginia: For 2025, Virginia ABC stores stayed open until 8 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.
New Year’s Day is different. In 2027 it falls on a Friday. Texas law closes liquor sales that day, and North Carolina ABC stores must stay closed. Virginia ABC opened noon to 6 p.m. on New Year’s Day 2026. Pennsylvania’s holiday page does not list a New Year’s Day closure, so check FWGS.com for your store’s hours. For drinks to plan for midnight, see our New Year’s Eve champagne cocktails.
State-run stores
In control states, the state runs or licenses the stores that sell spirits, so holiday hours come from one agency. That makes them easier to predict: agencies such as the PLCB and Virginia ABC post holiday schedules each November. In North Carolina, local ABC boards run the stores, but the state statute fixes the Christmas and New Year’s Day closures. Check your state agency’s website in early December for the final schedule.
Grocery and convenience beer and wine
Liquor store closures do not always cover beer and wine. In Texas, for example, the off-premise beer hours in Alcoholic Beverage Code § 105.05 allow sales from 7 a.m. to midnight Monday through Saturday and contain no holiday exception, and § 105.04 applies the same hours to wine retailers. So a Texas grocery or convenience store that is open on Christmas Day can usually sell beer and wine even though liquor stores must close. Our guide to Texas beer sales hours has the details.
Whether a particular grocery, pharmacy or convenience chain opens on Christmas is the store’s decision, and hours change from year to year. Check your local store. For the bigger picture on who sells what, see which states let Walmart sell liquor, which Sam’s Club locations sell liquor and whether Walgreens sells liquor. State sales-hour guides for Florida, Ohio and Georgia are also worth a look.
Tips for holiday shopping
- Buy early. The days just before Christmas and New Year’s Eve are crowded, and popular bottles can sell out.
- Plan for the Sunday rule. In years when Christmas or New Year’s Day falls on a Sunday, Texas moves the closure to Monday.
- Batch your drinks. A punch bowl stretches one bottle across a party. See our Christmas punch recipes.
- Shopping for a gift? Our guide to the best wine for a Christmas gift can help.
- Plan the ride home. Holiday parties mean more people on the road. Arrange a designated driver or a ride before the first drink.
Frequently asked questions
Can you buy alcohol on Christmas Day?
It depends on your state and what you are buying. Texas and North Carolina ban liquor store sales on Christmas, and state stores in Pennsylvania and Virginia close. In Texas, beer and wine can still be sold where a store is open, because the beer and wine hours have no holiday exception.
Are liquor stores open on Christmas Eve?
Usually, but with shorter hours. Pennsylvania’s state stores close by 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve 2026, and Virginia ABC closed at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve 2025.
Are liquor stores open on New Year’s Day?
Not in Texas or North Carolina, where state law closes liquor sales and ABC stores. Virginia ABC opened noon to 6 p.m. on New Year’s Day 2026. Elsewhere, check your local store.
Are bars and restaurants affected by these rules?
Not by the package store rules covered here. On-premise sales follow separate rules, which vary by state and city.
What if Christmas falls on a Sunday?
In Texas, the Christmas and New Year’s Day liquor sales ban moves to the following Monday under § 105.01(b). In 2026 Christmas falls on a Friday, so this does not apply.
Sources
- Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code §§ 105.01, 105.04 and 105.05 (Texas Statutes)
- N.C. Gen. Stat. § 18B-802, when ABC stores operate (North Carolina General Assembly)
- Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, Fine Wine & Good Spirits holiday hours (pa.gov)
- Virginia ABC, holiday store hours announcement, November 17, 2025 (abc.virginia.gov)
- 27 CFR § 5.143, standards of identity for whisky (eCFR / Cornell LII)
- U.S. Constitution, Twenty-first Amendment