Kohl’s has set its holiday ground rules early. In an Oct. 21, 2026 announcement, the retailer said its stores will once again be closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. It also extended free in-store returns through Jan. 31, 2027, for items bought from Oct. 4 through Dec. 30.
That means Thursday, Nov. 26, and Friday, Dec. 25, are off the shopping calendar for the chain’s more than 1,100 stores. The longer return window gives gift-givers a little breathing room after the holidays.
Kohl’s stores closed Nov. 26 and Dec. 25
Kohl’s said the closures let store associates spend the holidays with their families. The company, based in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, runs more than 1,100 stores in 49 states. It joins other big chains sitting out the holiday, including Costco, which closes its warehouses on Thanksgiving.
With stores dark on Thanksgiving, the day is free for the meal, the parade and the long-standing American traditions that puzzle visitors. The company also sells through Kohls.com and its app, which the release describes as part of its holiday shopping tools, along with digital gift guides and an AI-powered shopping assistant.
The Wikipedia entry on Kohl’s traces the company to a Milwaukee grocery store Maxwell Kohl opened in 1927, with the first Kohl’s department store opening in Brookfield, Wisconsin, in 1962. It notes that the chain operates in every state except Hawaii.
How the extended return window works
Kohl’s return policy page spells out the details. Kohl’s merchandise bought from Oct. 4 through Dec. 30, 2026, can be returned through Jan. 31, 2027. Normally, most items have a 90-day window, or 120 days with a Kohl’s Card.
There is an important exception for beauty shoppers. Sephora at Kohl’s purchases only qualify for the Jan. 31 deadline if they were made from Oct. 30 through Dec. 30, 2026. Sephora items, premium electronics, watches and mattresses generally carry a shorter 30-day window the rest of the year.
Some items cannot be returned at all, including beverages, trading cards, blind box items and opened breast pumps and accessories. Returns are generally accepted with or without a receipt, since associates can look up a purchase by order number, Kohl’s Rewards account, card number or the return barcode in the app. Without a lookup, the refund comes as merchandise credit at the lowest sale price from the previous 13 weeks, and a photo ID may be required.
Items bought in a store can only go back to a store, not by mail. Kohl’s also notes that most locations accept Amazon returns for free, a partnership that Wikipedia says began in 2017 and went nationwide in 2019. Shoppers who plan to tuck gifts away until December can keep them in good shape with a few seasonal storage practices, receipts included.
Uber Eats delivery and same-day pickup
Nationwide Uber Eats delivery is rolling out in November, Kohl’s said, joining same-day delivery through DoorDash and Instacart that already covers both Kohl’s and Sephora at Kohl’s. The full release as distributed on Stockhouse adds that Klarna payment options were recently added at checkout and that most online pickup orders will be ready within two hours through Christmas Eve.
The Kohl’s store pickup page explains that orders placed at least two hours before closing are processed within two hours and held for seven days, after which unclaimed orders are refunded automatically. Pickup is free and happens at the customer service desk or a self-pickup area.
Other retailers are also moving early, with Target’s early Black Friday deal day already on the calendar.
Gift shop prices and Sephora sets
Kohl’s said the in-store Holiday Gift Shop has a refreshed assortment, with nearly half of the items new and most priced under $15. Price tiers run from $5 to $20, stocking stuffers start at $4.99, and holiday decor starts at $9.99. Those price points suit anyone decorating a home on a budget this season.
Sephora at Kohl’s is offering more than 2,000 prestige beauty items under $30, including Sephora Collection gift sets at $25 and under. MAC is now in all stores, according to the company. On the toy side, the release lists top gifts from $4.99, Toy Towers with items under $10 and more than 1,000 LEGO sets.
There is a charitable angle, too. Kohl’s Cares Goods For Good items this season include Nutcracker, Grinch and Elf books and plush toys priced under $10, with 100% of net profit donated to communities, the release says. Kohl’s also reported more than $850,000 in grants to 600 local nonprofits through its Kohl’s Cares Shopping Grant program.
“Every family wants to create magical holiday moments,” said Arianne Parisi, Kohl’s chief customer officer. With stores closed on Christmas Day, the last in-store shopping day falls on Christmas Eve, and shoppers mailing gifts can check the USPS Christmas shipping deadlines.
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This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.
Image: Chris Light – CC BY-SA 4.0/Wikimedia Commons
