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All the things you can do on Christmas Day in LA and SoCal
Yep, Disneyland is open on Dec. 25.
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Joshua Sudock / Walt Disney World Resorts
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Getty Images
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Los Angeles may not be the world’s most Christmas-y city — I’m pretty sure that moniker belongs to New York City or London with their many shopping street light displays, or somewhere in Norway or Finland with snow and Santa-lore ...
But L.A. and Southern California have everyone else beat with our gorgeous weather, and there's no shortage of ways to get into the seasonal spirit or just enjoy the outdoors on Dec. 25. So we've compiled a list of our favorite things to do on Christmas, and what's still open.
Whether your thing is hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains or hitting Disneyland yet again, Christmas Day is a great time to enjoy the lighter traffic and do some local exploring. This year, Christmas also coincides with the start of Hanukkah, so there’s plenty going on for both holidays around the area, too. (And because there's always a need to help those in need, we have included some volunteering options too.)
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Rent a swan pedal boat in Echo Park Lake
A favorite LA destination.
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Frederic J. Brown
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AFP via Getty Images
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Echo Park Lake
Echo Park
COST: $13 per adult, MORE INFO
The iconic Echo Park Lake swan pedal boats are open for rental on Christmas Day, so pretend you’re an extra in Chinatown and take one out for the afternoon.
Winter Fest OC
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OC Fair and Events Center
88 Fair Dr., Costa Mesa
COST: FROM $34, MORE INFO
Head to Winterfest! The OC Fair space in Costa Mesa hosts the area’s largest holiday festival, featuring an ice trail, snow park (yes, with real snow), holiday lights, festive treats, and more. And it’s open all day on Christmas.
Hanukkah on Ice, 4 to 6 p.m.
Consider ice skating.
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Photo by l. akhundova via Shutterstock
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L.A. Kings Training Center
555 Nash St., El Segundo
COST: $15, MORE INFO
Glide into the first night of Hanukkah as you skate on the L.A. Kings training ice with the Jewish Community Center of Manhattan Beach. The fee includes skate rental and food will be available for purchase.
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Hanukkah Menorah Lighting, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Hanukkah starts Wednesday, Dec. 25 this year.
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tomertu/Getty Images
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iStockphoto
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Third Street Promenade
1300 block, Santa Monica
COST: FREE, MORE INFO
Celebrate the first night of Hanukkah at the annual menorah lighting on Third Street Promenade. If you can’t make it out on Christmas Day, the event continues every night of the eight-day celebration.
Stroll the Venice Canals
Venice canals.
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eyetwist via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
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Venice
COST: FREE
As a Venice resident for nearly 20 years, a stroll through the Venice canals as the sun sets is one of my favorite Christmas time activities. Dozens of the cute houses and all the bridges in this special part of L.A. are all dolled up for the holidays, so take a walk and check them out before the decorations come down.
Head to the movie theater
Timothée Chalamet in 'A Complete Unknown.'
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Macall Polay
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Courtesy Searchlight Pictures
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Various locations
COST: VARIES
Movie buffs have been waiting all year for the final Oscar-bait movies to come out. If movies are your thing, head out to your local theater on Christmas Day for the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown (starring Timothée Chalamet), Babygirl (starring Nicole Kidman) or The Fire Inside (from Moonlight director Barry Jenkins). And if you want to be scared half to death, there's Nosferatu. Of course lots of new movies have come out in the past month since the Thanksgiving rush, so if you haven’t seen Moana 2, Wicked, The Brutalist, or Mufasa yet, better book your tickets now. Christmas Day is a deceptively busy time at the movies, so make sure to plan ahead or you’ll be in the very front row with a sore neck as your Christmas present.
And if old movies are more your thing, head to the Egyptian for an all-day celebration of their 20th anniversary, featuring screenings of The Polar Express, The Incredibles, House of Flying Daggers, Before Sunset, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
Take a hike!
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Sorin Gheorghita
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Unsplash
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Take your pick of favorite trails that are bound to be quiet early in the day and of course get busier once the presents are opened and a walk is in order after lunch. Head to Temescal or Palos Verdes for ocean views, do a quick circuit at Runyon, or venture further to Angeles Crest and make a day of it. Just remember services may be closed, so pack snacks and water accordingly!
Head to a theme park
Christmas lights cover "It's A Small World" at Disneyland during the Christmas season.
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HarshLight
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Flickr Creative Commons
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All of the major theme parks in L.A. and Orange County are open on Christmas Day — Disneyland, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Knott's Berry Farm and Universal Studios — so while it’s a bit pricey, it’s a fun holiday present to yourself and your family to head to Disneyland or Six Flags for some rides or a real cozy Christmas at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal.
Frosty’s Christmas Bar
6555 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood
COST: FROM $30, MORE INFO
Sure, plenty of bars are open on Christmas Day. But not all of them are decked out to the nines in Christmas spirit (and spirits!). This on-theme bar is more of an immersive experience than a bar and has the price tag to match. But what the heck, it’s Christmas.
Take a drive to Palm Springs or Big Bear
There's a new chair lift at Big Bear.
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Lee Stockwell
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Big Bear Mountain Resort
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The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is open on Christmas Day, as are the Big Bear ski lifts at Big Bear Mountain Resort, so enjoy the easy ride and take a day trip for some great views, hiking, or skiing. In Big Bear, the first new chairlift in 30 years just opened last week, so skiers can expect shorter lift lines all winter long.
Dine out!
Whether you’re hoping for a big Chinese feast or a fancy Christmas splurge, there’s plenty of great options open in the area, just make sure to plan ahead.
A few suggestions in a range of locations and a variety of price points:
San Gabriel Valley
Newport Seafood, 518 W. Las Tunas Dr.
COST: VARIES, MORE INFO
San Gabriel Valley, of course, is the go-to for incredible dim sum and other Chinese delights; Newport Seafood is one suggestion for great eats in the SGV; many others in the area are also open Christmas day, but check opening times and make a reservation to be sure.
Hollywood
Genghis Cohen, 740 N. Fairfax Ave.
COST: VARIES, MORE INFO
Come for the Chinese food, stay for the McConnell’s Hanukkah ice cream collab “Baby Got Mac(caroon)”.
Downtown
San Laurel, 100 S. Grand Ave.
COST: $179 per person, MORE INFO
Jose Andres’ outpost at the gorgeous Frank Gehry-designed Conrad hotel on Grand Avenue is a Christmas feast worth the splurge. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day the restaurant will have a special tasting menu featuring Coca Escalivada, an olive oil bread topped with mussels in escabeche, red peppers, eggplant, and caramelized onion, and Vermicelli “Mac N’ Cheese” featuring fideuá pasta, baby squid, egg yolk sauce, and crispy shallots, as well as luxurious offerings like lobster tails with sherry wine and lobster bisque.
Volunteer in your community
If you have free time on Christmas, put that time toward helping others — that’s what the holidays are all about, right? Help give out produce, set up Christmas Day activities for unhoused neighbors in Hollywood, or help with meal distribution in Venice. You’ll feel good and help our community at the same time. What could be better?
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