Not everyone likes to stay home, bundled up around the fireplace on Dec. 24 and Dec. 25, so for those looking for fun things to do in the Rye area, here are 10 family-friendly activities for Christmas:
Ice Skating
- The Mamaroneck Hommocks Park Ice Skating rink will be open for public ice skating on Dec. 24 from 11 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. 140 Hommocks Road, Larchmont, 914-834-1069
- The Playland Ice Casino will have public skating on Dec. 24 from 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Playland Parkway, Rye, 914-813-7059
The Holiday Train Show
- The New York Botanical Gardens annual Holiday Train Show is on display, featuring replicas of New York landmarks and landscapes, all made from botanical materials and motorized by the engines of model trains. The exhibit is open Dec. 24 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and closed Christmas Day. Adult tickets are $25 and children's tickets are $15. Advanced purchase is strongly advised. Bronx River Parkway and Fordham Road. (Exit 7W), Bronx, 718-817-8700.
The Maritime Aquarium
- The aquarium is offering several festive attractions on Dec. 24 including: "The Light Before Christmas," an IMAX family film in which two children are magically transported into the classic Christmas poem, playing at 11 a.m.; "The Festival of Lighthouses," a display of 3 - to 6-foot-tall lighthouses lit throughout the aquarium galleries and "Disney's A Christmas Carol," playing at 1 p.m. The aquarium will be open until 3 p.m. on Dec. 24. 10 North Water St., Norwalk, Conn., 203-852-0700
Restaurants
- The Willet House is open Dec. 24 from noon to 8 p.m. and Dec. 25 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. They are offering a three-course lunch priced at $25 per person and a three-course dinner priced at $55 per person, in additional to the a la carte menu with daily specials. 20 Willett Ave., Port Chester, 914-939-7500
- La Panetiere will be open Dec. 24 and Dec. 25 from noon to 8 p.m. This sophisticated French restaurant is offering a six-course Christmas menu priced at $78 per person in addition a small a la carte menu on Dec. 25. 530 Milton Road., Rye, 914-967-8140.
Food Drive
- Help feed the hungry children of Westchester by purchasing a healthy holiday bundle at D'Agostino's Supermarket, Dec. 24 and Dec. 25. The bundle, priced at $7.99, contains Parmalat Fat-Free Milk, Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup, Skippy Creamy Peanut Butter and a can of Campbell's Pork/Beans EZ Open. At the end of the Food Drive, all bundles will be distributed to hungry children by the Food Bank for Westchester.
D'Agostino's, 142 S. Ridge St., Rye Brook, 914-935-3324
Shopping
– Get your last minute shopping done on Christmas Eve. Holiday shoppers to Port Chester stores will get free parking on North Main Street, South Main Street, Abendroth Avenue and Westchester Avenue in Port Chester from Dec. 14 through Dec. 27. There is a two-hour free parking limit.
Religious Services
- Local churches will be holding their Christmas services both Dec. 24 and Dec. 25. Click here for a full list of schedules.
Sledding
- If there's snow on the ground, you can take the family out for a day of sledding. The hill by the northeast gate of the Rye Town Park is a sledding favorite and several hills at the Rye Golf Club are accessible from the parking lot or street. And for anyone who lives on the North side, the Willow Ridge, Apawamis, and Westchester country clubs are great spots as well.
See a Movie
- Christmas Day is notorious for blockbuster releases. In addition to those already playing, movies opening Dec. 25 include: "It's Complicated" (Meryl Streep, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin); "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" (Heath Ledger, Christopher Plummer, Tom Waits, Johnny Depp, Jude Law); "Sherlock Holmes" (Robert Downey, Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams); "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakual" (Anna Faris, Justin Long, Mathew Gray Gubler, Jason Lee, Christina Applegate, Jesse McCarthy). Check moviephone.com for local listings.
Senior Center
Community seniors are invited to the Port Chester Senior Center for breakfast with Santa, Dec. 24 at 10 a.m.. Call to RSVP. 22 Grave Church St., Port Chester, 914-939-4975
