In our imaginations, Christmas dinner always runs smoothly, without a hitch. But in real life, our kids all catch colds, milk curdles in our coffee and we forget to buy the fresh sage for a Roasted Sage Turkey with Vegetable Gravy. That’s when the pajamas come off, the yoga pants go on and we run to the store for cold medicine, creamer and a handful of herbs.
Fortunately, there are stores open Christmas Day! Here are the ones you’re most likely to visit—but be sure to check with your location for their holiday hours before heading out.
Grocery Stores
- Albertsons: Most locations will be open on Christmas between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
- Giant: Most locations will be open Christmas between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
- Ralph’s: Some locations will be open on Christmas, so check your local store for hours.
- Safeway: Like Ralph’s, some Safeway locations will be open on Christmas, so check your local store for hours.
- Whole Foods: A handful of Whole Foods stores have Christmas hours.
Here are all the grocery stores open on Thanksgiving, too.
Gas Stations and Convenience Stores
- 7-Eleven: Most 7-Elevens continue their usual 24/7 schedule on Christmas Day.
- Cumberland Farms: Not only are all Cumby’s stores open Christmas Day (between 7 a.m. and midnight), but the locations in the Northeast and Florida like to give away hot coffee and cocoa on Christmas.
- Circle K: Most should be open 24/7 on Christmas, like every other day of the year.
- Speedway: Most Speedway locations will stay open 24/7 as per usual.
- Wawa: This is another 24/7 chain that doesn’t close for Christmas. Here’s why people are obsessed with Wawa.
Drugstores
- CVS: Many CVS stores, including the pharmacy in the store, are open 24/7, but on Christmas, the hours are shorter. Most will be open between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.
- Walgreens: Most Walgreens locations are open on Christmas Day. Some will be open 24/7 as per usual, and those locations that aren’t generally open 24/7 will have limited hours (likely between 10 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.).
- Duane Reade: The sister store to Walgreens, Duane Reade follows the same holiday hours.
- Rite Aid: Most Rite Aid stores are open 24/7 and will remain open as per usual on Christmas Day.
Other Essentials
- Family Dollar: You can buy all sorts of surprising foods at dollar stores. Well, that’s true on Christmas Day too at most Family Dollar Stores. Many are open 24/7, while some have limited hours.
- Starbucks: Go for a hot Vanilla Latte or the gifts like music and coffee mugs. Starbucks will be open on Christmas this year, but you’ll want to double-check your local cafe’s hours before you leave.
You should be able to find everything your family needs for a Merry Christmas!
50 Last-Minute Christmas Dinner Ideas
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Potluck Sausage Casserole
Whenever my husband digs in to this pasta casserole full of Italian sausage and veggies, he gets a big smile on his face. I love that! —Jane Davis, Marion, Indiana
Perfect Winter Salad
This is my most-requested salad recipe. Serve it as a side salad along with your holiday meal, or enjoy it for lunch the next day with cubed turkey or chicken on top. —DeNae Shewmake, Burnsville, Minnesota
Christmas Meatballs
Cranberry sauce and brown sugar create a tangy glaze for moist meatballs that are good as an appetizer or as a main dish over rice. We love them so much, I prepare them year-round. —Joyce Bentley, Redlands, California
Beef Tenderloin in Mushroom Sauce
Just a skillet, a couple juicy steaks, fresh mushrooms and a few simple ingredients prove it doesn't take much fuss to fix a special meal for two. —Denise McNab, Warminster, Pennsylvania
Creamy Sweet Potatoes
I took my mother's delicious sweet potato casserole recipe and gave it a new twist by adding the tempting taste of orange-a fruit very abundant in our state. The flavors are wonderful together and make this dish a family favorite. —Norma Poole, Auburndale, Florida
Spiced Salmon
This delicious, moist fish is very quick and easy to prepare. It gets a little sweetness from brown sugar but overall the seasonings are mild and give this dish broad appeal. It's a great way to enjoy healthy salmon. —Donna Reynolds, Innisfail, Alberta
Homemade Chicken Potpie
Why look for potpie in the frozen food aisle when this easy homemade chicken potpie tastes much better? Under its golden-brown crust, you'll find the ultimate comfort food for kids and adults. —Amy Briggs, Gove, Kansas
Holiday Green Bean Casserole
Try this green bean casserole and you'll never go back to the old stuff. — Laura Fall-Sutton, Buhl, Idaho
Provolone Beef Pastry Pockets
