Ways to have a very merry day even if you don’t celebrate

There may not be a partridge in your pear tree today, but if you don't celebrate Christmas, you may be hard-pressed to find something to do. Most stores and restaurants are closed and chances are a good portion of your friends are with family celebrating the holiday. Before giving up all hope, wrapping up in a blanket and watching “Price is Right” reruns, take a look at this list and set yourself up for a very merry non-Christmas.

12 movies to watch

• “Gulliver's Travels” - Jack Black, Jason Segal
• “Black Swan” - Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis
• “Little Fockers” - Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller
• “True Grit” - Jeff Bridges, Hailee Steinfeld
• “Country Strong” - Gwyneth Paltrow, Tim McGraw
• “TRON: Legacy” - Garrett Hedlund, Jeff Bridges
• “Yogi Bear” - Dan Aykroyd, Justin Timberlake
• “How Do You Know” - Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson
• “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader” - Ben Barnes, Georgie Henley
• "The Fighter” - Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale
• “The Tourist” - Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie
• “King's Speech” - Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter

11 games to play

• Scrabble
• Trivial Pursuit
• Chutes and Ladders
• Balderdash
• Mad Gab
• Clue
• Sorry!
• Monopoly
• Clue
• Life
• Apples to Apples

10 ways to volunteer

• Help serve dinner at a homeless shelter
• Walk the dogs at a pet shelter
• Anonymously shovel your neighbors' sidewalks
• Visit a nursing home
• Package food for a food pantry
• Gather clothes for the Red Cross or Salvation Army
• If you work at a hospital, fire department or police station, volunteer to work Dec. 25 for someone else
• Offer to sit with patients at a hospital
• Clean up the community by picking up stray garbage
• Dog sit or house sit for someone who is traveling

Nine treats to make

• Brownies
• Chocolate chip cookies
• Rice Krispie treats
• Crepes
• Cupcakes
• Caramelcorn
• Creme brulee
• Strawberry shortcake
• Lemon meringue pie

Eight ways to enjoy winter

• Make a snowman
• Go sledding
• Rent snowshoes or cross country skis
• Take a snow hike
• Make snow angels
• Build a snow fort
• Make “snow” ice cream (8 cups snow or shaved ice, one can sweetened condensed milk and 1 tsp. vanilla)
• Go ice skating

Seven ways to burn calories

• Go for a jog
• Walk the dog
• Finally use that yoga DVD
• Challenge the family to a game of snow football
• Take a walk around the neighborhood to view neighbors' lights
• If the weather's nice, get the bike out and go for a spin
• Take the kids to the park

Six other holiday meals

• St. Patrick's Day: Corned beef and cabbage
• Memorial Day: Grilled burgers and coleslaw
• Thanksgiving: Turkey and stuffing
• Easter: Ham and sweet potatoes
• Labor Day: Bratwurst and potato salad
• Hanukkah: Potato pancakes

Five places to go

• Some restaurants, like many Chinese restaurants, are open
• Casinos
• Movie theaters
• Some big box stores open later in the day for an early start on post-Christmas shopping
• Visit friends and family

Four marathons

• Rent a bunch of DVDs and pop popcorn
• Get a deck of cards and challenge the family to a day of games
• New Year's Day is a week away - get things ready to celebrate
• Take a day-trip to see winter landscapes

Three ways to get ahead

• Catch up on work without interruptions
• Pay bills
• Read that book you've been putting off

Two chores to tackle

• Catch up on laundry
• Clean the bathroom

One resolution

Join in. Christmas may not be your holiday, but that doesn't have to keep you from helping others celebrate.