Stores Open On Christmas Day 2009? Walmart, Target, Best Buy All Closed Today

Any stores open on Christmas Day? It's sure to be a popular question today, Dec. 25, 2009.

The answer is: no, not really.

Major retailers like Walmart, Target and Best Buy have all closed their doors for Christmas Day 2009, but they will reopen in the morning on Saturday, Dec. 26.

Christmas is a bit different than Thanksgiving this year, which had stores like Walmart, Kmart and other places open.

However, many retailers are banking on Christmas Day sales on the Web. Some are even offering discounts so that's worth looking into if you feel the need to shop.

While most national chains are closed, a few places like Starbucks and IHOP will be open and some local businesses may be open.

Local newspapers are the best way to find out what's open around you. They're compiling roundups of businesses open today, like this list for businesses open today in Nashville, this one of restaurants open in Fort Collins, Colorado, and this compilation of things to do in Gainesville, Florida.

Comments

[redplanet]

06:11 AM on 12/28/2009

I love San Francisco on Christmas. You can drive all over, park anywhere, there are plenty of restaurants and cafes that are open and tons of people in Union Square at the ice skating rink. The little beach is a great place to walk, or you can go over the bridge, walk through Chinatown, whatever. There are just enough people around to make it nice but not crowded like a normal day. It's great. Parking in North Beach and beside the St. Francis..oh, how sweet it was!

Macy's etc all closed but they bore me anyway. I went to shops in Chinatown I usually ignore. About half the restaurants in North Beach were open. (guesstimate). Had a great time.

[Carrie-On]

08:45 AM on 12/27/2009

Some of us find it refreshing when we're not bombarded by CHRISTMAS. Not everyone is a Christian, in spite of being an American. This so-called spiritual extremism in American is getting to be too much, but also of great concern - one person's right is another's loss - but when it come to the 25th of December, the Christians have made it one money-making season, not a day! That's spirituality? FWIW, I cannot abide that mentality.

[brooklyncitizen]

02:02 PM on 12/27/2009

Christmas is really fully commercial and it's important that you separate the two. Many of my Jewish friends get trees and gifts for their kids and friends. It is something the culture can participate in if it so desires.

To observe it as a religious Holiday is entirely deifferent and private matter rather than a public event . FOr example many of us observe rituals of the Advent , a full month of preparation before Christmas arrives. Many of us go to service on either Christmas Eve or Day.Many of us also observe the Epiphany on January 6th, none of these observations are commercial or publicized.

Lastly I find it strange how threatened people are by Christmas. It's like being threatenned by Halloween and Thanksgiving.It's a choice to participate.

[PoliticalJunkie65]

08:31 PM on 12/27/2009

I agree on all counts.

My best friend, who is Sikh, has Christmas lights up, a tree, gives his kids gifts, the whole deal.

Christmas DOES NOT have to be Christian...in fact, I'm a Christian but I have never celebrated it for the birth of Christ (I know, I know, it's March or April the real birthday) and I don't think any of my friends do either. In fact, I don't have a single friend who goes to church for Christmas.

Enjoy it as a day off, a day for family to get together (and fight :-) ) and relax.

[vito98103]

09:03 PM on 12/26/2009

Non-story of the year?

[YellowDogInRedCounty]

08:27 PM on 12/26/2009

I remember the "old days" when stores would be closed on Easter, New Years Day and any other holiday. Now they are open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas and it's not long before they start opening on those days as well. They might as well...after all, why stay closed on a day when almost everyone is off work?

[unami]

07:22 PM on 12/26/2009

(''Work Sets You Free)''

[MNJim]

08:31 PM on 12/26/2009

LOL! Ja! Arbeit Macht Frei.

[wdw505]

12:54 PM on 12/26/2009

it is another day why not be open if they think they could make money go for it

[oldandintheway1]

10:41 AM on 12/26/2009

In my ( much checkered ) Past i spent eight years in Retail ( not for WalMart). I go to where i HATED Christmas, having ot deal with rude, exasperated customers all day and STILL keep up some semblance of Chrstmas spirit took its toll. We too heard rumors about Christmas day openings,
never happened. As for "EXTRA" pay, the only people who would get that pay would be part timers, which is who is hired these days; IF , you could actually find someone who would be willing to work.

[basenji]

10:39 PM on 12/25/2009

The Apple store on Fifth Ave. NEVER closes. It's open 24x7x365.

[MSMSucksCom]

09:35 PM on 12/25/2009

Well I said long ago that it will be just a matter of time before all stores are open Christmas day.

It's a win win for everyone.

Retailers sell.

Many employees want the holiday pay, that here in California can be time and a half or double time (so if someone makes $20 an hour, they can make $40 an hour on XMAS.

Consumers get bailed out, to get that last minute gift or whatever.

Like anything else, society is getting over old traditions. One was that it was sacrilegious to be open Christmas day. People would rather have the stores open.

Here in San Francisco each year more and more stores of all type are open. Used to be the town was shut down. Today all Walgreen's are open. They have a pretty full lineup of gifts people can get, including electronics, cosmetics, gadgets and even appliances.

Next year Walgreen's competitors will say "No way we are going to let Walgreen's make all the money. We are going to be open that day. Volunteers to work?"

[SonofLiberty1]

11:48 PM on 12/25/2009

Look at it this way....

Christmas and Thanksgiving are holidays. A holiday is a day that you are paid NOT to work ie you don't have to work and if you must you get compensated for it.

Now, I very much doubt that retailers will ever open on Christmas day, but anything can happen in California but California is NOT the rest of the Universe.

Restaurants and convenience stores certainly as well as movie theatres.

What I am sure of is that some retailers will keep "pushing the envelope" and open say earlier on "Black Friday".

Trust me, I'm from a retailing family.

[ConservativeAthiest]

06:27 AM on 12/27/2009

Not at all true. I live in a small town in nowhere Missouri and Walgreens was open here on Christmas. Walmart was closed and most of the small mom-n-pop shops were closed but many restaurants and other stores were open for business.

Not everyone gets "Holiday Pay" for being off on the holidays. Smaller businesses can't afford to pay employees not to work every time the state or federal government decides there needs to be yearly mass recognition of some event... and not every business owner feels compelled to pay employees to observe their religious beliefs.

Labor laws also do not require that ANY employer must pay an employee for time not worked. http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/workhours/holidays.htm

[lislbc]

01:11 AM on 12/26/2009

I don't disagree that stores-open is an inevitable reality. For starters, there are millions of non-christian Americans for whom it is any other day. Poor example on the wages though. Nobody in retail is making anything like $20 an hour.

[SueW0]

09:33 PM on 12/25/2009

Walgreens was open. And it was pretty darn busy!

[MSMSucksCom]

09:39 PM on 12/25/2009

LOL we both commented on that.

Guess that makes it a newsworthy event.

I have to head over there right now to get some Ben and Jerrys. We ran out and people came to bowls, I mean blows. I broke it up, but only by saying I would get some more at Walgreen's.

[JoyceBains]

01:36 PM on 12/25/2009

What about restaurants? I'm STARVING. Cooked for 14 people (we hold our celebration on Christmas Eve) and I don't want to even look at a pot or pan. God bless Waffle House!!!