No Plans for Christmas This Year? What Bay Area Events Are Still Happening

The rainstorms this week have you feeling a little less joyous about the holidays this year? While thousands flock to San Francisco’s Union Square to ice skate under the Christmas tree or catch a glimpse of the puppies in the Macy’s window displays, you may be looking to do something completely different — and that’s okay.

You’re not the Grinch if you’re not “doing” Christmas this year. Maybe you grew up not celebrating Christmas, are processing a tough year or just want to try something completely new. The good news is that you have plenty of options if you want to get away from Santa for a bit.

While many businesses and public spaces have closed down for the week, some places in the Bay Area are still open and available to offer you distraction, solace or just a different experience from the more traditional Christmas gatherings.

Watch the Warriors take on the Dallas Mavericks

This is the last chance fans have to see Steph Curry and the rest of the team play at home in 2025. After a sluggish start to the season, the Golden State Warriors are coming fresh off a 120-97 win against the Orlando Magic, an opponent they have yet to play this season.

Chase Center will be already decked out in holiday regalia and guests will receive a complimentary holiday scarf before the game, but expect the thrill of the game to pull you straight into the dimension of basketball. The Golden State Warriors play against the Dallas Mavericks in San Francisco on Dec. 25 at 2 p.m. Tickets available here.

Share a meal with folks at Glide Memorial Church

It may sound a bit counterintuitive to say you’re getting away from Christmas and then spend Dec. 25 at a church. But each year, thousands of different folks from different faiths and life experiences go to Glide — in San Francisco’s Tenderloin District — for a warm meal and a chance to meet new people, many who are far away from loved ones during the holidays. All volunteer slots for Christmas Day have already been taken up, but Glide invites anyone who is hungry to come in from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

A ‘Queersada’ in San Francisco’s Castro District

In many Spanish-speaking countries, it’s common for families during the December holidays to come together and host a “posada” — a reenactment of the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph’s search through Bethlehem for a safe haven where Mary could give birth to Jesus Christ. While many families actually embark on a whole reenactment through their neighborhood, others opt to honor the experiences of the Nativity with a large dinner, featuring songs, gift exchanges and dancing.

The nonprofit BOSS Idea House has partnered up with the nightclub Beaux to host a free dinner on Thursday night for LGBTQ+ folks and allies who want to come together, either with their chosen family or to make new friends — and have named the event “Queersada,” or a queer posada. A dinner, which will include chicken pozole and pan con pavo, will be provided for free to all guests, who can also bring a dessert to share. Queersada will take place at Beaux in San Francisco on Dec. 25 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and requires an RSVP ahead of time (21+ event).

Wander the San Francisco Botanical Garden for free — and stay for a light show

Many museums, like the Oakland Museum of California or SFMOMA, are closed on Thursday. But not only does one of San Francisco’s most popular outdoor museums stay open on Christmas, it’s also free that day. The San Francisco Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park confirmed that it’ll be offering free admission to everyone on Thursday, regardless of where you live (free admission is usually based on San Francisco residency). The garden opens on Dec. 25 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

However, it’s also important to mention that the Bay Area is expecting strong storms on Thursday. If the rain ends up spoiling your idea of a day in the gardens, another option nearby starting at 7 p.m. is “Lightscape,” a mile-long trail starting at the Conservatory of Flowers, which features larger-than-life light installations and sculptures — if weather permits, of course (Monday’s showing was canceled due to strong winds). Keep in mind that tickets for Lightscape start at $32 for adults and $20 for kids.

Watch the ultimate holiday movie on the big screen — and then debate if it’s actually a holiday movie

Should Bruce Willis jumping off a skyscraper in order to escape an explosion (while tied to a firehose) be part of our collective Christmas film canon? Debatable, perhaps. But no matter how you see it, 1988’s Die Hard is quite popular this time of year, despite the movie not really being about anything very “Christmas-y.” Several movie theaters in the region — including San Francisco’s 4 Star Theater — will be showing the film on Thursday evening, so you can decide for yourself.

And movie theaters will still be open to show the last big releases of the year. Will Timothée Chalamet reach ping-pong greatness in Marty Supreme? What was James Cameron able to do with a $400 million budget for the latest movie in the Avatar franchise? And if you want to escape the Christmas vibes completely and would rather be transported to a haunted pizza restaurant, perhaps Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 could be a good match?

All AMC and Cinemark theaters in the Bay Area are open Thursday and through the holiday weekend. Several independent theaters, like Alamo Drafthouse in San Francisco, Mountain View and Santa Clara, Oakland’s Grand Lake Theatre and El Cerrito’s Rialto Cinemas will also have showings on Thanksgiving.