Walmart Announces Major Change For Christmas Eve

(KMDL-FM) There is a certain smug and satisfied feeling that comes with crossing off the last gift you need to purchase from your holiday gift-giving list. I have never experienced that feeling. I am one of those last-minute, wait 'til Santa is warming up the sleigh, hope the stores are open kind of Christmas shoppers. If you're like me, then what Walmart has just announced regarding Christmas Eve will take on a major air of significance in your life.

Why is Walmart Changing Store Policy on Christmas Eve?

The landscape of retail shopping as we know it has changed tremendously over the past ten years. How many of you can remember waking up in the middle of the night on Black Friday just to be in line at 4 in the morning to get an incredible deal on a TV or gaming system?

READ MORE: Remember When Someone Super Glued the Locks on Black Friday at Several Lafayette Stores?

We don't seem to do that anymore, as more and more consumers are discovering the convenience of online shopping, curbside pickup, and the latest innovation in brick and mortar retail, home delivery.

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And now Walmart is taking its ever-growing expertise in home delivery one step further for last-minute holiday shoppers by extending the hours they will offer that service on Christmas Eve. Walmart announced it is pushing back the deadline for Christmas Eve Express Deliveries by one hour. You will be able to order an item for Christmas Eve delivery as late as 5 pm.

READ MORE: Walmart Makes Major Change in Holiday Returns Policy

For in-person shopping, most Walmart stores will open at 6 am on Christmas Eve. They will close the doors at 6 pm. All Walmart stores across the company's footprint have plans to be closed on Christmas Day.

If you do plan on using Walmart's delivery options, you'll want to know these deadlines:

Standard shipping - Order by 12:30 p.m. local time on Dec. 23 for arrival by Christmas Day.

Same-day pickup and delivery - Order by noon local time on Dec. 24.

Express Delivery - Order until 5 p.m. local time on Dec. 24 for delivery in as fast as one hour.

The giant retailer also offers a "Get It Now" function on its App. This function will allow consumers with one tap of the App to get an estimate of how many minutes it would take to receive the item. If the time frame is agreeable, consumers can then purchase the item directly from the App.

The emphasis on delivery and speed of delivery is going to be something that Walmart will be focusing on in 2026 and beyond. The company says it can now reach 95% of all U.S. households in under three hours with its delivery service. They hope to improve those numbers in the coming years.

And for us procrastinators, this might just be the ticket to keep us out of Walgreens and the "As Seen on TV" aisle late on Christmas Eve. Or I guess we could choose these gifts.