Holiday Trash Delays 2026: Thanksgiving and Christmas
21 of the 35 towns have posted Thanksgiving changes so far, and 20 have posted Christmas. Here is what each town says, with the link to check.
Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26 this year, and most trash and recycling routes feel it. In most towns that post a schedule, pickups after the holiday run a day late for the rest of the week. Every line below comes from the town's own 2026 calendar or city notice.
21 of 35 towns have posted Thanksgiving trash changes, and 19 of them move pickup later that week.From the town sources linked in the table, as of November 9, 2026
Thanksgiving week
Where a town posts a change, it usually looks like this: no collection on Thursday, and the rest of the week slides one day, so Friday pickups run on Saturday. A few towns do something different, so read your town's line below rather than assuming. Christmas follows the same pattern one month later, with Friday, December 25 falling on a collection day.
Town by town
| Town | Thanksgiving | Christmas |
|---|---|---|
| Andover | FY27 guide lists Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day as holidays after which collections are one day later. No leaf collection the week of Thanksgiving. Call 978-623-8701 for delay alerts. Source ↗ | FY27 guide lists Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day as holidays after which collections are one day later. No leaf collection the week of Thanksgiving. Call 978-623-8701 for delay alerts. Source ↗ |
| Bedford | 2026-27 calendar marks no holiday trash delay for this date; only Labor Day and Memorial Day weeks are marked. Collection stays on the regular day. Source ↗ | 2026-27 calendar marks no holiday trash delay for this date; only Labor Day and Memorial Day weeks are marked. Collection stays on the regular day. Source ↗ |
| Belmont | 2026-27 calendar marks Thu Nov 26 in red as a holiday. Its rule: holiday postpones that day to the next day and all remaining days that week. Source ↗ | Check with the town |
| Beverly | The city calendar marks Thu Nov 26 as a holiday; trash is delayed a day (arrow carries through Saturday). Source ↗ | The calendar marks Fri Dec 25 as a holiday; trash is delayed a day (to Saturday). Source ↗ |
| Billerica | 2026-27 guide: when a holiday falls on a collection day, collection is delayed one day for the rest of that week. Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day are listed. Source ↗ | 2026-27 guide: when a holiday falls on a collection day, collection is delayed one day for the rest of that week. Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day are listed. Source ↗ |
| Chelmsford | FY2027 flyer calendar marks Thu Nov 26 as a one-day-delay holiday. Pickup slides one day; no bulk item pickup in holiday weeks. Source ↗ | FY2027 flyer calendar marks Fri Dec 25 as a one-day-delay holiday. Pickup slides one day; no bulk item pickup in holiday weeks. Source ↗ |
| Dracut | 2026 recycling calendar: when a collection day falls on a holiday, that day and the rest of the week slide one day; Friday goes to Saturday. Thu Nov 26 shown as a holiday. Source ↗ | 2026 recycling calendar: when a collection day falls on a holiday, that day and the rest of the week slide one day; Friday goes to Saturday. Fri Dec 25 shown as a holiday. Source ↗ |
| Everett | City page lists Thanksgiving 11/26/2026 as a holiday where trash pickup is delayed one day. Yard waste week of Nov 23 also slides one day after Thursday. Source ↗ | City page lists Christmas 12/25/2026 as a holiday where trash pickup is delayed one day. Source ↗ |
| Lexington | Town holiday page (2026-27): curbside trash/recycling normally runs on a 1-day delay from the holiday on; Friday pickup moves to Saturday. Town offices closed Thu Nov 26. Source ↗ | Town holiday page (2026-27): curbside trash/recycling normally runs on a 1-day delay from the holiday on; Friday pickup moves to Saturday. Town offices closed Fri Dec 25. Source ↗ |
| Lynn | The 2026-27 city calendar marks Thu Nov 26 as an observed holiday: collection is delayed by a day. Source ↗ | The 2026-27 city calendar marks Fri Dec 25 as an observed holiday: collection is delayed by a day. Source ↗ |
