Texas Liquor Stores To Close For 61 Consecutive Hours This Weekend

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Just like Santa, you've made your list and checked it twice. You bought and wrapped the gifts for the family gift exchange. Now you're getting ready to head to the family gathering for Christmas dinner, where your in-laws didn't forget the cranberry sauce, but they might have forgotten the alcohol.

If having a mixed drink or cocktail is part of your dinner or anytime afterward, you better plan ahead because Texas liquor stores will be closed for 61 consecutive hours this Christmas and it'll happen again a week later.

So if you're in the need of some Kahlua for your coffee, tequila for that margarita, some whisky to accompany that Coke, some gin for that martini or some other liquor, you'll want to make a run to the county line liquor store to pick up your favorite spirits by closing time Christmas Eve and then again New Year's Eve.

Why Will Texas Liquor Stores Be Closed For 61 Consecutive Hours?

While you can buy beer and wine any day of the week during certain hours, liquor sales are more restricted in Texas. The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) does not allow the sale of liquor on Sundays and the following holidays: Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

Now with Christmas and New Year's falling on a Sunday, both holidays will be observed on Monday which means the liquor store is going to be closed too. So if you were planning on having a cocktail sometime on Christmas Day or Monday, you'll want to make sure you're stocked up by Saturday evening.

61 Hours Is A Weird Length Of Time To Be Closed

Here's how it breaks down:

• Liquor stores must close at 9 p.m. Christmas Eve (normal closing time on a Saturday)
• Liquor stores will be closed all day Sunday
• Liquor stores will be closed all day Monday
• Liquor stores will re-open 10 a.m. Tuesday, December 27th (normal opening time)

So when you add it up 3 + 24 + 24 + 10 = 61 hours

Plan ahead, and have a great time celebrating but don't overdo it. Drink responsibly this holiday season. Know when you've had enough. If you see that a family member has had enough, please make arrangements to get them home safely.

Don't drink and drive.