If you’re wanting to visit a liquor store on Christmas 2019, whether you can go or not is going to depend on the laws in your state. Some liquor stores can’t operate on the holiday. Other states will allow liquor stores to be open today. Read on for more details.
Some Liquor Stores Are Open for Christmas Day, But Not All
In general, if liquor sales are state-controlled, then the liquor stores are likely going to be closed today. If the stores are privately owned and not state-controlled, then the stores can be open and it’s up to the owner if they operate today or not (unless other local or state laws interfere.) Your best bet is to call your local liquor store and ask if they are open today or not. Many of these details below are provided by Legal Beer, VinePair, CEI, or are from Wikipedia’s detailed page on alcohol laws here.
If a listing below says that liquor sales are not state-controlled or there are no state restrictions, then it means that liquor stores might be open today, but it’s not guaranteed and you should call. If sales are state-controlled, then liquor stores likely won’t be open today. Where it’s known for certain if stores are closed, it’s indicated.
- Alabama – Some counties don’t allow the sale of alcohol at all. Liquor can be purchased at state-run or private liquor stores. Privately-owned liquor stores tend to be open on public holidays, but it’s not guaranteed. State-owned stores will be closed today.
- Alaska – No specific holiday restrictions.
- Arizona – Alcohol is not state-controlled.
- Arkansas – Closed on Christmas. Note that about 39 out of 75 counties in Arkansas are dry and prohibit alcohol sales completely. Alcohol sales are also banned on Christmas (including wine and beer in grocery stores and sales at bars). The same isn’t true for New Year’s or NYE or Labor Day.
- California – No statewide holiday restrictions.
- Colorado – Closed on Christmas. (Not sold in grocery stores either, but available at restaurants.)
- Connecticut – Closed on Christmas and New Year’s and Thanksgiving. Sales aren’t state-controlled, but take-away alcohol is banned. Bars and restaurants can serve, but not grocery stores.
- D.C. – Sales aren’t state-controlled.
- Delaware – Many closed on Christmas, even though sales aren’t state-controlled. Liquor can’t be sold on Sundays, Thanksgiving, Easter, or Christmas.
- Florida – Sales aren’t state-controlled.
- Georgia – Sales aren’t state-controlled, but some counties don’t allow liquor sales on Christmas anyway.
- Hawaii – Sales aren’t state-controlled.
- Idaho – Closed on Christmas. Spirit sales are state-controlled. Sales are prohibited on Memorial Day, Sundays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. But individual counties can allow sale by the drink. (Beer and wine can be sold.)
- Illinois – No statewide restrictions. Decisions are made by counties or municipalities.
- Indiana – Sales aren’t state-controlled.
- Iowa – Sales are state-controlled, but Iowa has allowed some holiday sales in the past, so you’ll want to call your local liquor store.
- Kansas – Closed on Christmas. It’s not state-controlled, but sales are prohibited on Memorial Day, Labor Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.
- Kentucky – Sales are not state-controlled. But some laws on holiday sales may vary city-to-city.
- Louisiana – Sales aren’t state-controlled, but some parishes limit holiday sales.
- Maine – Sales aren’t state-controlled.
- Maryland – Sales aren’t state-controlled. But some local municipalities may have holiday sales rules.
- Massachusetts – Closed on Christmas. Sales aren’t state-controlled but liquor stores must still be closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
- Michigan – Some sales are state-controlled, but liquor sales may still happen. Call your local store.
- Minnesota – Closed on Christmas and Christmas Eve after 8 p.m. Sales aren’t state-controlled. But sales aren’t allowed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Thanksgiving.
- Mississippi — Closed on Christmas. Sales aren’t state-controlled. But sales aren’t allowed on Christmas or Thanksgiving, for example. (However, booze that has 5 percent or less may be allowed.) You can get free alcohol in 24/7 coastal casinos, according to Legal Beer.
- Missouri – Sales aren’t state-controlled.
- Montana – Some sales are state-controlled.
- Nebraska – Sales aren’t state-controlled.
- Nevada – Sales aren’t state-controlled.
- New Hampshire – Closed on Christmas. Liquor is sold in government-run stores. State-run stores are not open Easter or Christmas or Thanksgiving.
- New Jersey – No statewide restrictions, but there are dry communities.
- New Mexico – Closed on Christmas. Sales aren’t state-controlled, but it’s still closed. You can drink in a bar or restaurant though because it’s takeaway liquor that’s banned.
- New York – Many locations in the state are closed on Christmas, including in New York City. So call ahead.
- North Carolina – Closed on Christmas and starting at 9 p.m. on Christmas Eve. The state statute requires that stores be closed on Sundays and most holidays, which includes Christmas, New Year’s, and Thanksgiving. Sales are state-controlled. However, some liquor laws in the state just loosened on September 1, so it would be worth calling the place you’re thinking of visiting. (For example, grocery stores can sell beer or wine.)
- North Dakota: Sales are “limited” on Christmas (closed after 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve and closed on Christmas Day.) No statewide restrictions. But sales are limited on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Christmas Eve, so call for details.
- Ohio – Closed on Christmas. This is a state-controlled state.
- Oklahoma – Closed on Christmas. No statewide restrictions, but alcohol sales are forbidden on Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Christmas. (Note: Some sources say you can get beer and wine at grocery stores in some locations, so call for details.)
- Oregon – Stores have the option of being open on all state holidays including Christmas.
- Pennsylvania – Closed on Christmas and after 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve. A growing number of grocery stores are selling beer and wine now, but liquor sales are still limited to state-run stores. And those are closed, so call first.
- Rhode Island – No statewide restrictions.
- South Carolina – Closed on Christmas, even though it’s not state-controlled. The law makes it unlawful to sell alcoholic liquor on Christmas Day, Sundays (except as authorized by law), or during periods as declared by the Governor.
- South Dakota – Typically closed on Christmas for liquor sales, but beer and wine are fine. Not state-controlled. As a note, South Dakota law does state: “If the establishment holds an on/off sale malt beverage license in addition to their on sale liquor license, under state law they may sell malt beverages on Memorial Day and Christmas Day. Local ordinances may be more restrictive.”
- Tennessee – Closed on Christmas. Sales aren’t state-controlled. But liquor sales still aren’t allowed on Thanksgiving or Christmas. Businesses can’t “sell or give away any alcoholic beverages” on New Year’s Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving or Christmas.
- Texas – Closed on Christmas. Sales aren’t state-controlled. But liquor stores still aren’t allowed to be open on Christmas or New Year’s or Thanksgiving. This also includes stores, bars, and restaurants.
- Utah – State stores closed on Christmas. Alcohol greater than 4 percent is sold in state-controlled stores only. A brewery or winery could sell if it were open.
- Vermont – Spirit sales are controlled by the state, according to Legal Beer. But liquor stores will be open. Call about hours first.
- Virginia – State-run stores are closed. For the first time two years ago, liquor stores were open on New Year’s Day in 2019. The state-run stores are closed on Christmas and Christmas Eve starting at 6 p.m.
- Washington – Sales are state-controlled. But VinePair says that stores can be open. Call first.
- West Virginia – Closed on Christmas. Sales are state-controlled. But you can drink at a bar or restaurant.
- Wisconsin – Sales aren’t state-controlled. Call first.
- Wyoming — Sales are state-controlled. But VinePair says that stores can be open. Call first.
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