Holiday Shopping: Many Stores Will Be Open on the First and Third Sundays of Advent

Games, books, consumer electronics, jewelry, or a gift card? The hunt for Christmas gifts for loved ones will soon begin again. During the Advent season, many shopping centers and stores in Saxony’s city centers will open on select Sundays for their customers.

“Sundays when stores are open continue to play a significant role in the retail sector for economic and marketing reasons, especially during the pre-Christmas season,” explains René Glaser, CEO of the Saxony Retail Association. However, the Shop Opening Act sets strict limits on this. 

Christmas markets traditionally draw large crowds to city centers during Advent and are generally open on Sundays as well. For brick-and-mortar retailers, however, the law permits only two Sundays with store openings during the pre-Christmas season. The major cities of Leipzig, Dresden, and Chemnitz have designated the first and third Sundays of Advent for this. On those days, stores in their city centers can open for customers from noon until 6:00 p.m. In Annaberg-Buchholz, too, stores are open on these two Sundays, whereas in Zwickau, they are open on the second and fourth Sundays of Advent. 

Third Sunday of Advent Often the Weekend with the Highest Sales

For many people, the period around the first Sunday of Advent marks the start of Christmas shopping, explains Glaser. “People are looking for inspiration, decorations, and gifts. A Sunday when stores are open supports this anticipation of Christmas and the search for gifts.” And statistically, the third Sunday of Advent is often the weekend with the highest sales. “Customers are now more certain about what they want to surprise their loved ones with.”

By law, stores in Saxony are not allowed to sell goods on Sundays and holidays. As an exception, local municipalities can issue ordinances allowing stores to open on up to four Sundays a year from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., including two during Advent. However, this is tied to requirements such as special occasions and significant foot traffic, explains Glaser. To make this process simpler and less bureaucratic, his association is pushing for a change in the law. 

That is why the retail sector is pushing for a change in the law

“Our focus, however, is not on expanding the four Sundays per year on which stores may generally be open, nor on opening every Sunday during Advent,” Glaser clarifies. Rather, the aim is to eliminate legal uncertainty, relieve the burden on local governments, and create better predictability for local governments, retailers, and the general public.

While the Christmas shopping season is important for retailers, they are nevertheless struggling with significant cost increases—for example, in energy, rent, and personnel. Given the legal hurdles and the effort involved, many businesses would weigh whether to apply for and actually open on Sundays, Glaser explains.