What Stores Are Open on Christmas Day? Ireland 2025 Guide

If you’re doing a last-minute inventory check on December 24th, chances are you’ve already spotted the longer queues and extended checkouts at your local supermarket. The good news is that most Irish retailers do extend their hours in the lead-up to Christmas. The catch: every major chain closes its doors completely on December 25th. Here’s what you need to know about store hours across Ireland for Christmas 2025.

Major Irish supermarkets on Christmas Day: All closed · Tesco Ireland Christmas Day: Closed · Dunnes Stores Christmas Day: Closed · Lidl Ireland Christmas Day: Closed · St. Stephen’s Day majority: Closed, limited exceptions

Are shops open on Christmas Day in Ireland?

The short answer is no — not for any major supermarket chain. Every significant retailer in the Republic of Ireland closes on December 25th. This applies to Tesco, Aldi, Lidl, Dunnes Stores, SuperValu, and Marks & Spencer alike.

The general rule across Irish retail is that all stores remain closed on Christmas Day and St Stephen’s Day, according to extra.ie. Lidl Ireland officially confirms this on its own website, making it the most authoritative source for that particular chain. The policy isn’t just about tradition — retailers explicitly note it gives staff a proper break over the holidays.

What about exceptions in Dublin? Smaller convenience stores attached to petrol stations, such as some M&S franchise locations within Applegreen garages, may operate under their host location’s hours rather than standard M&S policy. However, these are limited exceptions rather than the rule.

Major supermarket chains

Six chains dominate Irish grocery retail, and all follow the same Christmas Day closure policy:

• Tesco Ireland Superstores — closed nationwide (Meath Chronicle)
• Aldi Ireland — over 160 stores closed nationwide
• Lidl Ireland — confirmed closed via official site (Lidl Ireland)
• Dunnes Stores — all locations closed
• SuperValu Ireland — all independently owned stores closed
• Marks & Spencer Ireland — 41 Food Stores closed (extra.ie)

Opening hours vary by individual store and type, particularly for Tesco and SuperValu where store formats range from express convenience shops to full superstores.

Exceptions in Dublin

Dublin follows the same national pattern for major chains, but some franchise operations operate under different rules. Marks & Spencer franchise stores located within Applegreen garage shops set their hours based on the host location rather than M&S corporate policy.

Legal restrictions

Retail trading laws in Ireland restrict operations on certain holidays, which is why you won’t find any major supermarket attempting to open on Christmas Day. This differs from some UK regions — Scotland, for example, allows some stores to open on Boxing Day, whereas Ireland maintains uniform closures across the holiday period.

Is Tesco closed on Christmas Day?

Yes. Tesco Ireland superstores are closed nationwide on Christmas Day 2025. This applies to all formats — express stores, superstores, and Extra large-format locations alike.

Tesco Christmas Eve hours run from 7AM to 7PM for superstores, giving customers roughly a twelve-hour window on December 24. On St Stephen’s Day (December 26), some Tesco stores do open with reduced hours of 10AM to 6PM, but this isn’t universal — check your local store finder for specifics.

Tesco Ireland hours

The key dates for Tesco in Ireland:

• December 23: Extended hours (check local store)
• December 24: 7AM–7PM for superstores
• December 25: Closed nationwide
• December 26: 10AM–6PM for some stores (verify locally)

Because Tesco has no centrally mandated hours — each store sets its own — the safest approach is to use the Tesco store finder for your specific branch in the days leading up to Christmas.

Christmas Eve and St. Stephen’s Day

If you’re planning to shop on Christmas Eve, go early. Most Tesco stores will have closed by 7PM on December 24. For St Stephen’s Day, the opening is more limited — only some stores open, and those that do typically run 10AM–6PM.

Is Dunnes closed on Christmas?

Dunnes Stores follows the same pattern as its competitors. All Dunnes locations in Ireland are closed on Christmas Day 2025. Most are also closed on St Stephen’s Day, though individual store variation means you should verify locally if it matters.

On Christmas Eve, many Dunnes stores close at 6PM, which is earlier than some competitors. Extended hours in the lead-up to Christmas give shoppers more flexibility in the days before, but December 24 is definitely an early-closes day.

