A Dry Christmas in Texas? Liquor Sales Restrictions You Should Know

The Christmas season is in full swing. Christmas parties are happening left and right. New Year's Day is coming up. People are traveling to see their friends and loved ones. It truly is one of the most magical times of the year.

But, if you live in Texas or have holiday plans to travel to Texas, you may need to read up on the law. Because there's one rule on the books that may ruin some of your holiday cheer if you're not prepared.

Strict Liquor Laws in Texas

If you don't live in Texas, you may not realize it but they're pretty strict when it comes to liquor laws. There are strict laws about the hours you can sell beer, wine, and liquor. As well as what days they're allowed to be sold. You can read the full list of rules and regulations on the TACB (Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission) website, but here's the basic hours of operations:

Liquor store (also known as package store):

• Monday – Saturday: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
• Closed on Sunday, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
• If Christmas Day or New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, closed the following Monday.

That may not seem too crazy on the surface, but a couple years ago, liquor stores were forced to close in Texas for 61 straight hours. Which caused a lot of headaches for holidays visitors who wanted to pick up some last minute gifts or a bottle of wine for dinner.

Plan Ahead: Liquor Stores Will Be Closed on Christmas

As noted above, legally, liquor stores in Texas are not allowed to open on Sundays, Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's Day. So, make sure you plan ahead.

Some folks like a nice bottle of wine with dinner. Some need it as an ingredient to cook with. Some just like to enhance the bowl of eggnog. Whether you need a bottle to gift or consume, you better get it before the big day. Because if you're a last minute shopper or traveler, you may arrive Christmas Day empty handed in Texas.

Texas Liquor Laws Also Impact New Year's Day

As mentioned a couple times above, this will also impact New Year's Day. While New Year's Eve is traditionally the 'big party day', some of those festivities bleed over into January 1st.

So, if you don't have your party favors handled by 9 pm on New Year's Eve, you're going to be empty handed on the first.