What's new in holiday hours this week
The first official 2026 Thanksgiving-hours announcements landed this week — two confirmations of what shoppers expected, plus one chain starting its Black Friday deals a full month early. Here's what happened, why it matters, and what to watch next.
Published October 9, 2026. Every date, hour, and number below comes from the cited sources.
1. Walmart makes it official: closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas
What happened. On October 7, 2026, Walmart issued its official 2026 holiday announcement: “Stores will be closed again on Thanksgiving and Christmas this year so our associates can enjoy the holidays with their loved ones.” The release also promoted new in-store tech (“Shop to Light” shelf LEDs), ASL interpreting via Sorenson at service desks, and delivery options from drone delivery to 30-minute-or-less — aimed at the 42.4% of shoppers who, per Walmart's Scintilla survey, expect to host or attend three to four holiday gatherings.
Why it matters. This is the first official 2026 Thanksgiving-hours confirmation from a major U.S. chain. The closure extends a streak that began nationwide in 2020, and it answers the two questions our hours pages get asked most: Thanksgiving Day (November 26) — closed; Christmas Day — closed.
What to watch. Walmart's Black Friday opening time isn't announced yet — expect it later this month (historically 6:00 AM Friday). We'll update our Walmart Thanksgiving 2026 page the moment it lands.
2. Lowe's unveils its 2026 holiday plan — Black Friday starts October 29
What happened. On October 8, 2026, Lowe's announced its full 2026 holiday lineup. The headline: Black Friday deals begin October 29 — four full weeks before Black Friday (November 27) — across tools, holiday décor, appliances, and outdoor power equipment. Lowe's is also expanding its annual 10 Days of Deals to 12 Days of Deals starting November 16, with the season's biggest savings arriving Thanksgiving week. Stores stay closed on Thanksgiving Day (online-only deals that day), and MyLowe's Rewards and Pro Rewards members get early online access to Black Friday doorbusters one day before they're available to everyone on November 27. The announcement also spotlights “Mylow,” Lowe's AI assistant for holiday hosting and decorating checklists.
Why it matters. Another official date on the 2026 calendar — and a sign that Black Friday is now a season, not a day. The 12-day expansion and member early access change when you buy, not just where: non-members who want doorbusters should sign up before the early-access window opens.
What to watch. The four-week run starts October 29 — watch what lands first (historically tools and décor), then December Deal Drops and extended Cyber Deals. We'll track Lowe's official Black Friday opening time on our Lowe's Thanksgiving 2026 page.
3. October deal week: Amazon, Target, and Walmart collide
What happened. Three events in one week: Amazon Prime Big Deal Days ran October 6–7 (48 hours, Prime members, 35+ categories, new limited-time offers released three times a day); Target Circle Deal Days ran the same two days (up to 40% off thousands of items for Circle members, with Circle 360 early access on October 5); and Walmart's October Deals event ran October 5–11 (up to 50% off, open to all shoppers).
Why it matters. The overlap shows how far the holiday calendar has moved — October is now part of the main contest for holiday budgets. Practical use: if you noted what an item cost during these events, you'll spot the real Black Friday discounts in November — and the red tags on the normal price.
What to watch. Early-November price watching, then the Black Friday ads in early-to-mid November — with Lowe's four-week run starting October 29.
4. Monday's hours question: Columbus Day and Canadian Thanksgiving
What happened. Monday, October 12, 2026, is a split holiday — Columbus Day in the U.S. and Thanksgiving in Canada. In the U.S., federal offices close, but private retailers set their own schedules: ALDI, for example, is expected to be open regular hours (typically 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM). ALDI closes companywide only on New Year's Day, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day, with limited hours on Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Christmas Eve, and New Year's Eve. In Canada, city guides show the familiar pattern — malls and grocers on modified hours that vary by location (Walmart Canada listed at 7:00 AM – 11:00 PM).
Why it matters. Columbus Day is a dry run for November: “open on a federal holiday” varies chain by chain. ALDI's published closure list is a handy anchor for Thanksgiving and Christmas planning — if it's on the list, plan ahead.
What to watch. Quiet until Halloween (October 31, a normal Saturday for nearly every chain) — then the late-October window when official Thanksgiving-hours announcements historically cluster.
5. Prime Big Deal Days wraps — the five-week season
What happened. Amazon's event ended October 7 (11:59 PM PT / 2:59 AM ET October 8). USA Today called it “the last big sale before Black Friday” — and flagged early toy buzz: the AI-powered StickerBox printer is already hard to find, and a kid-friendly ToyBox 3D printer was $56 off.
Why it matters. The October events set the season's opening prices: the 2026 season looks less like a single blowout day than a five-week window from October's early sales through Cyber Monday (November 30). Shoppers who tracked prices this week have a head start on judging November's deals.
