The city tends to grind to a halt on Christmas Day and New Year's Day in Montreal — though there are a few things you can do if you get out of the house on those days.
You can head to St. Joseph's Oratory or Notre-Dame Basilica, for example, or you can catch a movie, go to the Montreal Casino, or you can go skating at the indoor rink at the Atrium 1000, on De La Gauchetiere St.
There are a handful of pharmacies open on those two days, and some restaurants are open, but not many — generally, the ones located in hotels and in Chinatown will be, but as always, call ahead to make sure.
Buses, metros and commuter trains will run on their regular Sunday schedules on those two days, and will run on modified schedules on Dec. 26 and Jan. 2.
Parking meters will always take your money.
Mall and retail outlets, as well as SAQ stores, will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day, though they will reopen the following days.
The Biodome, Insectarium, Planetarium and the Botanical Garden will be closed on Christmas Day, but will be open every other day — including New Year's Day, and on the Mondays. They're typically closed on Mondays.
Banks will be closed on Dec. 26 and 27, and on Jan. 2 and 3.
Most City of Montreal offices will be closed from Dec. 23 to Jan. 2, while federal and provincial government offices, including post offices, will be closed on Christmas and New Year's Days, as well as Dec. 26. Provincial government offices will also be closed on Jan. 2.
Garbage and recycling pickup is expected to continue as normal in most boroughs and towns, though there are some exceptions.