Washington D.C. (including Baltimore) - Christmas day in DC?

We're staying in Arlington over the holidays to visit my brother. Any suggestions for things to do on Christmas day? I'm open to any suggestions as far as dining and activities. My sister in laws family is having their gathering and basically told us to get lost after 11 am so we are looking for ways to keep a 3 year old occupied. We are staying at the Hilton Garden Inn Arlington Shillington if that helps.

Thank you for any advice.

Wow, kicked out at 1100 on Xmas day.....ouch. My advice would be to stay home, nothing will be open on Xmas day. You could drive/walk around the monuments and other sights, but you will be hard pressed to find anything worth doing.

The U.S. Botanical Gardens (a glassed-in conservatory on the Mall) are open, and I think do some kind of holiday musical programming. Other than that, I'm hard-pressed to think of an indoor attraction that's open. Chinese food and a movie may be your best bet once you tire of outdoor monuments.

My brother is stationed in the area with the army. My entire family is flying out to do our family Christmas so not going isn't really an option. We're heading out the Wednesday before and are heading home the day after. It sounds like I'll head over to the botanic gardens and then go see a movie. I now just need to find a restaurant that's open Christmas day night and that can accommodate 9 of us

None of us are happy with SIL's family at this point.

Check out the Kennedy Center. The free 6pm performance is held 365 days a year. Also, I think they will have some ticketed programming as well.

Dinner won't be a problem, since there are oodles of hotels in D.C. whose restaurants will be open. Also, others will be open, especially a number of the ethnic ones.

Possibly some stuff at Union Station will be open.

EDIT: Just remembered that Mt. Vernon is open Christmas Day.

National Christmas Tree at the Ellipse? There won't be any performances but with a three year old, it could be fun looking at the trees for each of the states.

You can kill two birds with one stone: Go catch a flick down at Gallery Place and then eat at one of the restaurants in or next to the Verizon Center. You could also walk around Georgetown and check out the lights/Xmas decorations.

If the botanical gardens are open, they have an *awesome* train display this time of year. I took my 2 year old last weekend and he has been talking up Thomas, James, and Percy ever since.
http://www.usbg.gov/contact-us/upload/093011-Season-s-Greenings-1.pdf

There are a few Web sites such as this: http://dc.about.com/od/christmasevents/tp/10Things.htm

Hotel restaurants should be open. We used to like the ambiance of the big restaurant at the historic Willard Hotel but I'm not sure if that restaurant is still open (at least one restaurant there will be open and there are certainly others; you might walk around downtown and see what's open, or phone some place in advance-- perhaps the relative kicking you out of her home on Xmas morning could offer suggestions). I am sure you can find a place to accommodate 9 people, but reservations would be a good idea. The Washington Post will certainly list any activities that are open. It would entail a bit of driving, but Annapolis should be pretty to walk around. Besides the Kennedy Center, there may be other theatres with shows that day (e.g., Ford's Theatre, Studio Theatre?). I wonder if the ice skating rink on the Mall will be open (3 years old could be too young to skate, but not to watch). Mt. Vernon sounds interesting, at least for the adults.

National Christmas Tree at the Ellipse? There won't be any performances but with a three year old, it could be fun looking at the trees for each of the states.
Don't forget about the trains too! If you're 3y/o likes trains, both the White House christmas tree as well as the botanical gardens have pretty cool train installations.

Christmas Day dining
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/going-out-gurus/post/five-options-for-christmas-day-dining/2011/12/20/gIQAZgaA7O_blog.html