This whole year has felt like a doozy — from the election to the economy to international news, 2024 has tossed us every which way around. And this holiday season, you may — for whatever reason — decide to stay home and keep a lower profile for Christmas. But just because you're not with extended family or visiting your hometown doesn't mean that Christmas has to be a strictly at-home event. There are restaurants, events, and screenings across South Seattle and beyond to enjoy by yourself or with your chosen family on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Create a new tradition!
Chinatown-International District is the place to be on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Many beloved restaurants will have their doors open for the hungry masses to enter, like Dough Zone (11 a.m.–10 p.m., all locations), Tai Tung Restaurant (11 a.m.–8 p.m.), Harbor City Restaurant (9 a.m.–11 p.m.), Honey Court Seafood Restaurant (9 a.m.–2 a.m.!), and Happy Lamb Hot Pot (11:30 a.m.–11 p.m.). Most advise parties of five or more to try to make a reservation, but if your crew is smaller, it's best to just walk in. Of course, if you have a go-to favorite not listed here, I'd encourage you to give them a call ahead of time just to make sure they will be open during the holidays.
Outside of the CID, Spice Walaa in Columbia City (as well as its Ballard and Capitol Hill locations) won't be open on Christmas Day; however, they have two holiday specials available for a Dec. 21 pickup: a whole 36+ hour marinated hariyali chicken and a saag paneer lasagna. (Note: Both are meant to be cooked at home!) Over in Pioneer Square, 13 Coins will have a special menu on Christmas Day — call ahead to reserve a spot for parties of six or more. On Capitol Hill, Lost Lake Cafe & Lounge will be open from 7 a.m. to 12 a.m. with a Christmas menu, and a few streets over on 11th Avenue, the Christmas Dive Bar will be slinging Grinch Martinis from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. Perfect for your post-Christmas dinner feasting. And if you're feeling fancy, BluWater Bistro in Leschi has dining options on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day as well as family meals to take home — make your reservations or preorders on their website.
One of the best parts about the holiday season is the glut of Christmas-themed shows and events. If you haven't managed to catch one, there are a few performances with Christmas Eve matinees (unfortunately, most are not on Christmas itself).
It's not too late to get a Santa picture — so why not grab one with Diving Santa at the Seattle Aquarium? He'll be underwater every weekend at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., but there will be a special final show on Christmas Eve at 11:30 a.m. ACT downtown has two Christmas offerings with two very different vibes on Dec. 24 — The Dina Martina Christmas Show with Chris Jeffries, Musical Director (2 p.m. at Falls Theatre) and A Christmas Carol (3 p.m. at Allen Theatre). Seattle is a metropolitan city, so of course we have two versions of the Nutcracker: George Balachine's esteemed ballet at McCaw Hall (Dec. 24, 12:30 p.m.) and Land of the Sweets: The Burlesque Nutcracker at The Triple Door (Dec. 24, 7 p.m.). Over at the Paramount Theatre, the Grand Kyiv Ballet from Ukraine will perform Snow Queen (Dec. 24, 12 p.m.), and a little further north at the Moore Theatre, Seattle drag icons BenDeLaCreme and Jinkx Monsoon will perform their final Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show later that afternoon (Dec. 24, 3 p.m.).
This year, Hanukkah starts on Dec. 25 at sundown, and over at SIFF Uptown, the cinema is hosting its annual Fiddler on the Roof sing-along celebration (Dec. 25, screening starts at 12 p.m.) with live klezmer music by Orkestyr Farfeleh, free takeout from Leah's Kosher Catering, and challah sold by Rise Up Bakers. (For a decidedly different Dec. 25 screening, Uptown is also showing the new Nicole Kidman-starring erotic romance film, Babygirl, at 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.) Up north, The Grand Illusion is screening Christmas classic It's a Wonderful Life on 35mm (Dec. 24 at 4 p.m. and Dec. 25 at 2 p.m.). If you'd like to get spooked on Christmas Eve, arthouse cinema The Beacon in Columbia City is playing titles from the BBC's haunting A Ghost Story for Christmas series (Dec. 24, 6:30 p.m.), which used to play on the channel the night before Christmas in the '60s and '70s.
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