Shops close on Christmas Day primarily due to legal restrictions, such as the Christmas Day (Trading) Act 2004 in England and Wales which prohibits large stores (>280 sqm) from opening. This legislation, combined with high demand for staff holidays, ensures employees can spend the day with family. Many smaller, independent shops may choose to close as well.
Is it a legal requirement to have Christmas Day off?
Check your employment contract
Whether or not you have to work on Christmas Day will depend on your contract of employment. This is usually a written document but it does not have to be; the terms can also be found in what is implied through custom and practice.
The public holidays in New South Wales are Christmas Day (Thursday, December 25), Boxing Day (Friday, December 26) and New Year's Day (Thursday, January 1). Under the Retail Trading Act 2008, New South Wales businesses cannot open unless they have an exemption from NSW Fair Trading.
On Christmas Day, small shops (under 280 sq meters), petrol stations, pharmacies, and businesses in airports/rail stations/motorway services, plus hospitality venues (restaurants, pubs, takeaways), are generally allowed to open in the UK, while large supermarkets and high-street stores (over 280 sq meters) must remain closed in England and Wales due to the Christmas Day (Trading) Act 2004. However, many smaller businesses and hospitality venues choose to close to give staff the holiday, so checking local times is always best.
It's not illegal for shops to be open on Sunday in the UK, but large stores (over 280 sq m) have restrictions, allowing only 6 continuous hours between 10 am-6 pm and requiring closure on Easter Sunday & Christmas Day; small shops have no restrictions, while various types like pharmacies, pubs, farm shops, and petrol stations are exempt, all under the Sunday Trading Act 1994, notes the Bolton Council and GOV.UK.
What’s Open on Christmas Day? Retail Stores, Theaters, More
Why do Sunday trading laws still exist?
The government says there are no plans to change the law. Sunday Trading regulations date back to the Sunday Fares Act of 1488, when the last day of the week was traditionally a religious day of rest.
Yes, in England and Wales, large shops (over 280 sq metres) must legally close on Christmas Day due to the Christmas Day (Trading) Act 2004, with exemptions for smaller shops (under 280 sq metres), pharmacies, and shops in transport hubs. Similar laws exist in Scotland (Christmas Day and New Year's Day Trading (Scotland) Act 2007).
No, not all McDonald's locations close on Christmas; many remain open with reduced hours, but it varies by franchise, so you must check your local store using the McDonald's app or restaurant locator on their website to confirm if your specific restaurant will be open on Christmas Day.
Friday, December 25th, is a federal banking holiday. The Federal Reserve pauses ACH payments on all federal holidays, which can delay direct deposit payments. If your payday falls on or immediately after this holiday, you may need to run payroll one business day early to avoid paying employees late.
Yes, some pubs do open on Christmas Day, but it varies greatly; many open for limited hours (often lunch only, e.g., 12-3 pm) or offer pre-booked Christmas lunch, while many others close entirely to give staff the day off, so you need to check with specific pubs well in advance. Expect shorter hours and booking requirements if they are open, as it's a popular, but limited, offering.
The 90% rule in Forex is a cautionary saying that roughly 90% of new traders lose 90% of their capital within the first 90 days, highlighting the high failure rate in retail trading due to lack of discipline, education, and risk management, rather than a fixed statistical law. It emphasizes that Forex is a difficult skill requiring a business-like approach with proper strategy, patience, and emotional control to succeed.
Can I get sacked for refusing to work on Christmas Day?
If an individual's employment contract obligates them to work on Christmas day, they generally cannot refuse. Doing so could lead to their employment being terminated due to a breach of contract. Instead, the employee could request the day off as annual leave or attempt to swap shifts with a colleague.
Can you get fired for refusing to work on your day off?
Firing an employee during his or her day off is a complicated question in employment law. Unfortunately for most workers the answer is: yes. You can be fired on your day off for refusing to show up at work if your employer asks you to come.
In 1647 Parliament passed an Ordinance which resulted in the complete abolition of Christmas celebrations. That the said Feast of the Nativity of Christ, Easter and Whitsuntide and all other Festival days, commonly called Holy-dayes, be no longer observed … within this Kingdom of England …
No, McDonald's generally does not pay double on Christmas Day; most employees receive their standard hourly rate, as the company (especially in the UK) has a policy against extra holiday pay, though individual franchise owners in the U.S. might offer time-and-a-half, so it depends on the specific location and contract.
Yes, some KFCs in the UK are open on Christmas Day, but the majority are closed, so you must check the "Find a KFC" page on their website for your specific location's seasonal hours, as it varies significantly, with about 80-90 branches typically opening for limited dine-in, drive-thru, and sometimes delivery (via apps like Uber Eats/Deliveroo).
Yes, many Wetherspoons pubs are open on Christmas Day, but typically with limited hours (around 11 AM to 3 PM) and for drinks only, with food usually unavailable except in airport locations. You'll need to check the specific pub's listing on the JD Wetherspoon website or local news for exact times and confirmation, as not all branches participate.
Lower liquidity – Although extended-hours trading has increased, it's still small compared to the number of transactions that take place during prime trading hours. If you're trying to buy or sell during certain hours, you might find fewer counterparties, making it more difficult to execute a trade.
No, working on all of the designated Bank Holidays over Christmas and New Year is voluntary for all staff (whether day or night staff) in all Tesco stores, irrespective of their start date with the Company. You can choose to book off any contracted shifts that fall on a Bank Holiday using your holiday allowance.
Why don't your stores open longer on a Sunday? In England and Wales, the Sunday Trading Act 1994 means all stores over 3000 square feet have to be registered for Sunday Trading with their local authority. These stores can only open on a selected 6 hours on a Sunday between 10am and 6pm.
What was it called when everything was closed on Sunday?
Blue laws (also known as Sunday laws, Sunday trade laws, and Sunday closing laws) are laws restricting or banning certain activities on specified days, usually Sundays in the western world. The laws were adopted originally for religious reasons, specifically to promote the observance of the Christian day of worship.
