Australia's retailers are hoping for a bumper Christmas trade as the nation reopens after months of prolonged COVID-19 restrictions and poor in-store foot traffic.
Despite the boom in online shopping, many will pin the fortunes of their year on shoppers buying up big for long-awaited Christmas reunions.
From supermarkets to retailers, here's what we know about Christmas trading hours for 2021:
Woolworths
Generally Woolworths stores will be open on Christmas Eve and closed on Christmas Day. Most stores will be open on Boxing Day and through to January 2nd – but exceptions do apply so customers are urged to check their individual store's hours.
Here is the full breakdown of Woolie's Christmas trading hours:
Christmas Eve (24 December 2021)
Woolworths stores in NSW & ACT - All stores OPEN
Woolworths stores in VIC - All stores OPEN
Woolworths stores in QLD - All stores OPEN
Woolworths stores in WA - All stores OPEN
Woolworth stores in SA - All stores OPEN
Woolworths stores in NT - All stores OPEN
Woolworths stores in TAS - All stores OPEN
Christmas Day (25 December 2021)
Woolworths stores in NSW & ACT - All stores CLOSED
Woolworths stores in VIC - All stores CLOSED
Woolworths stores in QLD - All stores CLOSED
Woolworths stores in WA - All stores CLOSED
Woolworth stores in SA - All stores CLOSED
Woolworths stores in NT - All stores CLOSED
Woolworths stores in TAS - All stores CLOSED
Boxing Day (26 December 2021)
Woolworths stores in NSW & ACT - All stores OPEN, most Metro stores OPEN
Woolworths stores in VIC - All stores OPEN, most Metro stores OPEN
Woolworths stores in QLD - Most stores are OPEN (except Ayr, Blackwater, Bowen, Charters Towers, Childers, Chinchilla, Kingaroy, Mission Beach, Mt Isa, Pittsworth, Proserpine, Roma, Weipa). Most Metro stores are OPEN
Woolworths stores in WA - All stores OPEN
Woolworth stores in SA - Most stores are OPEN (except Milicent)
Woolworths stores in NT - Most stores are OPEN
Woolworths stores in TAS - All stores OPEN
Coles
Generally all Coles stores will be closed on Christmas Day and open on other days, with specific hours depending on the individual store.
Here is the state and territory breakdown for Coles:
Victoria
All stores open until 10pm Christmas Eve (ex. Benalla, Geelong Bay City, Mooroopna, Myrtleford, Sale and Wodonga Plaza open until 9pm. Ballarat (Peel St), Campbellfield, Echuca, Melton South, Ringwood East, Sunbury and Wangaratta open until 11pm. Elsternwick open until midnight.)
All Stores Closed Christmas Day
All Stores Open Boxing Day 26/12
New South Wales
All stores open Christmas Eve
All Stores Closed Christmas Day
All Stores Open Boxing Day 26/12, excluding Smithfield
ACT
All stores open Christmas Eve
All stores closed Christmas Day
All stores open Boxing Day 26/10
Queensland
All stores open 8am-6pm Sunday 12/12 (Selected stores open 7am-9pm)
All stores open until midnight Tuesday 22nd and Wednesday 23rd December (exc. Ayr, Ashgrove and Myer Express open until 10pm)
All stores open until 6pm Christmas Eve
All Stores Closed Christmas Day
All stores open 9am-6pm Boxing Day (Ayr, Mt Isa & Goondiwindi closed. Selected stores open 7am-9pm)
South Australia
All Adelaide metro stores open 9am-5pm Sunday 12/12. Regional stores may vary.
All Adelaide metro stores open 9am-6pm Sunday 19/12. Regional stores may vary.
All stores open until midnight Wednesday 23/12 (ex. Port Lincoln open until 10pm and Marion open until 2am).
All stores open until 9pm Christmas Eve
All stores Closed Christmas Day
All Adelaide metro stores open 9am-5pm Boxing Day (26/12). Regional stores open 8am-8pm.
SA Regional stores:
Berri, Mount Barker, Mount Gambier, Murray Bridge Green, Port Augusta, Port Lincoln, Port Pirie, Victor Harbor and Whyalla
Tasmania
All stores open 6am-10pm Christmas Eve
All stores closed Christmas Day
All stores open from 8am Boxing Day (26/12) (Burnie, Devonport, Meadow Mews and Ulverstone open from 7am).
Northern Territory
Alice Springs
Open 6am-9pm Christmas Eve
Closed Christmas Day
Open 8am-8pm Boxing Day (26/12)
Darwin
All stores open until 9pm Christmas Eve
All Stores Closed Christmas Day
All stores open 8am-8pm Boxing Day 26/12
Western Australia
All Perth metro stores open 8am-6pm on Sunday 12/12 and 19/12. Regional stores may vary.
All Perth metro stores open 7am-9pm Christmas week (Monday 20/12-Friday 24/12). Regional stores may vary.
All stores closed Christmas Day
All Perth metro stores open 8am-6pm Boxing Day (26/12). Regional stores may vary.
Port Hedland – 5 stores (Chinatown, Karratha, Kununurra, South Hedland, Tom Price)
All stores open until 9pm Christmas Eve (Karratha open until 10pm)
All stores closed Christmas Day
All stores open Boxing Day
WA Regional stores:
Albany, Australind, Bunbury, Bunbury South, Busselton, Busselton Central, Collie, Dunsborough, Eaton Fair, Erskine, Geraldton, Halls Head, Kalgoorlie, Lakelands, Mandurah Forum, Manjimup, Margaret River, Meadow Springs, Narrogin, Northam, Orana, Pinjarra, and Vasse
Aldi
All stores will have reduced trading hours on Friday 24 December and will be closed on Christmas Day.
