While most of London spends Christmas Day opening presents, eating too much, drinking too much, watching TV and generally spending time with friends and family amid the tinsel and baubles, it's easy to forget not everyone celebrates Christmas.

Our diverse city is home to people from many religions and cultures and as such not everyone may wish to mark the occasion because of their beliefs.

Others may choose not to celebrate for personal reasons - perhaps it isn't a happy time of year for some people.

It might be that your friends and family are far away and you don't really have anyone special to spend Christmas with, so you're looking for something to do around others.

Or maybe you're a person or family who just simply wants to escape the noise, craziness and over-indulgence and do something completely different.

So what do you do if you're not celebrating on Christmas Day like everyone else seems to be?

Everything is closed, right? And there's no way of getting to places, is there?

Well, actually it turns out there are things you can do and places to go on Christmas Day - and people to share the day with as a result.

And, while there is no public transport in London, with the streets being quiet it's easy to get around.

What's more, there's no congestion charge between Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

Plus, we have found some other forms of transport which mean you don't have to walk or drive everywhere anyway.

In no particular order of preference, we list 13 alternative things to do on Christmas Day if you don't celebrate Christmas.

1. Escape the city on day coach trip

You can take a coach trip to Windsor and beyond on Christmas Day

Places like Windsor, Bath and Stonehenge are often bustling with tourists - so Christmas Day is the perfect time to visit them while most people are at home with their turkey, presents, TV and families.

Premium Tours is one of the companies offering Christmas tours on Christmas Day itself.

Leaving from various pick up points in London, you could board a coach to escape the city, which will take you to Windsor, Stonehenge, the ancient village of Lacock and finally on to Bath, with Christmas lunch inbetween.

Another trip takes you through London and on to Oxford, Stratford and includes Christmas lunch in the Cotswolds.

What it is: Christmas Day coach tours outside of London

Where it is: Various destinations, picking up from various pints across London

Times: All day trip - you'll find out details when you book

Cost: From £109 for an adults and from £102 for a child for the Premium Tours Christmas Day tours to outside of London

Book: Online here or call 020­ 771 31311

Find out more about Premium Tours here.

Golden Tours also runs coach trips on Christmas Day - you can find out more here.

2. Take a cruise down the River Thames

Not only are the streets of London quiet on Christmas Day but it is also the day of the year when the River Thames is at its calmest and most serene.

You can make the most of this peace on a cruise down the river with City Cruises.

The Sightseeing Tour is a one-hour circular cruise past historic sites in the comfort of a modern heated riverboat. The crew will give a commentary and there will be drinks and snacks to buy, including mulled wine and mince pies.

Even if you don't celebrate Christmas you might still enjoy Christmas lunch - and eating it aboard a river boat is a bit different. The Traditional Lunch Cruise, which lasts more than three hours, includes a four-course menu as you meander down the river and listen to festive music and carols.

What it is: Christmas Day Sightseeing Tour cruise

Where it is: Board at Westminster Pier, Westminster, SW1A 2JH

Times: Departs 9.45am, 10.15am, 11am, 12.15pm, 12.45pm, 1.30pm, 2pm, 2.45pm

Cost: Online prices - Adults from £21, Children age 5-15 from £10, children age 0-4 free, family from £42

Book: Online here or call 020 77 400 400

Find out more here.

What it is: Christmas Lunch Cruise

Where it is: Board at Westminster Pier, Westminster, SW1A 2JH

Cost: Adults age 18-plus £125, child £99, window table for two £270, standard table for four £460, standard table for 10 £995

Times: Boarding 11.30am, departs 12pm, returns 3.15pm

Book: Online here or call 020 77 400 400

Find out more here.

3. Go ice skating

You can whizz around the ice rink on Christmas Day at JW3

We don't get enough snow to ice skate on a real frozen lake or pond in London these days but pop up ice rinks around the capital recreate that fun.

Many ice rinks are closed on Christmas Day but the JW3 pop up ice rink at the Jewish Community Centre in Hampstead area is open.

The 200-metre-square outdoor rink which has room for 70 skaters at a time has glimmering lights and vibrant music creating a fun atmosphere.

There are Penguin aids for children who need a little help, and the banana toboggans for little ones who can't skate sound like great fun.

It's open until January 6, including Boxing Day and New Year's Day, too.

What is it: JW3 Ice Rink

Where it is: 341-351 Finchley Road, Hampstead, NW3 6ET

Times: On Christmas Day it's open from 12.20pm with the last session starting at 6.10pm

Cost: Adults £15, children £10

Book: Online here or call 020 7433 8988 - you should pre-book for Christmas Day as it will be busy

Find out more here.

If you're looking for new places to discover in London during the year this video might give you some ideas:

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4. Hop on and hop off a tour bus around London

Public transport isn't running in London on Christmas Day but you can travel round the city and see the sights on a hop on, hop off bus.

