Christmas is celebrated worldwide on December 25. The first Christmas was in Rome in 336 A.D. during the reign of the Emperor Constantine. Christmas customs include exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, attending church, and children anticipating a visit from Santa Claus.

Christmas Day has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1870. West Columbia City Hall will be closed Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 25-26, for the Christmas holidays. Regular hours will resume on Wednesday, Dec. 27. The City of West Columbia City Hall will also be closed Monday, Jan. 1, for New Year’s Day. Regular hours will resume on Tuesday, Jan. 2.

The city of West Columbia sanitation schedules may differ on certain routes. Check schedules on the City’s website or download the WeCo Info app at https://westcolumbiasc.gov/sanitation-recycling. Report service requests online by visiting the Civic Web Portal at https://westcolumbiasc.civicweb.net/portal.

In addition to decorations and gift-giving, Christmas is a time for family and friends to get together to share a festive meal. Some traditional Christmas dinner dishes include: turkey with stuffing; mashed potatoes;  gravy; cranberry sauce; and vegetables. Poultry, roast beef, or ham, are also preferred by some. Pumpkin pie, pecan pie, apple pie, raisin pudding, Christmas pudding, or fruitcake are the dessert choices favored by many.

For those who may not want to cook on the holiday, there are some West Columbia restaurants that will be open and welcoming holiday diners through their doors.

Blossom Buffet is at 2525 Sunset Boulevard, in West Columbia, near the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and I-26. Christmas 2023 is the third Christmas for Blossom Buffet at its present location.

“We will be open for Christmas, from 11 a.m. until 9:30 p.m.,” said Don Wong, Blossom Buffet manager. “We have many diners come in to dine with us on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.”

Blossom is a Chinese cuisine buffet featuring: a sushi bar; salad; a hibachi bar; desserts; and a wide variety of entrees, including: vegetables; noodles; shrimp; sweet and sour chicken; salads, and more than 70 other dishes.

If you want something besides Chinese cuisine, there are two more choices for Christmas-Day dining. Waffle House and Denny’s are also on Sunset Boulevard, across the street from Blossom Buffet.

Waffle House keeps its doors open 24-hours-a-day and 365-days-a-year. It will be open on Monday, Dec. 25, this year. The restaurant prides itself on rarely shutting down and it is known for being one of the places to get a hot meal on Christmas Day. In fact, according to a report on the Waffle House Website, the restaurants are very busy on Christmas Day.

Waffle House offers American diner fare, including signature waffles with various creative toppings. Other dishes usually associated with breakfast are also popular at Waffle House. Eggs, grits, pancakes, sausage and hash browns are available at the restaurant. There is also a Waffle House at 2506 Augusta Road, and another one at 2846 Charleston Highway. Both are in West Columbia

Denny’s is at 2514 Sunset Boulevard in West Columbia, beside Waffle House. Denny’s is open 24 hours and it’s open Christmas Day. Denny’s is an American cuisine restaurant and offers Breakfast, Brunch and Lunch. You can order takeout at Denny’s.

Some of the top items on Denny’s menu include: sweet buttermilk pancakes; eggs, and sausage links; tater tots covered in shredded cheese, nacho meat, sour cream, jalapeños, and bacon; French toast dusted with sweet powdered sugar: and the Spicy Sriracha Burger, topped with cheddar cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions.  

In West Columbia, there is something for everyone in the Christmas season. Stay home and dine with your family or friends, or find one of the restaurants open on Christmas Day and go in for a visit.