How late are supermarkets in Germany open on Christmas Eve?

For many people, the days leading up to Christmas can be filled with stress and a hectic pace.

Things aren't helped with packed-out shops and supermarkets. December 23rd in particular is one of the busiest shopping days of the year. 

The supermarkets are full, the shelves are emptying and many people are still trying to get presents or ingredients for the festive meal quickly.

What happens if you can't get everything on this day? Is there any time to grab some last-minute Stollen or a bag of kale on Christmas Eve?

Are supermarkets even open?

Although December 24th is not an official public holiday in Germany - unlike December 25th and December 26th - Christmas Eve is the main festive celebration day for Germans.

It means that shops do open their doors on Christmas Eve, but special hours apply to allow workers in Germany to gather with family and friends for an evening meal. 

Retail chains such as Aldi Nord, Aldi Süd, Budni, DM, Edeka, Globus, Hit, Kaufland, Lidl, Müller, Netto Marken-Discount, Netto Supermarkt, Penny, Real, Rewe, Rossmann, Tegut and Wasgau have different rules.

Most shops will close at 2pm, although some may shut a little earlier. 

Meanwhile, many will not be opening early this year, as has been customary in the past. Instead, most shops will open their doors - as usual - between 7.30am and 8am. In previous years, discounters in particular opened their shops at 6.30am on Christmas Eve.

For wholesalers such as Metro, the closing time is usually at 12 noon on December 24th.

Bakeries and butchers are generally open on Christmas Eve. However, opening hours will be drastically reduced. As a rule, sales will run from 7am to a maximum of 2pm. In some cases, branches may close as early as 12noon or even earlier if orders have been collected or goods are sold out.

Remember that supermarkets will generally be closed on the public holidays. For a full breakdown of what is open and closed in Germany over the festive holidays, read our article here:

• What's open and what's closed in Germany over the Christmas holidays?

Where can I shop later on Christmas Eve?

Petrol stations, some small kiosks, such as Spätis in Berlin, and shops in train stations and airports are usually open longer.

These are ideal for last-minute errands or for stocking up on travel provisions - but make sure to check the opening times in advance in case they are closed earlier. 

Here are a few shops that plan to open later on Christmas eve:

Tegut in the Frankfurt-Flughafen Quartier (from 6am to 10pm)

Edeka Ernst at Munich Central Station (from 7am to 11pm)

Edeka Jäger at Stuttgart Airport (open 24 hours)

Edeka Lars Tamme at Hamburg Airport (until 10 pm)

The best idea would be to get to a supermarket as early as possible on December 24th to avoid disappointment. And do wish workers a Frohes fest or Frohe Weihnachten! 

READ ALSO:  Where to buy groceries on a Sunday in Berlin