And you'll be able to take great photos without hoards of tourists in the background.

Golden Tours runs a Christmas Day hop on, hop off bus tour with more than 60 stops across the city.

You could take in sights and landmarks such as Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, St Paul’s Cathedral, Tower Bridge, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly and Hyde Park.

You can just jump off when you want to and then get back on at any Golden Tours bus stop.

You won't be able to go inside the closed attractions but you'll be able to capture photos from outside.

You can even take a vintage open top double decker bus tour of London with Premium Tours and a Christmas lights open top bus tour with Golden Tours.

What it is: One Day Hop on, Hop off Bus Tour on Christmas Day

Where it is: The bus can pick up at any of the 60 Golden Tours stops across London

Times: Buses depart approximately every 15 to 20 minutes and every five to 10 minutes from the main tourist points.

Cost: Adult £40, children £20, family £116, early bird discounts available.

Book: Online here or call 020 7630 2028

Find out more here.

5. Go swimming outdoors

You can take a dip in Brockwell Lido on Christmas Day

While others are tucking into a big Christmas breakfast or cracking open the tub of chocolates before lunch you can do something a little more healthy and take a dip in a heated outdoor swimming pool in London.

Brockwell Lido pool in Herne Hill opens for a two-hour swimming session between 9.15am and 11.15am (with 15 minutes either side for changing and showering) but you'll need to book in advance as there are only 100 spaces available. It's only the pool which will be open.

Hampton Pool, which is heated too, is also open on Christmas Day - you can pre-book a swim for sessions between 6.15am and 8am and 12pm and 1pm but between 8am and 12pm you can just turn up.

The Hampton Pool café will be open for breakfast from 6am, Santa and his elf will be around and the place will be covered in lots of decorations.

What it is: Brockwell Lido

Where it is: Brockwell Park, Dulwich Road, Herne Hill, SE24 0PA

Times: 9.15am-10.15am for swimming, doors open at 9am and close at 9.15am for entry, there will be 15 minutes at the end to change and shower and the centre will close at 10.30am

Cost: £5 per person

Book: At reception or call 020 7274 3088

Find out more here.

What it is: Hampton Pool

Where it is: High Street, Hampton, TW12 2ST

Times: Pre-bookable swimming sessions between 6.15am and 8am (three sessions) and 12pm and 1pm (places are limited) but between 8am and 12pm you can just turn up

Cost: 6.15am-8am £11.50 per half hour session, 12pm-1pm £16.50 for the hour, 8am-12pm bring your membership card or pay £7.50 for adults and £4.30 for children

Book: At reception or call 020 8255 1116

Find out more about Hampton Pool here.

6. Take a historic guided walk around London

Did you know that Christmas wasn't celebrated between 1652 and 1660, with no thanks to Oliver Cromwell? From 1660 onwards Samuel Pepys kept his famous diary and you can follow in his footsteps with a guided walk around the London immortalised by his words.

In the afternoon you can take the Charles Dickens Christmas Day Walk and discover the London of his stories.

What it is: Christmas Morning 1660 and Samuel Pepys London walk and The Christmas Day Charles Dickens London Walk

Where it is: Meet your London Walks guide at the Christmas Tree in Trafalgar Square on Christmas Day

Times: Meet at 11am for the Samuel Pepys walk and 2pm for the Charles Dickens walk.

Cost: £10, £8 concessions, children free

Book: No need to book

You can find out more here and here.

7. Watch swimmers racing in a Hyde Park lake

Members of the Serpentine Swimming club take part in their annual Christmas Day race

Don't fancy a winter swim yourself? You could watch others take a dip in the chilly Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park.

Every Christmas Day members of the Serpentine Swimming Club swim a 100-yard - that's 91 metres - Christmas Day race in a bid to win the Peter Pan Cup.

It's happened every year since 1864 and although it is for members only, everyone is welcome to turn up and watch for free.

What it is: Serpentine Swimmers Christmas Day Peter Pan Cup race

Where it is: Hyde Park, Kensington, W2 2UH

Times: Starts at 9am sharp

Cost: Free to watch

Book: No need to book

Find out more here and here.

8. Go out to restaurant for a Chinese or Indian meal

Perhaps because you don't celebrate Christmas you prefer to avoid a traditional Christmas roast.

You can still go out to eat and find something a bit different to the roast everyone else is tucking into - a Chinese or Indian perhaps.

The restaurant booking website OpenTable has a page dedicated to booking a meal on Christmas Day - but it looks like places are booking up already so you had better get in quick.

You'll find restaurants open in London's Chinatown, too, according to the Chinatown website.

