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Stores Open on Christmas Day

by Jon Azpiri | December 25, 2008 at 08:52 am

37407 views | 22 Recommendations | 6 comments

While most of us will be spending time with family and friends on Dec. 25, some will no doubt want to know what stores are open on Christmas Day.

So what is open on Christmas Day? While there are no hard and fast rules, there are several national chains that plan to be open for business on Christmas Day. But be sure to call ahead to ensure that the store or restaurant in your area is open on Christmas Day.

If you're looking for a quick cup of coffee to start Christmas Day, Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts should be open on Christmas. If you're looking for breakfast, the International House of Pancakes (IHOP) should be open as is Denny's.

If you're driving, Flying J and TA truck Stops should be open for a quick pit stop.

A few drugstores like CVS, Walgreens and Rite-Aid will be open for business.

Many large grocery store chains like Safeway, A&P, ShopRite, and Ralphs may be open in the afternoon.

As for restaurants open on Christmas, TGI Friday's and Chili's are good bets. And, of course, Chinese restaurants are almost always among the places open on Christmas.

Chinese restaurants are among the few that are open on Christmas Day, and many are packed with patrons, especially non-Christians for whom the holiday is just another day.

"For years, I've told everyone my best day is always Christmas Day," said Emily Crell, who owns Forbidden City in Virginia Beach.

Crell, a restaurateur for 30 years, said customers have already made reservations for Christmas Day. "I'd highly recommend, even for two people, that they call ahead," she said. "We'll be busy."

The notion of Chinese restaurants as the dining-out option of last resort on Dec. 25 was captured in the 1983 movie "A Christmas Story," in which a family orders duck at a Chinese eatery after a neighbor's dogs steal their Christmas turkey.

If you want to rent a DVD of A Christmas Story or It's a Wonderful Life (as if they're not on TV enough), Blockbuster Video should be open on Xmas Day.

Of course, the grandaddy of all stores open on Christmas is 7-Eleven, the convenience store chain that prides itself on being open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Many crazed shoppers have found themselves in a 7-Eleven looking for ultra-last minute gifts. Many also come in looking for ingredients that they forgot to buy the day before.

If you're looking to go to 7-Eleven to buy alcohol, you may be out of luck.

The 7-Eleven convenience store on Airport Road in Waterford Township never closes. Staff who have worked past Christmases know what will sell today.

“Butter, a lot of butter,” said 7-Eleven spokeswoman Amy Hollandsworth.

“Pop, gift cards, lottery tickets, bread, eggnog, necessities and last-minute cooking items like oil and sugar,” she said.

Sid, the store’s operational manager, who did not wish to give his last name, said many customers don’t realize alcohol cannot be sold on Dec. 25.

“It makes everybody mad, but it’s the state law,” he said.

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Uwe Paschen

at 09:18 on December 25th, 2008

Do the employes get Bonus Pay like in Germany working on Holidays you make 3 times you usual wage if you work on Holidays and over time is 2 time the wage and if you work over time on holidays well then it is 6 times the wage. Some what why most stay closed over the holidays. I like that law.

Fairbanks

at 14:28 on December 25th, 2008

Paschen - If you have a union contract there would be an overtime and holiday clause like that. Otherwise there is minimum wage from the State and that's it.