Getty A liquor store in Denver.
If you’re wanting to go to a liquor store on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day 2021, whether you can visit or not depends 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, at their own discretion. Read on for more details.
Some Liquor Stores Are Open for Christmas or Christmas Eve, But Many Are Not
The general rule is that if liquor sales are state-controlled, then those liquor stores are more likely to be closed on Christmas Day and at least close early on Christmas Eve. If the stores in a state are privately owned and not state-controlled, then the stores are more likely to be open and it’s up to the owner (unless local laws interfere.) Your best bet is to call your local liquor store and ask if they are open today or not.
States that do not control liquor sales, and thus are more likely to have open liquor stores today, include Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington D.C., and Wisconsin, according to Legal Beer. But even states that don’t control liquor sales might still have rules closing liquor stores on certain holidays.
Which States Allow Liquor Stores to Be Open on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Here’s a look at local state laws as they pertain to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Many of the details below are provided by Legal Beer, VinePair, or Wikipedia’s detailed page on alcohol laws here.
If a state in the list below says that liquor sales are not state-controlled or there are no specific holiday restrictions, then it means that liquor stores are more likely to be open today. Laws can also change from time to time, which means some information below might, on rare occasions, be outdated. Because individual stores may also have their own guidelines and because laws can change, it’s best to call your local liquor store just to be certain before you visit. But this guide will help give you an overview on what to expect over the holiday in your state.
- Alabama – Some counties don’t allow the sale of alcohol at all. Privately-owned liquor stores tend to be open on public holidays, while state-owned stores are closed. But according to their website, ABC stores are all closed on Christmas Day and open on Christmas Eve.
- Alaska – No specific holiday restrictions. You’ll still want to call before visiting your local liquor store.
- Arizona – Alcohol is not state-controlled so there are no specific restrictions. You’ll still want to call before visiting your local liquor store.
- Arkansas – Roughly 39 out of 75 counties in Arkansas are dry and prohibit alcohol sales completely. Alcohol sales are banned on Christmas but not Christmas Eve. Shamrock Liquor, for example, closes at 10 p.m. on Christmas Eve and is closed Christmas Day.
- California– No statewide holiday restrictions. You’ll still want to call before visiting your local liquor store.
- Colorado – Liquor stores are closed on Christmas but not Christmas Eve, Westword reported. Even grocery stores and gas stations can’t sell liquor to you. There’s one loophole though. Suzanne Karrer, communications supervisor for the Colorado Department of Revenue Liquor & Tobacco Enforcement Division, told Westword: “Retailers licensed for on-premises consumption may conduct alcohol sales (including takeout and delivery sales), as their license type(s) have this ability on Christmas Day under the current statutory framework.” (Most, however, are closed for the holiday anyway.)
- Connecticut – Sales aren’t state-controlled, but liquor stores still have to be closed on Christmas, New Year’s and Thanksgiving. Connecticut law reads: “The sale or dispensing of alcoholic liquor in places operating under package store permits, drug store permits, manufacturer permits for beer, manufacturer permits for beer and brew pubs, manufacturer permits for a farm brewery, manufacturer permits for farm distilleries or grocery store beer permits shall be unlawful on Thanksgiving Day, New Year’s Day or Christmas.”
- D.C. – Sales aren’t state-controlled. You’ll still want to call before visiting your local liquor store.
- Delaware – Sales aren’t state-controlled. But liquor still can’t be sold on Sundays, Thanksgiving, Easter, or Christmas.
- Florida – Sales aren’t state-controlled. Stores may be open, but call to check.
- Georgia – Sales aren’t state-controlled, but some counties don’t allow liquor sales on Christmas anyway. Call to check.
- Hawaii – Sales aren’t state-controlled so stores may be open, but call to check.
- Idaho – Spirit sales are state-controlled. Sales are prohibited on Memorial Day, Sundays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. MixBlendEnjoy.com noted that for Christmas Eve, Idaho State Liquor Division Stores are open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and all contract stores may be open. On Christmas Day, all stores must be closed.
- Illinois – No statewide restrictions. Decisions are made by counties or municipalities. You may want to call before visiting.
- Indiana – Sales aren’t state-controlled, so yes stores are allowed to be open if they wish. Call to check.
- Iowa – Sales are state-controlled, but Iowa has allowed holiday sales in the past, so you’ll want to call your local liquor store about Christmas Eve & Day hours.
- 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. Corn Silk Liquors, for example, is open on Christmas Eve until 8 p.m. but closed on Christmas Day.
