What to Do on Christmas When You Don't Celebrate It

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year—unless you're like me and don't celebrate it. Then you're stuck with a world mostly shut down and seemingly nothing to do. Fortunately you have quite a few options, whether you're along or with friends, to make December 25th a fun day off regardless of your observances.

This post was originally published on December 24, 2012.

The Obvious Stuff

Chinese restaurants and movie theaters traditionally stay open on Christmas day for those of us who have nowhere else to go. In fact, my Christmas plans usually involve both because they're both things I like. While this guide will include ways to find other activities, you shouldn't necessarily rule out these classic non-Christmas activities. They're staples of the un-holiday for good reason.

Chinese (and Jewish) Restaurants

Finding a Chinese restaurant that's open on Christmas doesn't take much work. Just search Yelp for options near you that are open. A few phone calls should find you a meal pretty quickly. If you're in a larger city (e.g. New York, Los Angeles, etc.) with a large cluster of Chinese restaurants (e.g. Chinatown), look in that area as well. Don't forget to make a reservation even if it's just dinner for you or a small party. Popular restaurants sometimes receive so much business on Christmas day that they can't accommodate everyone. You may not run into a problem, but it's always better to be prepared.

If Chinese food isn't your thing or it doesn't work out, you should look at Jewish-owned restaurants. While some Jewish-owned establishments do close on Christmas because they feel they won't get enough business to justify the cost of staying open, many do to provide a place for non-Christians (particularly Jews) to come and eat.

Movies

For your entertainment, movies are the traditional choice. Several come out on Christmas day because theaters attract both people who celebrate the holiday and those that don't. Google Movies can quickly tell you what's playing in your area (as you probably already know), and FirstShowing can tell you what's going to be out on Christmas Day.

Since you can buy movie tickets online, it's easy to ensure you have a seat in advance. Just hit up Fandango, MovieTickets.com, or buy directly from your theater of choice. If your have a theater that provides seat assignments, I highly recommend going there even if you have to drive a little further. Christmas at the movie theater is very busy and you don't want to get stuck in the front row or behind someone who blocks your view. Regardless of assigned seats, however, you should still arrive a little early. People traffic and parking can make you late on a busy day.

The Not-So-Obvious Stuff

Chinese restaurants and movie theaters aren't the only establishments open on Christmas. A number of other retail chains—and even some local stores—keep limited hours for the minority who do not celebrate the holiday.

Activities

Several attractions remain open on Christmas day, especially in larger cities. As always, call ahead before making plans. Here are your options:

• Pretend to Be a Tourist: Tourist attractions tend to stay open on Christmas, especially in larger cities. This includes places like Madame Tussaud's and Ripley's Believe It or Not as well as zipline and Segway tours. Find out what's local to your area and chances are they'll have special Christmas hours. Of course, many tourist attractions don't have to remain open for you to enjoy them. If you go check out a monument or historical landmark, they're around on Christmas and cost you nothing.
• Visit a Park or Skating Rink: It may be cold outside (in some places), but if you bundle up you can enjoy a park or skating rink. Bring some friends and get a game of snow football together. Take a sled with you if your park has a big hill. When you get home, make some hot chocolate and enjoy being warm again.
• Get a Room: If you've got some spare cash lying around and have nothing better to do, get a room at a hotel. Hotels can't really close on Christmas and offer plenty of amenities. As always, be sure to call ahead and find out if there are any Christmas day restrictions.
• Volunteer: Not having anything to do on Christmas isn't exactly a big life problem that needs solving. Other people have nowhere to go and nothing to eat. If you've got nothing to do, use that time to volunteer and help people who need it. Check your local homeless shelters and non-profit organizations for possibilities. Look at VolunteerMatch if you can't locate anything easily. Your local Craigslist has a volunteer board you can look at as well.
• Use Christmas as a Catch-Up Day: Is everyone out of town? Have you been neglecting chores, work, your hobbies, generally hacking your life, or even working on a few DIY projects? While getting things done may not be anyone's first choice on their day off, Christmas or otherwise, you can spend at least part of your day knocking a few things off your to-do list and the rest of the time relaxing. That way you'll get a break and still feel accomplished.
• Spend Time with Friends and Family at Home: Just because you don't celebrate Christmas, itself, doesn't mean you can't spend the day with family and/or friends. Play games, watch a movie, cook together, talk, or whatever else you'll all enjoy. You don't have to go out to have fun, so don't rule out staying in with people you care about.

These are just a handful of options. A few local activities and attractions, such as arcades, laser tag, spas, and sports clubs often stay open on Christmas day. We couldn't possibly list them all here, but call a few places to find out if they're open. You might be surprised.

Restaurants

Several restaurants remain open on Christmas day, so if you aren't a fan of Chinese food you can often count on national chains. Keep in mind that franchises often do not follow the same schedule, so while one Burger King may be open on Christmas, another may not. Be sure to call first and check. RestaurantNews.com has a list of restaurants open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, including Buca di Beppo, Buffalo Wild Wings, Domino' Pizza, IHOP, McCormick & Schmick's, and more.

Although we can't verify local restaurants, plenty will remain open on Christmas. One of my favorite Mexican restaurants happens to be open that day. Call around and ask. You might be surprised by what you find out.

Alternatively, f you don't want to go to a restaurant and prefer to eat at home, most grocery stores prepare Christmas dinners. Call your local store for more information if you'd like to simply have a dinner ready-to-go that you can eat at home.

Drug, Convenience, and Grocery Stores

You won't find much to celebrate at a store, but many chains traditionally stay open for a short time on Christmas day, including Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid, and 7-Eleven. Some grocery stores have stayed open in the past, but we couldn't find any that were open this year. (Though as always, it helps to call and ask!)

Plan Ahead

Because so few places are open on Christmas day, you'll want to get a plan together in advance. This won't take more than 15-20 minutes in most cases, and can ensure you won't run into any unwanted disappointments during the day. Just follow these steps:

1. Make a list of the places you want to go.
2. Call nearby locations to confirm they'll be open, as not every chain follows corporate holiday hour recommendations. It's always a good idea to find out their exact hours for Christmas day, too.
3. Make reservations at any restaurant(s) you plan to visit.
4. Put together a basic timeline of the day, accounting for travel time, so you don't lose any reservations, miss a movie, or arrive after the store closes.

If you follow those steps you'll be ready to enjoy a very special non-Christmas, whether you're going solo or enjoying the day with others.

Photos by abdulsatarid (Shutterstock), Katarina Kirilova (Shutterstock), Bernard, army.arch Adam, Sam Howzit, Elvert Barnes, and me.