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Maybe stooping over a hot stove for hours to prepare a traditional Christmas dinner doesn’t quite put you in the holiday mood. For those who want to get out of the house on Christmas Day, there are plenty of places open around Los Angeles.
Catch a Christmas Day movie or NBA game
AMC and Regal cinemas, among others, will be open Christmas Day, with morning, afternoon and evening showings of the season’s recent family-friendly releases, including “Mufasa: The Lion King,” “Moana 2,” “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” and “Wicked.”
The New Beverly Cinema will show Robert Eggers’ new take on “Nosferatu” and Quentin Tarantino’s “The Hateful Eight.” Although online advance tickets for both afternoon showings are sold out, you may get a ticket by showing up at the box office in person an hour before showtime, according to the theater’s website.
If adrenaline-packed sports are more your speed, the Cosm, Inglewood’s new entertainment and sports venue, is open and offering two NBA showings — the Timberwolves at the Mavericks at 11:30 a.m., and a double-header, featuring the Lakers at the Warriors and the Nuggets at the Suns at 5 p.m. General admission, which offers first come, first serve standing room and seating, starts at $11. Reserved seating for the double-header is sold out as of Monday night. Visitors will take in the action on an 87-foot-diameter wraparound LED screen, recalling visions of the Las Vegas Sphere.
Shopping centers and grocery stores
While most businesses or malls will be closed, including the Glendale Galleria, Westfield Century City and the Citadel, others will have some open restaurants and public areas where visitors can enjoy the holiday decorations.
- The Grove is closed but Italian restaurant La Piazza and the AMC theater will be open, according to a spokesperson, and the outdoor mall will offer visitors simulated snowfalls at 6 and 8 p.m.
- The Americana at Brand in Glendale may have individual stores open but also will have simulated snowfalls at 7 and 8 p.m.
- Most grocery and retail stores, like Target, will be closed Christmas Day, but you should check with your local store before ruling out a trip to pick up some last-minute dinner ingredients.
Theme parks and other attractions
If you’re looking to turn this holiday into a mini-vacation, Southern California’s local theme parks have you covered.
- Both Disney parks in Anaheim, Disneyland and California Adventure, are open Christmas Day. Single-day, single-park tickets for adults start at $206 on Wednesday. The Christmas Fantasy Parade is scheduled for 2:30 and 5:30 p.m. on Main Street.
- The Downtown Disney District, which does not charge admission, is also open.
- Universal Studios Hollywood is open Christmas Day. One-day general admission tickets for Wednesday start at $154 for adults.
- The theme park’s adjacent commercial district, CityWalk, which does not charge admission, will be open.
Disneyland visitors cruise through “It’s a Small World” holiday, featuring different Christmas and holiday celebrations from around the world with lights and decorations on Nov. 21, 2013.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
If a theme park sounds too crowded, maybe schedule time at the Balloon Museum, which is showing “Let’s Fly,” an interactive and inflatable installation.
“This unique exhibition pushes artistic boundaries, blending creativity and freedom in a memorable sensory adventure through innovative inflatable art,” the website’s description reads. Tickets for adults start at $52.21.
The Santa Monica Pier will be open, along with its Pacific Park amusement rides, though individual vendors on the pier might be closed.
L.A. Live, the downtown entertainment center next to Crypto.com Arena, offers holiday ice skating at its outdoor rink on Christmas Day. General admission tickets, which include skate rentals, are $25 per person.
Another Christmas tradition for those who don’t celebrate the holiday
Not everyone celebrates at home. If that’s you, join the non-Christmas tradition of treating yourself to Chinese food but get ready for a wait: One restaurant manager called Dec. 25 the busiest day of the year.
