The lifts, ski school, bars and restaurants are all open as usual. However a lot of the shops are closed in the afternoon. The snow is usually good as the days and nights tend to be cold. Because the schools are on holiday there are lots of children in the resort. If you overdo Christmas eve and miss your lesson because of a hangover, you will make your instructor very unhappy. He probably had more to drink than you and was on the slopes ready to ski at 9-30 am. I spent last christmas in the Hotel Palarine and Christmas eve was "lively",with many drinks being served by Stuart, Arinsal's convivial barman. On Christmas day it was skiing as usual and in the evening we had a full Christams dinner and a visit from Father Christmas.