My children always make sure they're home when they find out we're having these pockets for dinner. They're a smart way to use leftover pot roast. —Karen Burkett, Reseda, California
Bow Ties with Gorgonzola Sauce
The name may sound fancy, but this pasta dish is comforting and simple to prepare. Add a mixed green salad to make it a complete meal for any occasion. —Nadine Mesch, Mount Healthy, Ohio
Shredded Gingered Brussels Sprouts
Even people who normally don't care for Brussels sprouts will ask for a second helping of these. —James Schend, Taste of Home Deputy Editor
Cider-Glazed Pork Tenderloin
This is a super-easy recipe full of sweet fall flavor. The maple flavor really shines through. —Susan Stetzel, Gainesville, New York
Sausage-Stuffed Butternut Squash
Load butternut squash shells with an Italian turkey sausage and squash mixture for a quick and easy meal. Even better, it's surprisingly low in calories. —Katia Slinger, Columbus, Georgia
Nanny's Parmesan Mashed Potatoes
My grandsons rave over these creamy potatoes loaded with Parmesan. That’s all the endorsement I need. Sometimes I use golden or red potatoes, with skins on. —Kallee Krong-McCreery, Escondido, California
Creamy Spinach & Rigatoni Bake
Macaroni and cheese is one of the ultimate comfort foods, but go ahead and give an Italian twist here. —Tammy Rex, New Tripoli, Pennsylvania
Roasted Green Beans with Lemon & Walnuts
I first tasted roasted green beans in a Chinese restaurant and fell in love with the texture and flavor. This is my Americanized version and it's always a big hit at our holiday table. —Lily Julow, Lawrenceville, Georgia
Garlic Chicken with Herbs
Pan-roasting garlic cloves turns them into rich, creamy deliciousness. This chicken is fantastic with crusty Italian bread or mashed potatoes on the side. —Kathy Fleming, Lisle, Illinois
Garlic-Herb Pattypan Squash
The first time I grew a garden, I harvested summer squash and cooked it with garlic and herbs. Using pattypan squash is a creative twist. —Kaycee Mason, Siloam Springs, Arkansas
Garlic Herbed Beef Tenderloin
You don't need much seasoning to add flavor to this beef tenderloin recipe. The mild blending of rosemary, basil and garlic does the trick. —Ruth Andrewson, Leavenworth, Washington
Smoked Sausage & Potato Dressing
I tried this recipe for Thanksgiving. My husband is a picky eater, but he ate more of the stuffing than the turkey! If you have leftovers, top some with an over-easy egg for breakfast. —Adriana Torres, El Paso, Texas
White Cheddar Mac & Cheese
My mac and cheese is simple and has lots of flavor from the cheeses and ground chipotle chile. I use conchiglie pasta because its shape allows more melted cheese to pool inside. Yum! —Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia
Thymed Zucchini Saute
Simple and flavorful, this recipe is a tasty and healthy way to use up all those zucchini that are taking over your garden. It's ready in no time! —Bobby Taylor, Ulster Park, New York
Holiday Brussels Sprouts
Make Brussels sprouts special with peas, celery and, of course, bacon. The recipe doubles easily if needed. —Jodie Beckman, Council Bluffs, Iowa
Parmesan Chicken with Lemon Rice
I like the challenge of inventing recipes with ingredients I have on hand. This easy-peasy meal fits the bill. —Colleen Doucette, Truro, Nova Scotia
Broccoli with Asiago
This is one of the best (and most simple) ways I’ve found to serve broccoli. It’s also good with Parmesan if you don’t have the Asiago cheese. —cjintexas, Tasteofhome.com, Community
Skillet Steak Supper
With all of the ingredients cooked in one skillet, this steak dish couldn't be quicker to prepare...or clean up! But the wine and mushroom sauce makes it seem special. —Sandra Fisher, Monroe, Washington
Artichoke Florentine Pasta
Pasta loaded with artichokes and creamy cheese is everything a Sunday dinner should be: rich, tasty and memorable. Add cooked chicken, shrimp or crab if you like. —Nancy Beckman, Helena, Montana
Pepper Parmesan Beans
A colorful mixture of peppers and green beans gets an Italian treatment with basil and Parmesan cheese in this delightful vegetable dish. The garlic adds a savory zip. —Marian Platt, Sequim, Washington
Tenderloin with Horseradish Cream Cheese
My husband and I both love the classic combination of beef and horseradish. He asks me to make this for dinner often, and I'm always happy to. Try serving with baked potatoes as a side.—Mary Lou Cook, Welches, Oregon
Classic Beef Wellingtons
Perfect for holidays, this beef wellington is also impressively easy. Find ready-made puff pastry sheets in the frozen food section. —Kerry Dingwall, Ponte Vedra, Florida
Cauliflower Au Gratin
This dish will make a vegetable lover out of anyone. Whenever I serve it, everyone just raves about it and asks for the recipe. Sometimes I'll substitute broccoli for all or half of the cauliflower, and it tastes just as good! —Jacki Ricci, Ely, Nevada
