What’s open and closed Hamilton Christmas Day 2025

It’s Christmas Day in Hamilton, and, as one of Canada’s most significant holidays, many businesses will be closed.

This year, Christmas Day falls on Thursday, Dec. 25.

As in previous years, all non-emergency government offices and services, along with most malls, shops, and some restaurants, will be closed.

Here’s what’s open and closed in Hamilton on Christmas Day:

Open:

• All critical services, such as police, fire and emergency services, parademic services and critical infrastructure services, will continue to operate on Christmas Day
• Hamilton trails and parks
• Most convenience stores
• Skating rinks: Bernie Morelli Recreation Centre – Serafini Family Ice Pad, Dundas Driving Park, Freelton Community Park, Waterdown Memorial Park (weather permitting)
• Some restaurants, but call ahead to confirm
• Some smaller grocery stores, such as Rabba locations
• Some drug stores, such as Shoppers Drug Mart and Rexall
• Splitsville Entertainment
• Movie theatres

Closed:

• All City of Hamilton administrative offices will be closed from Dec. 25, 2025, to Jan. 1, 2026 and will reopen on Jan. 2, 2026
• Adult Day Program at Macassa Lodge
• Animal Services Office and Shelter
• Banks
• Canada Post (no mail pickup or delivery)
• All non-essential federal, provincial and municipal government offices
• Most major grocery stores
• Hamilton Farmers’ Market
• All Beer Store and LCBO locations
• Libraries
• All civic museums, including Dundurn National Historic Site, Griffin House, Hamilton & Scourge National Historic Site, Hamilton Children’s Museum, Fieldcote Memorial Park, Battlefield National Historic Site, Hamilton Museum of Steam & Technology, Hamilton Military Museum, and Whitehern House & Garden, will be closed on Dec. 25, 26, 29 and Jan. 1
• Most major shopping centres, including Lime Ridge Mall and Jackson Square
• Hamilton Municipal Parking System Office
• Recreation centres and arenas
• Tropical Greenhouse at Gage Park

Waste and Recycling:

• There will be no waste collection on Dec. 25, with schedules pushed ahead one day.
• Community Recycling Centres will be closed

Transit:

• HSR buses will operate on a special holiday service schedule, with the last trips leaving downtown at approximately 9 p.m.
  • No service: Routes 12 Wentworth and 42 Mohawk East
  • MyRide Waterdown and Trans-Cab are operating from 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
• GO Transit will run on a Saturday schedule on December 25 and 26.
• DARTS: All subscription trips cancelled – except dialysis – for Dec. 25. Users should make reservations for travel on Christmas Day