Guide · Seasonal

What's Open and Closed in Windsor-Essex on Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year's (2026-27)

Holiday hours for Windsor-Essex over Christmas 2026 and New Year's 2027: malls, grocery stores, the LCBO and Beer Store, garbage pickup, Transit Windsor, City Hall, libraries, pools and rinks. Updated as places confirm.

Every year, someone in Windsor discovers at 4:55 p.m. on December 24 that they forgot the cranberry sauce. Every year, someone else drives to the LCBO on New Year's Day. Don't be either of those people.

Here's what's open and closed over the 2026-27 holidays. Hours below are based on how things worked last year, and we update this page as stores and the City confirm their 2026 hours.

The holiday dates for 2026-27

Shopping

• Malls (Devonshire Mall, Tecumseh Mall, Windsor Crossing): closed Christmas Day and New Year's Day, open Boxing Day, and usually close early (around 5 p.m.) on New Year's Eve.
• Grocery stores: most are closed Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Expect shorter hours on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. A few small convenience stores stay open.
• Pharmacies: most close on Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Some open for limited hours. Refill prescriptions before December 24.

Alcohol

• LCBO: closed Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Most stores close around 6 p.m. on New Year's Eve.
• The Beer Store: closed Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Most stores close around 6 p.m. on New Year's Eve.
• Grocery and convenience stores that sell beer and wine follow their own holiday hours, so check before you go.

Garbage, green bins and recycling

• No collection on Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year's Day in Windsor. Pickup for the rest of the holiday week moves one day later.
• Green bins follow the same delay. Holiday leftovers go in the green bin, not the garbage.
• Christmas trees: the City runs a special tree pickup in January. Remove all decorations and bags.
• County towns set their own holiday schedules, so check your town's calendar.

City services

• Windsor City Hall: closed over the Christmas holidays, reopening after Boxing Day weekend, and closed New Year's Day.
• 311: closed on the holidays. For urgent road and sewer problems (fallen trees, sewer backups), call 519-255-6326. 211 is open 24/7 for help finding community services.
• Windsor Public Library: closes early on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, and is closed on the holidays.
• Arenas and pools: mostly closed on the stat holidays, with special skate and swim schedules over the break. The outdoor rink at City Hall Square is a great free option.
• Parking: metered street parking usually isn't enforced on statutory holidays. Paid lots and garages operate as normal.

Transit and the border

• Transit Windsor runs a holiday schedule, and some routes may not run at all on Christmas Day. Check the schedule before you head out. (Transit Windsor's regular Tunnel Bus to Detroit ended in August 2025, so plan another way across.)
• Border crossings are open every day. Expect heavier traffic on Boxing Day, when Michigan shoppers head this way and Windsor shoppers head that way.

Open on the holidays

• Bright Lights Windsor at Jackson Park was open every evening through the holidays last year.
• Caesars Windsor is open year-round.
• Most movie theatres are open on Christmas Day. It's a long-standing tradition for a reason.
• Hospitals, urgent care and Health811 (call 811) are available every day.

Keep reading

• Christmas in Windsor-Essex 2026
• 25 Things to Do in Windsor in Winter
• Bright Lights Windsor 2026

Common questions