Dunnes Stores 2025 hours

Dunnes Store hours vary heavily by location, unlike the uniform schedules of some competitors. The general pattern:

• December 24: Many stores close 6PM (verify your local)
• December 25: All stores closed
• December 26: Mostly closed (confirm locally)

The variation between locations makes the store finder essential for Dunnes in particular.

Extended Christmas Eve

While December 24 is a truncated day for Dunnes, the chain does extend hours in the buildup to Christmas. If you’re doing last-minute shopping, earlier in the week is often less crowded than December 23 or 24.

Is Lidl closed on Christmas?

Lidl Ireland officially confirms that all stores close on Christmas Day 2025 (December 25). This comes directly from Lidl Ireland’s own Christmas opening hours page, making it the most reliable single source for any chain in this roundup.

Lidl follows Aldi’s lead in closing on both December 25 and 26 to give staff a proper break, according to reporting from extra.ie. The policy is nationwide and uniform — every Lidl in Ireland operates under the same schedule.

Lidl Ireland specific times

• December 23: Open until 10PM
• December 24: 08:00–18:00 (8AM to 6PM)
• December 25: Closed
• December 26: Closed
• December 27 onwards: Regular hours resume

Lidl’s Christmas Eve closing time of 18:00 (6PM) is earlier than the 7PM closing you might find at Tesco. Factor this in if you’re planning a last-minute run.

Other discounters like Aldi

Aldi operates over 160 stores in Ireland under a similar policy. Aldi is closed December 25 and 26 nationwide, with extended hours until 11PM on December 23. The discount sector has adopted the most uniform approach across all its Irish stores.

Are supermarkets closed during Christmas?

Yes — all major Irish supermarkets are closed on Christmas Day. The festive schedule breaks down into distinct windows:

• December 18–23: Extended hours across most chains
• December 24 (Christmas Eve): Shortened day, most close 6–7PM
• December 25 (Christmas Day): All major stores closed
• December 26 (St Stephen’s Day): Majority closed, limited Tesco openings
• December 27 onwards: Regular hours resume

SuperValu and others

SuperValu operates under a franchise model where each store is independently owned. This means hours vary by location — some close earlier than others, and St Stephen’s Day openings depend on the individual owner’s decision. However, all are confirmed closed on Christmas Day itself.

Full holiday schedule

For the complete picture, here’s the pattern across all major chains for the Christmas 2025 period. The key takeaway: if you’re doing any Christmas Eve shopping, aim for December 23 or earlier in the week. December 24 is an early close across the board, and December 25 is a blanket closure for every major retailer.

Which stores have limited St Stephen’s Day openings?

St Stephen’s Day (December 26) sees most Irish supermarkets remain closed, but there are exceptions worth knowing about.

The implication: if you need groceries on December 26, your only reliable option is a specific Tesco location, and even then only some stores open. Don’t assume your regular Tesco will be among them.

What about off-licences on Christmas Day?

Off-licences attached to some retail locations may operate under different rules than the main supermarket. Spar and independent convenience stores sometimes open briefly on Christmas morning for essential items, though this is not widespread.

The most reliable approach for any off-licence needs is to check directly with your local store in the days before Christmas. General patterns suggest Spar locations with off-licence sections may open for limited hours on December 25 morning, but this is not confirmed for all branches.

Clarity on what we know and what we don’t

What sources confirm this information?

Luckily for us, Irish supermarkets have decided to extend their Christmas opening hours so you can beat the crowds and shop in peace.

— Meath Chronicle (local Irish news outlet)

The general rule is that all stores will remain closed on Christmas Day and St Stephen’s Day.

— extra.ie (Irish retail news coverage)

Lidl is set to offer extended shopping hours in the run-up to the big day, but will follow Aldi’s lead in closing on December 25 and 26 to give their staff a break.

— extra.ie (Irish retail news coverage)

Related reading: Raw Milk Near Me in Ireland · Rest Area Near Me Ireland

While chains like SuperValu typically close on Christmas Day per national rules, SuperValu holiday hours reveal how independent stores might differ slightly.

Frequently asked questions