Is the stock market open on Christmas Eve?
Stock Market · Christmas Eve
Open
Yes — but it's a half day: when December 24 is a trading day, the stock market closes at 1pm ET.
Christmas Eve isn't a holiday on the exchange calendar; it's a shortened session. Stocks open at 9:30am ET and stop at 1pm ET, and the bond market runs an hour longer on SIFMA's recommended 2pm ET close.
There's one year in the cycle where the half day disappears. When Christmas Day falls on a Saturday, the exchanges close the preceding Friday for the holiday itself — and that Friday is December 24, so the market is shut rather than short. Banks stay open on Christmas Eve either way.
| Holiday | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Christmas Eve | Thursday, December 24, 2026 | Closes 1pm ET Shortened session on Christmas Eve. |
| Christmas Day | Friday, December 25, 2026 | Closed |
| Christmas Day | Friday, December 24, 2027 | Closed Christmas falls on Saturday, so the market closes Friday December 24. |
What else on Christmas Eve?
| Who | Status |
|---|---|
| Banks | Open Yes — banks are open on Christmas Eve, though some branches close early. |
| Mail & the Post Office | Open Yes — mail is delivered on Christmas Eve, though some post office lobbies close early. |
| UPS | Varies It depends on direction — UPS delivers on Christmas Eve, but there's no Ground pickup. |
| FedEx | Varies Yes — FedEx delivers on Christmas Eve, with Ground pickups modified. |
| Federal Offices | Varies It depends — December 24 is normally a regular workday for federal offices, but in some years it isn't. |
| Schools | Closed No — December 24 falls inside winter break in nearly every district. |
Questions people ask
What time does the stock market close on Christmas Eve?
1pm ET when December 24 is a trading day. The bond market closes at 2pm ET on SIFMA's recommendation.
Is the market ever fully closed on Christmas Eve?
Yes — in years when Christmas Day falls on a Saturday. The exchanges close the Friday before, which is December 24, so there's no half session that year.
Checked against the NYSE holiday calendar, verified August 2026. When a schedule for a new year has not been published yet, this page says so — it never guesses.