MAIN Home Life Holidays Christmas What's Open Christmas Day

It can be a bit of an anticlimax when Christmas finally rolls around, leaving many families wondering - what's open today?

In major metropolitan areas, you can usually rely on Wal-Mart other major department stores in some locations around the country to open on Christmas day - especially for those after-holiday sales and post-Christmas gift exchanges.

If you're not sure where to go in your area, simply find contact details, store circulars and store opening hours on the Web ahead of time.

Before you attempt to brave the stores, start the day with a big holiday tradition that has grown in popularity year after year — a Christmas pancake breakfast at IHOP. Starbucks also traditionally keeps its doors open on Christmas Day. If you have nothing else to do in the afternoon, also check nationwide movie listings in your neighborhood for epic films that traditionally premiere on Christmas Day.

While Boston usually shuts down for the entire day due to antiquated blue laws, if you happen to be visiting New York this time of year, know that the city that never sleeps' also never closes on Christmas! You can take in some of the biggest Broadway shows on Christmas as well as major NYC museums, zoos, and other attractions which continue to hang out the welcome sign on the biggest holiday of the year.

With your day filled with activity until dinner, return home for a festive holiday meal with friends and family or make plans to go out. Check out MapMuse where you can search for restaurants open on Christmas nationwide with more than 700 establishments listed in major cities. (Otherwise, if you find yourself in a city that pulls in the sidewalks for the holiday — there's always the local Chinese restaurant.)

Partying all day and need a good all-night diner or Pathmark open 24 hours? The Web's got it covered.

Meanwhile, have a wonderful Christmas. THEN... it's right to bed! Tomorrow promises the best shopping day of the year with huge savings at after Christmas sales.

What's stores are open on Christmas? - While some of the following shopping giants traditionally close on Christmas, store hours change from year to year, so you might find a surprise announcement that your favorite department store will be open for business this Christmas Day.

Just up ahead find sales circulars, store hours, contact info and locations for major department stores nationwide through the U.S. and Canada:

More about what's open on Christmas around the Web

Christmas in Las Vegas

What New Orleans Restaurants Are Open Christmas Day

What to do in Washington DC on Christmas Day

also see -> Christmas TV Schedules | Supermarkets & Grocers

New Year Party Ideas | Last Minute Christmas Shopping