What To Do On Christmas Day In NYC If You Don't Celebrate

NEW YORK, NY — New York City is an iconic Christmas town, but as one of the most diverse places in the world, you won't be left out in the cold if you don't celebrate. There are plenty of ways to entertain yourself in the city if Monday is just Dec. 25 to you.

Theaters, shops, restaurants and plenty of other spots will be open if you're itching to get out and do something. You could even check a few New York tourist destinations off your list.

Here's some suggestions for how to make Christmas Day special without the need to get pine needles all over your apartment.

See A Movie

Christmas Day is always ripe for new theatrical releases — plus, "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" is already out. It's as good a time as any to grab some popcorn and sit down in front of the big screen.

To make it even better, Nitehawk Cinema in Williamsburg, Brooklyn is open for early screenings on Monday starting at 1:30 p.m. The boutique theater serves a full dinner menu that you can enjoy while taking in a flick.

Go Ice Skating

The holidays can't stop you from gliding across the city's skating rinks. The iconic rink at Rockefeller Center has some time slots available on Monday, but you'll want to make a reservation quick. You can also head to the LeFrak Center in Brooklyn's Prospect Park, which will be open for skating from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Visit A Museum

Why not take in some culture? The Jewish Museum is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Christmas Day and will host a kid-friendly concert by musician Oran Elkin. The Museum at Eldridge Street, a Jewish heritage museum housed in a historic 19th-century synagogue, is also open. While it's not technically a museum, Ripley's Believe It Or Not will be giving the usual tours of all its weird stuff.

Do Something Touristy

Christmas could be a chance to do that quintessential New York thing you've always avoided. Go to the top of the Empire State Building. Take a walk through Times Square and see the setup for New Year's Eve. Take in a Broadway show. Or even take a ride on the Staten Island Ferry.

Go Shopping

While everyone else is opening presents, you could go get some for yourself. The Winter Village at Bryant Park, one of New York City's many holiday markets, will be open on Christmas Day. Take a walk through the stalls and treat yourself.

(Lead image: People look at a hoiliday winter display outside of stores along Fifth Avenue on Dec. 20. Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)