What's Open, Closed For Christmas 2020 In Alexandria

As Christmas approaches this week, families are tasked with modifying holiday plans to limit the chances of spreading the virus that causes COVID-19 illness. One thing that remains the same is the closure or modification of many services in Alexandria for the holiday.

Some services may be closed for Christmas Eve (Thursday, Dec. 24) and Christmas Day (Friday, Dec. 25). Here are the openings and closings to know for both days.

City of Alexandria government offices: Closed on Dec. 24 and 25.

Courts: The Alexandria Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, Circuit Court, General District Court and Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court will close at noon on Wednesday, Dec. 23, and will be closed on Dec. 24 and 25. The Court Service Unit will be closed on Dec. 24 and 25.

Alexandria City Public Schools: All Alexandria City Public Schools will be closed for winter break from Monday, Dec. 21, through Friday, Jan. 1.

Animal shelter: The Alexandria Welfare League will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 24 by appointment only, for both virtual and in-shelter animal visiting opportunities. To make an appointment, visit AlexandriaAnimals.org. The shelter will be closed on Dec. 25. For animal emergency or wildlife concerns, call 703-746-4444.

DASH Bus: On Thursday, Dec. 24, DASH will operate on its regular weekday schedule, but service will end at 7 p.m. Any trip scheduled to start at or before 7 p.m. will operate in its entirety. Any trip scheduled to start at 7:01 p.m. or later will not operate. On Friday, Dec. 25, DASH will operate on a Sunday schedule. The free King Street Trolley remains suspended until further notice, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information, visit dashbus.com.

Department of Motor Vehicles: The state DMV office located at 2681 Mill Road is available by appointment only; walk-in services are not available at this time.

Health facilities: The Alexandria Health Department (4480 King Street), Flora Krause Casey Health Center (1200 N. Howard Street) and Teen Wellness Center at T.C. Williams High School (3330 King Street) will be closed on Dec. 24 and 25. Health department COVID-19 case investigations and contact tracing are operational seven days a week, including holidays.

Historic Alexandria facilities: All city-operated museums will be closed on Dec. 24 and 25. For more information, visit alexandriava.gov/Historic.

Hotlines: All emergency hotlines operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including the child protective services hotline at 703-746-5800; the domestic violence hotline at 703-746-4911; the emergency mental health services or substance abuse crisis hotline at 703-746-3401; the adult protective services hotline at 1-888-832-3858; and the sexual assault hotline at 703-683-7273.

Impound facility: The City’s Impound Facility (5249 Eisenhower Ave.) will be closed Dec. 24 and 25. Fees will continue to accrue while the facility is closed on Saturdays and Sundays, but fees will not continue to accrue on holidays.

Libraries: All Alexandria Library branches and the Alexandria Law Library (520 King Street) will be closed on Thursday, Dec. 24, and Friday, Dec. 25. Talking Books will be closed from Dec. 21 through Jan. 1. Visit Alexandria Library for more information.

Metro: Metrorail operates on a Sunday schedule from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. The Franconia-Springfield and Van Dorn Street stations are closed from Dec. 19 to Jan. 3. Metrobus routes operate on a Sunday schedule. Visit www.wmata.com/schedules/timetables.

Parking: The Alexandria Police Department will suspend enforcement of parking restrictions at metered spaces, residential permit parking districts and other areas with signed parking time limits on Dec. 24 and 25. This suspension of enforcement applies only to the restrictions at legal parking spaces, and does not permit parking in any location normally prohibited (for example, no-parking zones, loading zones or spaces for persons with disabilities). Temporary no-parking signs will be enforced on holidays.

Post offices: Closed on Dec. 25.

Recreation and art centers: On Dec. 24, the Torpedo Factory Art Center will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and all other City recreation and nature centers will be closed. On Dec. 25, all recreation, arts and nature centers will be closed. View the recreation center operating schedule for more information.

Trash and recycling collection: Residential refuse and recycling will be collected on the regularly scheduled day during the weeks of Dec. 21 and Dec. 28; there will be no “holiday slide” for Christmas or New Year’s Day. Collection regularly scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 24, will begin at 6 a.m. instead of 7 a.m. City staff prefer this schedule so they can spend Thursday evening and Friday with their families. Visit Resource Recovery for more information.