1. Anyone that is looking to fill up on appetizers and other small meals, this might just be the best option for you, as the Star Wood Hotels is there to feed you through the holidays.
Hollywood; (323) 798-1355; www.starwoodhotels.com/whotels.

2. You are going to find just about anything you desire at Simon LA. This restaurant serves everything you can ever imagine, and it is sure to delight and impress, if you are looking for an elegant Christmas meal. 8555 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles; (310) 358-3979; www.simonlarestaurant.com.

3. Blue Point Grille is open for most of the day on Christmas eve, and you should be able to eat your fill, just in time to wrap presents. noon-8 p.m. (700 W. St. Clair Ave., Cleveland, 216-875-7827).

4. Different Pointe of View has their buffet running on Christmas, so you are able to select everything you are hungry for, without having to sample everyone else’s dishes. ($59.95 for adults and $29.95 for children ages 10 and under). 11111 N. Seventh St., Phoenix. 602-866-6350, differentpointeofview.com.

5. SINGHA THAI

74 Farmingdale Rd., West Babylon, 631-669-8200.
Sometimes nothing says the holidays like Asian food. This is going to give you many different options when it comes to food, and something different that you might not have been expecting.

We have been hard at work trying to find more restaurants open on Christmas for our readers. Here’s what we have been able to dig up so far. Don’t forget to check back for more updates.

Los Angeles

Delphine - W Hotel Hollywood
French Eatery & Bar Contemporary South of France Brasserie serving Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Weekend Brunch. Price: $31 to $50.

Nine Thirty
930 Hilgard Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Price: $31 to $50
Phone: (310) 443-8211

Detroit,MI

Cadillac Cafe at The Detroit Opera House
1526 Broadway
Detroit, MI 48226

Chicago, IL

Aria Restaurant … aria engages a contemporary twist on conventional dining. a surprisingly experiential and engaging concept offering a bold menu of new world asian cuisine.

Aria
200 N Columbus Drive
Chicago, IL 60601

New York City

AJ Maxwell’s - Steakhouse
57 West 48th Street
New York, NY 10020

Whether it is a business lunch, a pre-theater supper, a celebratory dinner or a private party, AJ Maxwell’s can accommodate your needs. We can help turn ordinary occasions into extraordinary meals, and special occasions into affairs to remember.

5 Napkin Burger
630 9th Avenue
New York, NY 10036

“Five Napkin Burger” is our homage to the American Bar and Grill. “Five Napkin” combines elements from such diverse influences as the steak house, the coffee shop, the local tavern, and the fern bars of the 70’s and 80’s. An in depth examination, of these disparate concepts finds one powerful unifying: the burger.

Finding a meal on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day isn’t easy, but it’s possible, starting with hotel restaurants.

In its new home at the W Minneapolis - The Foshay, Manny’s Steakhouse (825 Marquette Av. S., Minneapolis, 612-339-3900) is serving its full breakfast, lunch and dinner menus on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Bank (88 S. 6th St., Minneapolis, bankmpls.com) is serving breakfast, lunch and dinner on the 24th, and lunch and dinner on the 25th.

On Christmas Eve, Chambers Kitchen (901 Hennepin Av. S., Minneapolis, chambersminneapolis.com) is serving its a la carte menu but also preparing a three-course meal for $55; the same fixed-price meal will be served on Christmas Day. On Christmas Day, Cosmos (601 1st Av. N., Minneapolis) is offering a four-course meal for $45.

Click Here For A Free $250 Grocery Gift Card

The St. Paul Grill (345 Market St., St. Paul, stpaulgrill.com) is serving its standard menu at lunch and dinner on Christmas Eve, with a special (and nearly booked) fixed-price meal stretching from late morning to early evening on Christmas Day.

The other day I found a cool way to save money on dining out.

At restaurant.com, gift certificates for a variety of area restaurants are available at a great discount.

On average, gift certificates worth $25 cost $10.

However, with special promotional codes the gift certificates can be purchased for even less.

I recently bought a $25 certificate to a local restaurant for just $3 using one of these codes.

It’s a wonderful deal check it out now while this offer is still available…

70% off $25 Gift Certificates + Free $15 deLaFlowers Gift Certificate. Use code WRAP and pay $3. Valid 12/12/08 thru 12/15/08.

Typically this happens when the customer is being very rude to the wait staff. In the nicer restaurants open on christmas, this is very unlikely to happen, but you don’t really know, do you? If you are trying to avoid this type of behavior, there are some things that you should do to make sure that you are the best customer.

The best thing that you can do is be kind to your waiter or waitress. Imagine that you are the waitperson and think about how you would feel if you were on your feet all day and then a rude customer comes in and treats you badly.

Try to be as nice as you can be to these hard working people. Try giving them a nice smile when they come to your table and let them know that you appreciate their hard work.

Some people think that snapping their fingers is the appropriate way to call their waitperson to the table. This is actually something that will be considered rude by the staff. A simple wave when you catch their attention should be all that is necessary.

Don’t move your seat without checking with the staff first. It is seen as rude and it will also cause some confusion for the people who are responsible for the seating.

Just be polite to your waitperson and everyone else that is in the restaurant. Don’t talk too loud so that everyone in the place can hear you. Try to keep your drinking to a minimum to avoid becoming drunk at the table.

You will be treated much better in restaurants if you learn to respect everyone around you.