New Year’s Eve is celebrated on Wednesday, Dec. 31, this year.
It’s an evening typically filled with parties and other social gatherings, fireworks and watching the ball drop in Times Square (or watching an M&M ball drop in Hackettstown, New Jersey, if you’re celebrating closer to home) to celebrate the new year.
The earliest recorded New Year’s Eve festivities go back 4,000 years ago to ancient Babylon. They celebrated the occasion with a huge, religious festival called Akitu.
Here is everything you need to know about what’s open and what’s closed on New Year’s Eve 2025.
New Year’s Eve is not a federal holiday, but New Year’s Day is.
On Dec. 31, at 11:59 p.m. EST, the ball begins its descent as millions count down the final seconds to the new year, according to the official Times Square website.
Several TV networks will air specials on New Year’s Eve, including ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest,” CNN’s “New Year’s Eve Live” with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen, among others.
If you can’t watch in person or don’t have cable, you can stream it live for free. Most streaming services, including Peacock and FuboTV, will air the event.
Yes, United States Postal Service offices will remain open because it is a weekday and not a federal holiday.
There on New Year’s Eve.
Most FedEx services will be open, except for FedEx Freight, FedEx Express, FedEx Home Delivery and FedEx Office, which will all run on a modified schedule.
UPS will not deliver or pick up packages, with the exception of UPS Critical and pickup and delivery for Air and international Air services. Some UPS Store locations might have modified business hours, but it’s best to check with your local location.
Amazon delivery services will run as scheduled, and there are no expected delays related to New Year’s Eve.
Banks will be open and operating their usual hours because New Year’s Eve falls during the week. Some banks might have modified hours that day.
The following banks are scheduled to be open for New Year’s Eve:
Yes, all stock markets will be open on New Year’s Eve this year because it falls on a Tuesday.
Nasdaq and the NYSE will be open during regular hours. The bond markets will also be open but will close early at 2 p.m.
Many supermarkets will be open with reduced hours. Shoppers should ultimately check with their local supermarket for specific information.
The following grocery stores will be open with reduced hours:
Many local and chain restaurants should be open on New Year’s Eve if you want to grab some takeout to ring in 2025.
Most McDonald’s locations will be open on New Year’s Eve.
Below is a roundup of major stores’ hours for New Year’s Eve 2025.
Shoppers should check with their local store in the event that hours vary by location.
All malls in New Jersey should be open. However, some may close early due to the New Year’s Eve holiday.
The following malls and major shopping centers in New Jersey will be open on New Year’s Eve:
Most liquor stores across New Jersey will remain open on New Year’s Eve.
Since there is no state law in New Jersey mandating when licensed liquor stores can sell alcohol, its up to the local municipalities to set up their own hours of operation.
However, individual stores may choose to close to observe the holiday.
While most liquor stores will be open, it is best to check with your independent liquor store before shopping, as hours may vary.