What to watch. Black Friday ad leaks in late October, plus the rest of the official hours announcements — only Walmart and Lowe's have confirmed so far.
Frequently asked questions
Which chains have officially confirmed 2026 Thanksgiving hours?
As of October 9, 2026: Walmart (closed Thanksgiving and Christmas, confirmed Oct 7) and Lowe's (closed Thanksgiving Day, confirmed Oct 8). Target, Best Buy, Costco, Home Depot, Kroger, CVS, and Walgreens haven't published official 2026 hours yet — announcements typically run through late October.
When do Lowe's Black Friday 2026 deals start?
October 29, 2026 — four full weeks before Black Friday (November 27). Lowe's also expands its annual 10 Days of Deals to 12 Days of Deals from November 16, and MyLowe's Rewards members get early online access to Black Friday doorbusters one day before everyone else.
What were the big October 2026 sale events?
Amazon Prime Big Deal Days (October 6–7, Prime members), Target Circle Deal Days (October 6–7, up to 40% off for Circle members), and Walmart's October Deals event (October 5–11, up to 50% off, open to all shoppers).
Is ALDI open on Columbus Day 2026?
ALDI is expected to be open regular hours (typically 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM) on Columbus Day, Monday, October 12, 2026. ALDI only closes companywide on New Year's Day, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
When will the rest of the 2026 Thanksgiving hours be announced?
Major chains have historically clustered Thanksgiving-hours announcements in the last two weeks of October. Join the Holiday Insider and we'll email you each chain's official hours the day they're confirmed.
Sources
- Walmart (BusinessWire, Oct 7, 2026): “New Ways to Shop, Holiday Traditions to Keep: Walmart is Ready for the Season” — businesswire.com
- TheStreet via Yahoo (Oct 8, 2026): Walmart's Thanksgiving closure history — finance.yahoo.com (via dejavu.org)
- Lowe's (PR Newswire via Morningstar, Oct 8, 2026): “Lowe's Unveils Holiday 2026 Lineup” — morningstar.com
- ADVFN (Oct 8, 2026): Lowe's holiday 2026 lineup coverage — uk.advfn.com
- Retail Merchandiser (Oct 7, 2026): “October sales bring the US holiday shopping season forward” — retail-merchandiser.com
- USA Today (Oct 4, 2026): 12 fall sales to shop right now — usatoday.com
- TechRadar: Amazon Prime Big Deal Days 2026 dates — techradar.com
- TheStreet (Oct 8, 2026): Is ALDI open on Columbus Day? — thestreet.com
- Curiocity (Oct 5, 2026): What's open and closed in Vancouver on Thanksgiving Monday — curiocity.com
- USA Today (Oct 7, 2026): Prime Big Deal Days ends; hot Christmas toys — usatoday.com
Go deeper with AI
This article is the starting point. Copy any of these prompts into your favorite AI assistant to learn more about this week's holiday retail and store-hours news:
🔎 Build your own holiday hours watchlist
Using this week's news — Walmart closed Thanksgiving (Nov 26) and Christmas 2026, Lowe's Black Friday deals from Oct 29, the October deal events — build me a holiday shopping calendar for [my city/state]: which chains are confirmed closed on Thanksgiving, typical Black Friday (Nov 27) opening times, and which deal events to watch first.
🧭 Check a specific store before you drive there
I'm visiting [store name] in [city, state] on [Thanksgiving Nov 26 / Black Friday Nov 27 / Christmas Eve Dec 24], 2026. Give me a step-by-step checklist to verify that store's hours — official locator, phone call script, and how to tell 'confirmed' from 'typical pattern'.
💡 Plan my deal timing: October or Black Friday?
Black Friday effectively starts in October now (Lowe's Oct 29, Amazon/Target/Walmart Oct 5–11), not a single weekend. For my 3 most-wanted items — [item 1], [item 2], [item 3] — help me decide: buy in October, wait for Thanksgiving week, or hold out for Black Friday? Include how to set price baselines and spot fake discounts.
Tip: replace the bracketed parts with your own situation — the more specific your prompt, the more useful the answer.
Summary
This week's news: Walmart confirmed closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas 2026 (Oct 7); Lowe's unveiled its holiday plan with Black Friday deals from October 29 and a Thanksgiving-Day closure (Oct 8); Amazon, Target, and Walmart ran overlapping October deal events (Oct 5–11); Columbus Day / Canadian Thanksgiving (Oct 12) is a normal Monday for most U.S. retailers; Prime Big Deal Days wrapped as the last big sale before Black Friday.
The single most important point
October is now the season opener, not Black Friday. This week's two official announcements — Walmart's closures confirmed, Lowe's four-week Black Friday run from October 29 — mean deals and hours decisions land weeks earlier than the old calendar. Set price baselines now, and watch for the rest of the official Thanksgiving-hours announcements in late October — join the Holiday Insider and we'll email each one the day it drops.
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