On Boxing Day most stores will reopen from 9:00am, with the exception of South Australia stores, which will reopen from 11:00am.
On New Year's day most stores will have reduced trading hours opening from 10:00am, with the exception of South Australia stores, which will reopen from 11:00am.
Big W
All Big W stores are closed for Christmas Day, while most will be open on Boxing Day and New Year's Day.
Like all retailers, they advise checking the hours of your local store to confirm.
New South Wales
All BIG W Stores will be open until Christmas Eve, Thursday 24 December.
Christmas Day, Friday 25 December, all the stores are CLOSED
Boxing Day, Saturday 26 December, all the stores are OPEN
New Years Day, Friday 1 January, all the stores are OPEN
Queensland
All BIG W Stores will be open until Christmas Eve, Thursday 24 December.
Christmas Day, Friday 25 December, all the stores are CLOSED
Boxing Day, Saturday 26 December, all the stores are OPEN except BIG W Kingaroy
New Years Day, Friday 1 January, all the stores are OPEN except for BIG W Kingaroy.
South Australia
All BIG W Stores will be open until Christmas Eve, Thursday 24 December.
Christmas Day, Friday 25 December, all the stores are CLOSED.
Boxing Day, Saturday 26 December, all the stores are OPEN.
New Years Day, Friday 1 January, all the stores are OPEN.
Northern Territory
All BIG W Stores will be open until Christmas Eve, Thursday 24 December.
Christmas Day, Friday 25 December, all the stores are CLOSED.
Boxing Day, Saturday 26 December, all the stores are OPEN.
New Years Day, Friday 1 January, all the stores are OPEN.
Victoria
All BIG W Stores will be open until Christmas Eve, Thursday 24 December. Christmas Day, Friday 25 December, all the stores are CLOSED
Boxing Day, Saturday 26 December, all the stores are OPEN
New Years Day, Friday 1 January, all the stores are OPEN
Tasmania
All BIG W Stores will be open until Christmas Eve, Thursday 24 December. Christmas Day, Friday 25 December, all the stores are CLOSED.
Boxing Day, Saturday 26 December, all the stores are OPEN.
New Years Day, Friday 1 January, all the stores are OPEN
Australian Capital Territory
All BIG W Stores will be open until Christmas Eve, Thursday 24 December
Christmas Day, Friday 25 December, all the stores are CLOSED
Boxing Day, Saturday 26 December, all the stores are OPEN
New Years Day, Friday 1 January, all the stores are OPEN
Western Australia
All BIG W Stores will be open until Christmas Eve, Thursday 24 December
Christmas Day, Friday 25 December, all the stores are CLOSED
Boxing Day, Saturday 26 December, all the stores are OPEN
New Years Day, Friday 1 January, all the stores are OPEN
Kmart
Generally all Kmart stores will be closed on Christmas Day and open on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day – but some may be closed. You can check the hours of your local Kmart store here.
New South Wales
Christmas Eve (24 December 2021): All stores open (except Khub Cowra)
Christmas Day (25 December 2021): All stores closed
Boxing Day (26 December 2021): All stores open (except Khub Cowra)
Victoria
Christmas Eve (24 December 2021): All stores open
Christmas Day (25 December 2021): All stores closed
Boxing Day (26 December 2021): All stores open
Queensland
Christmas Eve (24 December 2021): All stores open
Christmas Day (25 December 2021): All stores closed
Boxing Day (26 December 2021): Most stores open (Bowen, Charters Towers, Ayr, Roma, Chinchilla, Mt Isa and Goondiwindi closed)
South Australia
Christmas Eve (24 December 2021): All stores open
Christmas Day (25 December 2021): All stores closed
Boxing Day (26 December 2021): All stores open
Western Australia
Christmas Eve (24 December 2021): All stores open
Christmas Day (25 December 2021): All stores closed
Boxing Day (26 December 2021): All stores open (except Esperance)
Northern Territory
Christmas Eve (24 December 2021): All stores open
Christmas Day (25 December 2021): All stores closed
Boxing Day (26 December 2021): All stores open
Australian Capital Territory
Christmas Eve (24 December 2021): All stores open
Christmas Day (25 December 2021): All stores closed
Boxing Day (26 December 2021): All stores open
Tasmania
Christmas Eve (24 December 2021): All stores open
Christmas Day (25 December 2021): All stores closed
Boxing Day (26 December 2021): All stores open
Bunnings
All Bunnings stores will be closed on Christmas Day, while all stores will also be open on Christmas Eve, Boxing Day, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day and all public holidays.
Like all retailers, Bunnings encourages shoppers to check with their local store to find specific daily hours.
Like all retailers, Bunnings encourages shoppers to check with their local store to find specific daily hours.
Australia Post
All Australia Post Offices will be closed on the national public holidays, which include Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.
No mail or parcel deliveries will take place on these days.
In the lead up to Christmas Australia Post has started twilight deliveries in Melbourne and Perth, and will offer extended trading hours from November 27 in more than 380 of our retail outlets across the country.
Stationery favourite latest victim of Australian retail crisis