| Medford | Thu Nov 26 is a delay holiday on the 2026-27 city calendar: collections slide one day for the rest of that week (Friday to Saturday). Source ↗ | Fri Dec 25 is a delay holiday on the 2026-27 city calendar: collections slide one day, so Friday pickups run Saturday. Source ↗ |
| Melrose | No curbside collection and City Yard closed Thu Nov 26. Fri Nov 27 and Sat Nov 28 are marked 'delayed one day' on the 2026 calendar (Friday pickups run Saturday). Source ↗ | No curbside collection and City Yard closed Fri Dec 25. Friday pickups move to Saturday Dec 26 (2026 calendar). Source ↗ |
| North Reading | Official 2026 holiday sheet: when a collection day falls on a holiday, that day and the rest of the week slide one day (Friday's goes to Saturday). Thanksgiving is listed as Thu Nov 26, 2026. Source ↗ | Official 2026 holiday sheet: when a collection day falls on a holiday, that day and the rest of the week slide one day (Friday's goes to Saturday). Christmas is listed as Fri Dec 25, 2026, so Friday pickups run Saturday Dec 26. Source ↗ |
| Peabody | City 2026 holiday schedule: Thursday Nov 26 Thanksgiving is a ONE DAY DELAY holiday. Collection slides one day for the rest of the week (Thu to Fri, Fri to Sat). Source ↗ | City 2026 holiday schedule: Friday Dec 25 Christmas is a ONE DAY DELAY holiday. Friday collection slides to Saturday Dec 26. Source ↗ |
| Salem | The 2026 calendar highlights Thu Nov 26 as a holiday; collection is delayed one day following the holiday. Source ↗ | The calendar highlights Fri Dec 25; collection is delayed one day following the holiday. Source ↗ |
| Somerville | City holiday list: pickup is delayed one day. Both Thanksgiving Day (Thu Nov 26) and the Friday after (Nov 27) are listed. Source ↗ | City holiday list: Christmas Day Fri Dec 25, 2026 delays pickup by one day. Source ↗ |
| Topsfield | The 2026-27 calendar highlights Thu Nov 26 and Fri Nov 27; those collection days are delayed by one day. Source ↗ | The calendar highlights Fri Dec 25; Friday collection is delayed by one day. Source ↗ |
| Tyngsborough | 2026-27 guide: trash and recycling are only delayed on Labor Day and Memorial Day. Regular Monday pickup is unchanged otherwise. Source ↗ | 2026-27 guide: trash and recycling are only delayed on Labor Day and Memorial Day. Regular Monday pickup is unchanged otherwise. Source ↗ |
| Wakefield | Thu Nov 26 is marked 'refuse/recycling collection delayed one day' on the 2026 calendar. Thursday route is collected Fri Nov 27. Town Hall closes noon Nov 25 but trash runs as usual. Source ↗ | Fri Dec 25 is marked 'refuse/recycling collection delayed one day' on the 2026 calendar. Town Hall closed Dec 24; trash collected as usual that day. Source ↗ |
| Winthrop | Town list: Thanksgiving Day Thu Nov 26, 2026 has no curbside pickup; all trash and recycling is delayed one day for the rest of that week. Source ↗ | Town list: Christmas Day Fri Dec 25, 2026: no pickup; delayed one day for the rest of the week. Source ↗ |
| Woburn | If a collection day falls on a holiday, that day's collection and the rest of that week's are delayed one day. Thanksgiving Thu Nov 26, 2026 is on the city's holiday list. Source ↗ | If a collection day falls on a holiday, that day's collection and the rest of that week's are delayed one day. Christmas Day Fri Dec 25, 2026 is on the city's holiday list, so Friday pickups run Saturday. Source ↗ |
Towns that have not posted
These towns have not posted a 2026 holiday schedule. Check the town's page or call its public works office: Burlington, Lowell, Malden, Marblehead, Middleton, Reading, Revere, Saugus, Stoneham, Swampscott, Tewksbury, Westford, Wilmington, Winchester.
How to check yours
- Open your town's solid waste or public works page and look for a 2026 curbside collection calendar.
- If you rent, ask your landlord which hauler serves the building; some private haulers follow their own holiday schedule.
- Put the barrel out the night before and by the time your town says, even if the schedule looks like it will not change.
Updated as towns post. See also all local notices and the guide for your town.
