What’s open and closed on Christmas Day in Oshawa, Whitby, Clarington, Pickering and Ajax

Christmas Day falls on Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2024. Here’s what’s open and closed in Oshawa, Whitby, Clarington, Pickering, Ajax and the rest of Durham Region.

As usual, most places are closed on Christmas Day, but here are a few places open just in case you forgot the eggnog or need a prescription filled. Most all of these closed places will be open again on Boxing Day, one of Canada’s biggest shopping days.

Here’s what open and closed on Christmas Day this year:

OPEN

• Most convenience stores
• Some Shopper’s Drug Mart locations (best to call ahead to be sure)
• Select Starbucks and Tim Hortons cafes (with reduced hours)
• A few restaurants will be open. Chinese food restaurants, in particular, are traditionally open on Christmas Day
• Local parks, such as Lakeview Park in Oshawa, Heydenshore Park in Whitby and Waterfront Park in Ajax
• Conservation areas, hiking and cycling trails all over Durham
• Ski Lakeridge will be open 10-7 for skiing, snowboarding and tubing

CLOSED

• Malls, such as Whitby Mall, Oshawa Centre and Pickering Town Centre
• Most major grocery stores
• Banks
• Government offices and buildings
• Community centres
• Libraries
• Canada Post (no mail pick-up or delivery)
  • Mail service has been down for a month amid a major postal worker strike. However, the government forced the striking employees back to work on Dec. 17. Canada Post will again suspend service on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
• LCBO and Beer Store locations
• Some cannabis shops (call ahead)

TRANSIT

GO Trains and buses will run on a Saturday schedule

DRT Pulse buses will be running on a holiday schedule

GARBAGE

As Christmas Day and New Year’s Day fall on Wednesdays, garbage, blue box and recycling schedules will be pushed ahead one day.

Transfer stations in Oshawa, Port Perry and Brock Township will be closed. The stations, used for large waste drop-offs, will be closed for most of the holidays.