Time to stick a fork in Turkey Day, and open wallets up for Black Friday.
The post-Thanksgiving holiday shopping extravaganza kicks off on Friday, with one survey suggesting that shoppers plan to spend a record $650 apiece on average from Black Friday through Cyber Monday. Wealthier shoppers could spend almost double that.
This raises the question: What will be open (or closed) on Friday? And is the stock market back to trading during usual hours?
Here’s what to expect:
Is the stock market open?
U.S. stock and bond markets will have shortened hours on Black Friday. Stock markets will close trading at 1 p.m. Eastern time, while bond markets will remain open until 2 p.m. Friday.
MarketWatch Live: Dow futures rise in early Black Friday trading
Is mail delivered? Are FedEx and UPS operating?
The U.S. Postal Service resumes operations on Black Friday. FedEx FDX have modified service. UPS UPS says delivery and pickup services will be available on Friday, as well.
Are banks closed?
Banks will be open on Black Friday, according to GoBankingRates , though some branches could limit their hours. Of course, you can always visit an ATM or use your banking app in the event your local branch is closed.
Will government offices be closed?
Since Thanksgiving is indeed a federal holiday, all nonessential federal government offices were closed (and the same generally applies to state government offices) on the holiday itself.
Friday is not a federal holiday, but some offices may be closed in the days around the holiday, including Friday. But Friday is a state holiday in more than 20 states, according to the OfficeHolidays website , so check your local listings.
Do kids go to school?
Schools are closed on Thanksgiving, and most are closed on the Friday afterward, as well, but it’s best to check with your local school or school district to be sure.
Are stores open?
While many stores started opening on Thanksgiving years ago as a way to push Black Friday sales early, that trend appears to be reversing. Most major retailers, such as Walmart WMT and Target TGT, were closed on Thanksgiving this year. The exceptions: Some grocery chains, dollar stores and pharmacies were open, but with adjusted hours (including stores like CVS CVS, Family Dollar and Whole Foods AMZN). Black Friday, of course, is a big shopping day, with some stores opening as early as 5 a.m. So check with individual stores to find exact hours.