Chicken-Pepper Alfredo
When I want a lighter dinner, I use lean turkey bacon in this recipe. It gives the pasta that richness you want without all the extra fat. —Courtney Harris, Denton, Texas
Danish Meatballs with Pan Gravy
My great-grandmother made these meatballs, and I'm sure her mother must have taught her. Six generations have enjoyed them, and one of my daughters even served them at her wedding. —Kallee Krong-McCreery, Escondido, California
Roasted Tater Rounds with Green Onions & Tarragon
I am crazy for potatoes, especially when they're roasted and toasted. Toss them with fresh herbs and green onions for a bold finish. —Ally Phillips, Murrells Inlet, South Carolina
Gingered Honey Salmon
Ginger, garlic powder and green onion blend nicely in an easy marinade that gives pleasant flavor to salmon. We also like to use this versatile mixture when grilling chicken, but we've found it tastes even better when marinated in the fridge overnight. —Dan Strumberger, Farmington, Minnesota
Tenderloin Steak Diane
Sometimes, I add more mushrooms to this recipe when my son's eating dinner—he loves them, and they are just fantastic with the steak. — Carolyn Turner, Reno, Nevada
Creamy Parmesan Spinach Bake
This creamy, comforting side dish wonderfully rounds out any holiday dinner. Just a little of this rich casserole goes a long way. —Jennifer Bley, Austin, Texas
Creamy Sausage-Mushroom Rigatoni
In Rome, we dined near the Pantheon. The amazing restaurant is now history, but its memory lives on in this tasty pasta with mushrooms and sausage. —Barbara Roozrokh, Brookfield, Wisconsin
Loaded Red Potato Casserole
This potato casserole has the same flavor of the potato skins you can order as a restaurant appetizer. It's an ideal dish for tailgating and potlucks. —Charlane Gathy, Lexington, Kentucky
Blue Cheese-Crusted Sirloin Steaks
My wife adores this steak—and me when I fix it for her. She thinks it’s the ideal dish for Friday night after a long workweek. —Michael Rouse, Minot, North Dakota
Chicken Potpie Casserole
I always have leftover chicken broth on hand and use it for many things, including this comforting family favorite. You can bake your own biscuits, like I do, or buy them at the store. I like to bake extra biscuits to eat with butter and jam. —Liliane Jahnke, Cypress, Texas
Cheesy Cheddar Broccoli Casserole
People who don’t even like broccoli casseroles beg me to make this comforting broccoli cheese casserole recipe. It's similar to a classic green bean casserole, but the melted cheese just puts it over the top. —Elaine Hubbard, Pocono Lake, Pennsylvania
Tomato & Artichoke Bruschetta
A healthy and refreshing appetizer, I enjoy bruschetta anytime of year. For serving guests, I like to slice the garlic instead of chopping it for both beauty and flavor infusion. This is also a simple make-ahead dish: You can mix it up, cover and refrigerate for a few hours before serving.—Gina Bergamino, Chanhassen, Minnesota
Roasted Beef Tenderloin
An overnight marinade provides a savory seasoning for this tenderloin. I've served this simple elegant roast on many special occasions. —Schelby Thompson, Camden Wyoming, Delaware
Skillet Sausage Stuffing
I dressed up a package of stuffing mix with pork sausage, mushrooms, celery and onion to make this stuffing. It impressed my in-laws at a family gathering and has since become a popular side dish with my husband and children. —Jennifer Lynn Cullen, Taylor, Michigan
Seafood-Stuffed Salmon Fillets
You could get stuffed salmon from a big-box store, but my fillets are loaded with flavor from crab, cream cheese and savory herbs. We love them. —Mary Cokenour, Monticello, Utah
Garlic-Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Mustard Sauce
Don’t be afraid to bring out the Brussels sprouts. Mellowed by roasting and tossed with mustard sauce, they may just delight even the most skeptical folks. —Becky Walch, Orland, California
Brussels Sprouts au Gratin
In our house, Brussels sprouts have always been popular. When I topped them with a creamy sauce, Swiss cheese and bread crumbs, it became a new holiday dinner tradition. —Gwen Gregory, Rio Oso, California
Sweet & Tangy Salmon with Green Beans
I'm always up for new ways to cook salmon. In this dish, a sweet sauce gives the fish and green beans some down-home barbecue tang. Even our kids love it. —Aliesha Caldwell, Robersonville, North Carolina
Potato Stuffing Casserole
I adapted this recipe from a Pennsylvania Dutch cookbook, and it's indicative of the fine German cooking found in this area. If you're looking for an alternative to mashed potatoes, try this dish. —Elsa Kerschner, Kunkletown, Pennsylvania
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Lauren Cahn