- Louisiana – Sales aren’t state-controlled, but some parishes limit Christmas sales. Call to check.
- Maine – Sales aren’t state-controlled so stores can be open if they wish. Call to check.
- Maryland – Sales aren’t state-controlled. But some local municipalities may have holiday sales rules. Call to check. In Montgomery County, you can see all the ABS store hours for today here. Stores are listed as open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closed on Christmas Day.
- Massachusetts – Sales aren’t state-controlled but liquor stores must still be closed on Christmas.
- Michigan – Some sales are state-controlled, but holiday hours are only limited on New Year’s Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Alcoholic beverages shouldn’t be sold between 11:59 p.m. December 24 and 12 p.m. on December 25. Call your local store for details. Normal hours resume on December 26.
- Minnesota – Closed on Christmas and on Christmas Eve after 8 p.m. Sales aren’t state-controlled. But sales are restricted on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Thanksgiving.
- Mississippi — Sales aren’t state-controlled. But sales aren’t allowed on Christmas Day at package stores. There aren’t restrictions for Christmas Eve.
- Missouri – Sales aren’t state-controlled, so local stores can be open if they wish. Call to check.
- Montana – Some sales are state-controlled. Montana requires state agency franchise liquor stores to be closed on Labor Day, New Year’s Day, MLK, President’s Day, Memorial Day, July 4, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day (but not Christmas Eve.) Call to check.
- Nebraska – Sales aren’t state-controlled, so local stores can be open if they wish. Call to check.
- Nevada – Sales aren’t state-controlled, so local stores can be open if they wish. Call to check.
- New Hampshire – Liquor is sold in government-run stores. State-run stores are not open on Christmas Day (but can be on Christmas Eve.)
- New Jersey – No statewide restrictions, but there are dry communities, so call first.
- New Mexico – Laws have recently changed in New Mexico, so you’ll want to call your local store to determine its hours. Santa Fe New Mexican reported that a “new law lifts restrictions on Sunday, Christmas Day and Election Day alcohol sales.” Exactly how this works is difficult to determine, so call your local store first. For example, Total Wine in Albuquerque is open on Christmas Eve but closed on Christmas Day.
- New York – No statewide restrictions. Some local areas may have restrictions, so call ahead.
- North Carolina – 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. No ABC store can be open on Christmas Day.
- North Dakota: No statewide restrictions. But sales are limited on Thanksgiving and Christmas. So some stores may close early on Christmas Eve. Call before visiting.
- Ohio – No sales on Christmas.
- Oklahoma – Closed on Christmas. No statewide restrictions, but alcohol sales are forbidden on Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Christmas.
- Oregon – Stores have the option of being open on all state holidays including Christmas, so call first.
- Pennsylvania – Any Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board store is closed on Christmas. Stores can be open on Christmas Eve until 6 p.m.
- Rhode Island – According to Rhode Island law: “Places operating under a retail Class A license are not authorized to be open for the sale of alcoholic beverages upon Christmas Day, Thanksgiving Day and New Year’s Day.” (Class A license includes liquor stores, the site notes.)
- 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. 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.” (So you might want to call first to be sure.)
- Tennessee – Sales aren’t state-controlled. In the past, wine and alcohol sales weren’t allowed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s, Waller Law reported. However, a February 12, 2021, bill authorized the sale of alcoholic beverages on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter for alcohol retailers (and the sale of wine on those same holidays for retail food stores.) So call your local store to confirm hours.
- 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. Because Texas also doesn’t let liquor stores be open on Sundays, stores won’t reopen until Monday, WFAA reported. However, they can be open on Christmas Eve. For example, Goody Goody, Sigel’s, and Total Wine will be open into the evening in many locations.
- Utah – State stores closed on Christmas. KUTV reported that on Christmas Eve, stores can be open from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. and then they are closed Christmas Day and on Sunday.
- Vermont – Spirit sales are controlled by the state, according to Legal Beer. But liquor stores can be open. Call about hours first.
- Virginia – Sales are state-controlled. The state-run stores (all Virginia ABC stores) are closed on Christmas Day and will close at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve. They can reopen on December 26.
- Washington – Sales are state-controlled. But VinePair says that stores can be open. Call first.
- West Virginia – Sales are state-controlled. 12WBOY reported that alcohol can’t be sold on Christmas Day or on Easter Sunday.
- Wisconsin – Sales aren’t state-controlled, but call first.
- Wyoming — Sales are state-controlled but some stores are open. Call first.
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