Here’s a list of liquor stores and their hours in 10 of the most populous counties of New Jersey:
North Jersey
Hudson Buy-Rite, 5665 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, North Bergen, N.J. 07047
Hours: 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Ramsey Bottle King - Discount Wine, Beer & Liquor, 476 NJ-17, Ramsey, N.J. 07446
Hours: 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Wine Mart - Discount Beer & Spirits, 700 Broadway, Westwood, N.J. 07675
Hours: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Total Wine & More, 1001 Main St, River Edge, N.J. 07661
Hours: 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
ShopRite Liquors of Paramus, 224 Route 4 East at Forest Ave., Paramus, N.J. 07652
Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Morris Plains Bottle King - Discount Wine, Beer & Liquor, 246 Littleton Rd, Morris Plains, N.J. 07950
Hours: 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Ledgewood Bottle King - Discount Wine, Beer & Liquor, 260 NJ-10, Succasunna, N.J. 07876
Hours: 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Weis Discount Liquors, 146 Center Grove Rd, Randolph, N.J. 07869
Hours: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
ShopRite Wines & Spirits of Morristown, 178 East Hanover Ave., N.J. 07960
Hours: 6:30 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Total Wine & More, 495 Prospect Ave, West Orange, N.J. 07052
Hours: 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Wine & Spirits Express Liquor Warehouse, 75 1st St B, Newark, N.J. 07107
Hours: 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Bloomfield Buy-Rite LLC, 35 Lackawanna Pl, Bloomfield, N.J. 07003
Hours: 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
ShopRite Wines & Spirits of Clifton, 895 Paulison Ave, Clifton, N.J. 07011
Hours: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Central Jersey
Save Rite Discount Liquors, 2114 NJ-35, Oakhurst, N.J. 07755
Hours: 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Middletown Bottle King - Discount Wine, Beer & Liquor, 1126 NJ-35, Middletown Township, N.J. 07748
Hours: 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Spirits Unlimited, 4071 US-9, Howell Township, N.J. 07731
Hours: 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Holmdel Buy Rite, 2101 NJ-35 Suite 407, Holmdel, N.J. 07733
Hours: 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Total Wine & More, 66 NJ-36, Eatontown, N.J. 07724
Hours: 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
ShopRite Wines & Spirits of Freehold, 3585 US-9 #170, Freehold, NJ. 07728
Hours: 7 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Hamilton Super Buy-Rite, 661 NJ-33, Hamilton Township, N.J. 08619
Hours: 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Princeton Bottle King - Discount Wine, Beer & Liquor, 775 State Rd, Princeton, N.J. 08540
Hours: 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Empire Discount Liquors, 1200 S Broad St, Trenton, N.J. 08610
Hours: 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Liquor Cave Edison, 775 US-1, Edison, N.J. 08817
Hours: 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Buy Rite Liquors, 2750 NJ-27, North Brunswick Township, N.J. 08902
Hours: 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Buy-Rite, 1353 Stelton Rd, Piscataway, N.J. 08854
Hours: 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
South Jersey
Total Wine & More, 2100 NJ-38 Suite 8A, Cherry Hill Township, N.J. 08002
Hours: 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Moorestown Super Buy Rite Liquors, 675 S Lenola Rd, Moorestown, N.J. 08057
Hours: 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Joe Canal’s Discount Liquors, 1725 Sicklerville Rd, Sicklerville, N.J. 08081
Hours: 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.
ShopRite Wines & Spirits of Cherry Hill, 2240 West Marlton Pike, Cherry Hill, N.J. 08002
Hours: 7 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Joe Canal’s Discount Liquor, 3119 Fire Rd, Egg Harbor Township, N.J. 08234
Hours: 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Buy Rite Ventnor, 5026 Wellington Ave, Ventnor City, N.J. 08406
Hours: 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Buy Rite Liquors Hammonton, 240 S White Horse Pike Unit A-1A, Hammonton, N.J. 08037
Hours: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Joe Canal’s Cape May Discount Liquor, 918 Route 109 South Exit Zero, Garden State Pkwy, Cape May, N.J. 08204
Hours: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Margate Gardens Wine & Spirits, 9710 Ventnor Ave, Margate City, NJ 08402
Hours: 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Rocky’s Liquor Mart, 4120 New Jersey Ave, Wildwood, N.J., 08260
Hours: 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
NJ Transit will operate on a modified special weekday schedule on its rail lines with extra service to New York and Hoboken on select lines. Most buses will operate on a weekday or special holiday schedule while the light rail will run on a regular weekday schedule.
The light rail will run on a regular weekday schedule. For NJ Transit, riders should use NJ Transit’s online trip planner to double-check arrival and departure times.
PATH will operate on a weekday schedule.
Meanwhile, SEPTA’s Regional Rail trains will operate on a weekday schedulewith special late-night service and extra rail service. All metro lines and bus routes will operate on a weekday schedule.
Motor Vehicle Commission locations are open because New Year’s Eve falls on a Wednesday, when MVC locations are normally open.
However, NJ state and courthouses will be on a recess on Dec. 31.
The next federal holiday is New Year’s Day on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026.
For more information about the history of New Year’s Eve, check out the video below: