The last thing anyone wants to realize on Christmas Day is that they forgot to buy a certain gift for a loved one, or they’re missing that special ingredient for their holiday meal.
If you find yourself in that spot, it’s not completely hopeless. While many businesses shut down for the holiday, there are some stores and services that will be open.
Stores and pharmacies
The following stores will be open Christmas Day, Monday, Dec. 25:
- CVS Pharmacy — Many locations will be open with regular hours, but some locations may be closed or have reduced hours.
- Walgreens — Many locations will be open with reduced hours, which vary by location, according to The Holiday Hours, which calls locations around the nation to track store hours.
- Giant — Most locations open a modified, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule, according to The Holiday Hours.
The following stores will be closed Christmas Day:
- Aldi
- Amazon Fresh
- BJ’s Wholesale Club
- Costco
- Food Lion
- The Fresh Market
- Lidl
- Sam’s Club
- Target
- Trader Joe’s
- Walmart
- Wegmans, according to The Holiday Hours
- Whole Foods Market
Entertainment
For those who don’t celebrate Christmas, it can be a great day to catch a movie or go out for a nice meal.
Most movies theaters, including AMC and Regal Cinemas locations, will be open Christmas Day.
The following are among D.C.-area restaurants open during the holiday, according to OpenTable:
- Founding Farmers — D.C., Tysons and Rockville locations
- The Pembroke — D.C.
- Yardbird Table & Bar — D.C.
- Succotash PRIME — D.C.
- Gyu-Kaku — Arlington, Virginia
- Delhi Spice — Bethesda, Maryland
For a full list of restaurants open on Christmas Day in the D.C. area, go to OpenTable’s website. It’s best to call restaurants ahead of Christmas Day to confirm hours and availability.
As far as leisure or emergency shopping goes, you won’t be able to get it done at Tysons Mall or the Clarksburg Outlets. Both are closed Christmas Day.
Transit
Getting around without a car on Christmas Day may not be as easy as a typical Monday, but there are some options.
Metro trains are operating on a Sunday holiday schedule from 7 a.m. to midnight. Metrobuses will run on a Sunday schedule.
Both VRE and MARC trains will not run on Christmas Day.
For drivers on the I-95 Express Lanes, road operator Transurban said there will be no reversal on Christmas Day, with lanes remaining southbound.
Roads and parkways
The Open Parkways are parkways open to pedestrians and bicyclists and closed to motor vehicles. The holiday hours for those parkways, according to The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, are:
- Beach Drive between Connecticut and Knowles Avenue:
- Saturday, December 23, at 7 a.m. until Monday, December 25, at 4 p.m.
- Saturday, December 30, at 7 a.m. until Monday, January 1, at 4 p.m.
- Sligo Creek Parkway between Old Carroll Avenue and Piney Branch Road and between Forest Glen Road and University Boulevard West:
- Friday, December 22, at 9 a.m. until Monday, December 25, at 4 p.m.
- Friday, December 29, at 9 a.m. until Monday, January 1, at 4 p.m.
Local services
Area government offices and courts will be closed for Christmas Day.