What it is: Eating out on Christmas Day

Where it is: Choose from restaurants across London - you'll find Chinatown around Gerrard Street and bound by Shaftesbury Avenue, Rupert Street, Charing Cross Road and Leicester Square

Times: Various

Cost: Varies

Book: With your chosen restaurant or at websites such as OpenTable here.

Find out more at websites such as OpenTable here.

9. Book yourself into a Buddhist Christmas Day retreat

If you really want to escape the craziness of Christmas then a Buddhist Christmas Day retreat might be just thing you need.

London Buddhist Centre is offering the chance to escape from it all and spend the day in meditation and reflection, for those who know both practices.

It's only suitable if you've been taught the Metta Bhavana and Mindfulness of Breathing meditation practices but if you don't know these then perhaps it's something to learn so you can come next year instead.

What it is: Buddhist Christmas Day retreat

Where it is: 51 Roman Road, Bethnal Green, E2 0HU

Times: 10am-5pm

Cost: Suggested £30 donations and a vegetarian dish to share

Book: No need to book

Find out more here.

10. Help out at a homeless centre

There are plenty of things you can do at Christmas if you volunteer to help Homeless charity Crisis

For people who have no home Christmas is no time for celebration at all. If you're at a loose end on Christmas Day you could spend your time volunteering in a homeless centre in London and help give them something to celebrate.

Homeless charity Crisis has 11 centres across the capital and its Crisis at Christmas campaign is looking for volunteers to help make a difference for homeless people not just on Christmas Day, but the days around it.

You just go to the Crisis at Christmas in London website page here where you can sign up and volunteer for a minimum of two shifts between December 22 and 29. This means you'll need to volunteer for more than just Christmas Day itself - or you can volunteer for two days other than Christmas Day if you want.

Crisis is looking for people with all kinds of skills - for example, in hairdressing, healthcare, catering and even people who can just listen, give expert advice or join the night shift in a residential centre.

What it is: Volunteer for Crisis at Christmas in London

Where it is: 11 centres across London

Times: From December 22 to 29, including Christmas Day, day centres are open from 9am-9pm and residential centres are open 24 hours

Cost: Free - being a volunteer won't cost anything but your time

Book: Register your interest here.

Find out more here.

11. Follow a National Cycle Network route through London

The National Cycle Network has routes which take you around London - along the River Thames, through parks and past tourist attractions.

You could follow the River Thames from Thamesmead to Greenwich, admire royal palaces on the Two Palaces Ride, enjoy great views over the city on the Tamsin Trail, spot wildlife on Rainham Marshes and explore south London on the Wandle Trail - and there many more.

You could even leave the city behind and travel from London to Hastings on Route 21. Ok, you might need longer than Christmas Day to complete it at 164 miles, but you could make a start.

What it is: Sustrans National Cycle Network

Where it is: Right across London and nationwide

Times: Anytime you want - you've got all day after all

Cost: Free

Book: No need to book

Find out more here.

12. Cycle around London on a Santander bike

Santander Cycles can be hired on Christmas Day
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, Overground, trams, regular buses and trains won't be running on Christmas day but you can still get around the capital on one of Transport for London's Santander Cycles.

The roads are going to be a lot quieter so you can peddle around the city in relative peace.

The Santander Cycles app is free to download.

As well as viewing the nearest docking station and bike availability, the app sends a bike release code straight to a user's phone, which means you can hire a Santander cycle without having to use the docking station terminal.

You can check the availability of Santander Cycles using the online docking station map here.

You can find out more information on cycling in London here.

What it is: Santander bikes to hire

Where it is: Find a bike docking station using the map here.

Christmas day times: All day

Cost: From £2 - it's aimed at shorter journeys. It costs £2 to access the bikes for 24 hours - you can make as many journeys as you like within 24 hours and the first 30 minutes of each journey is included. Longer journeys cost £2 for each extra 30 minutes or less.

Book: Just pay at the docking station when you collect your bike or download the app here and get your release code in advance.

Find out more here and here.

13. Explore London parks

While there are fewer tourists around to keep getting in the way of photos, Christmas Day could be the ideal time to wander round one of London's parks. Yes, you might still encounter a few people walking off their Christmas lunch but the city's parks still are ideal spots to escape the noisy excitement of Christmas on a winter walk.

Perhaps you might like to take a trip out to one you've never been to before? There are even some secret parks you might never knew existed.

There is the more central Hyde Park and Regent's Park or maybe if you pick the right time of day you will spot deer in Richmond Park.

How about exploring Hampstead Heath or Clapham Common?

You could take a ramble through the beautiful Lee Valley Regional Park and maybe follow some of the 26 miles of the the River Lee within it.

What it is: Parks in London

Where it is: Across London

Times: Anytime you like - you've got all day

Cost: Free

Book: No need to book

Find out more at the official visitor guide website, Visit London, here.