If you want to spend the festive season in the city, but with a bit of magic thrown in, you can’t do much better than Montreal. The city’s covered in snow, everyone’s got their lights up, our favorite cafés have a paparmane and gingerbread syrup menu.
Of course, we know that not everyone celebrates a Christian Christmas, and that Thursday December 25 means different things to different people. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on who you talk to), it’s a holiday for all Montrealers. Even though it’s a vacation, most of the city’s businesses will be closed on this date.
We’ve got other plans for December 25…
Open on December 25
Independent cinemas
Our pre-owned cinemas, Cinéma du Musée and Cinéma du Parc, are open on December 25. You can see…
At the Cinéma du Parc,
- No Other Choice (2025) by Park Chan-Wook / at 1pm, 3:15pm, 6:15pm and 9:15pm (in VOSTA)
- Father Mother Sister Brother (2024) by Jim Jarmusch / at 12:45pm, 4pm, 6:30pm, 9:30pm (in VOSTA)
- The Secret Agent (2024) by Kleber Mendonça Filho / at 8:50pm (in VOSTA)
- Hamnet (2025) by Chloé Zhao / at 1:10 pm, 6:45 pm (in VOSTF)
- Sentimental Value (2025) by Joachim Trier / at 3.45pm (in VOSTA)
At the Cinéma du Musée,
- Stanley Kubrick’sBarry Lyndon (1975), for its 50th anniversary / at 1pm (in VOSTF)
Where to go?
Cinéma du Musée, 1379 Sherbrooke Street West
Cinéma du Parc, 3575 Avenue du Parc
The parks
If the weather’s fine on December 25, we’ll be playing outside…
- go cross-country skiing in the city (for free) on one of these 8 trails
- take a long walk on Mont-Royal, because there’s nothing better for clearing your head on December 25
The Grand Marché de Noël downtown
Montreal’s biggest Christmas market will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. – for one last glass of mulled wine before we think about our 2026 resolutions.
It’s at Place des Arts, and will be open until January 4.
Ice rinks
L’Esplanade Tranquille, downtown Montreal’s refrigerated skating rink, will be open on December 25 – from noon to 11 p.m.
Montreal parks whose ponds and small lakes are icy enough will also have skating rinks open on December 25.
Restaurants
Although most restaurants are closed on December 25 – because chefs are entitled to a day off too – some are offering holiday meals and will be open that day. But don’t forget to make a reservation!
Closed on December 25
Museums
Montreal’s museums will be closed on December 25. However, they are open on December 24 and December 26 for those who wish to visit during the vacation season.
Accès Montréal offices and online services
Accès Montréal offices (BAM) and permit counters will be closed on Thursday, December 25. But don’t panic, these services will reopen the following day.
For those who prefer to manage their paperwork from the comfort of their living room, the city’s online services are still available. But we recommend that you go out and play on December 25 – it’s the vacations, after all…
Shopping
Although there will be a few exceptions, the vast majority of stores will be closed on December 25, 2025. Will be closed;
- SQDC stores
- SAQ stores
- superstores
- bookstores
- many cafés
Happy Holidays!