Are you feeling that holiday spirit yet? It’s not hard with all of the festive activities taking place around town. It’s another busy weekend with markets, parades, lights and more. Here is my guide to the family friendly events for the weekend of December 7 and 8.

Saturday:

• Carp Christmas Market – Carp Fairgrounds, 8:00 am – 2:00 pm (80 local vendors, special visit from Santa from 11 am – 1pm, live music, kids club colouring contest)
• Carp Cooperative Nursery School Christmas Craft and Bake Sale – St James Church, 8:00 am – 2:00 pm (just down from the Carp Christmas market, more shopping, a raffle and visit with Santa)
• Orchard View by the Mississippi Christmas Village – Orchard View, Almonte, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm (craft sale, Santa visits, sleigh rides)
• Ottawa Farmer’s Market Annual Christmas Market – Aberdeen Pavilion, Lansdowne, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm (farmers market, new vendors, gift wrapping station, live music, horse and wagon rides and visits from Santa)
• Cumberland Christmas Market – 1115 Dunning, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm (90 plus vendors, selling everything from vegetables, to locally prepared meats, foods, breads and sweets, as well as unique crafts and artisanal goods.)
• Fisher Park Christmas Craft Show – 250 Holland Ave, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm (over 100 vendors, free admission)
• WHS Craft Sale – Woodroffe High School, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm (local artisans, breakfast and lunch available)
• Free Holiday Community Pancake and Sausage Breakfast – Colonel By Secondary School, 9:00 am – 11:00 am (annual community breakfast hosted by Councillor Tim Tiernay)
• Minto Winter Wonderland – Minto Recreation Complex Barrhaven, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm (free event, crafts, games, cookie decorating, a bouncy castle and pictures with Santa)
• Holiday Freewheeling Craft Market – Shaw Centre, 10:00 am – 7:00 pm ($5 entry, kids are free, Shop from 125+ local artisans, artists and makers in a festive marketplace. Interactive art features, sip on seasonal local cocktails, groove to DJ sets and live music, finish your shopping off with a gift wrap station.)
• Santa Shuffle 2019 – Lansdowne Park, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm (fun 5 km run or 1 km elf walk, breakfast outside Jack Astors, “elf yourself” face painting ahead of time, proceeds raised go to The Bethany Hope Centre)
• Ottawa Christmas Market – Lansdowne, 10:00 am – 11:00 pm (Inspired by European-style Christmas markets, this FREE outdoor event will be the first of its kind here in Ottawa. With 20+ vendors, performers, a site-wide liquor license and lots of twinkly lights)
• MAC Fair 2019 – Immaculata High School, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm (120 local artisans, $3 admission goes to fund school activities)
• Beechwood Market: Xmas Edition – Chartwell New Edinburgh Residence, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm (local vendors and meet Santa at 11 am)
• Santa Claus Parade: Christmas in Merrickville – St. Lawrence St, Merrickville, 11:00 am (starts at the Community Centre)
• Signatures Originals 2019 Christmas Craft Sale – EY Centre, 11:00 am – 6:00 pm (Meet over 200 top Canadian artists, artisans, makers, and designers from coast to coast. Admission $7)
• Christmas in the Byward Market – Byward Market, 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm (Complimentary wagon rides starting at 1 pm and Christmas Choirs at noon)
• Public Skating at Rideau Hall – Rideau Hall skating rink, 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm (grab your skates and enjoy a free skate at this historic rink)
• Glow Ottawa – EY Centre, 1:00 pm – 10:00 pm (indoor light up holiday display with kids activities, vendors, licensed, buy tickets online ahead of time, limited tickets)
• The Nutcracker: Les Petites Ballet – Meridian Theatres at Centrepointe, 1:00 pm and 7:00 pm showings(classic Nutcracker, choreographed by Emily Rüdenberg.)
• Pakenham Annual Santa Claus Parade – Stewart Community Centre, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm (the parade leaves the community centre at 1:00 pm, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be available to visit with kids in the upper hall shortly after the parade returns. There will be free public skating, as well as free hot chocolate and hotdogs )
• Stanley’s Christmas Village – Stanley’s Olde Maple Farm, 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm (buy tickets online to reserve your spot at this Santa’s village where you can ride in a horse drawn carriage to the elf village, meet the elves, visit the cookie kitchen, sing carols, play games and visit the barn animals)
• Wakefield Christmas Market – Centre Wakefield La Peche, 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm (over 70 vendors, live music, bonfires, mulled wine and lots of holiday cheer,)
• Mayor’s 19th Annual Christmas Celebration – Ottawa City Hall, 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm (skate on the rink of dreams, roast marshmallows over a campfire, take a horse drawn carriage ride around City Hall, visit with Santa and Mrs Claus, plus a magic show, science experiments, and a performance by Monkey Rock Music)
• The Grinch (3D) – Ottawa Family Cinema, 2:00 pm (newest edition of The Grinch movie)
• Vintage Village of Lights – Cumberland Heritage Village Museum, 3:00 pm – 8:00 pm (As you stroll through the lit up village, enjoy activities including: receiving a Santagram; decorating gingerbread; taking a horse-drawn wagon ride (weather dependent); singing along to Christmas standards; decorating ornaments; a cozy campfire; and more)
• Afternoon Family Dance – Churchill Rec Centre, 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm (kids and parents are invited to come dance, dances geared towards kids aged 0 – 7 yrs, always live music, optional pot luck dinner afterwards)
• Stories with Santa – Canadian Tire Store Kanata, 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm (Santa will read popular Christmas Stories to children in a group. Wear your favourite Christmas Pajamas to be cozy. Free event)
• Alight at Night – Upper Canada Village, 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm (the entire village is alight with more than one million lights, enjoy a horse drawn carriage ride, eat dinner at a restaurant, sing carols and more)
• Magic of Lights – Wesley Clover Parks Campground, 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm (drive through holiday light display, $20 per vehicle, recommend buying tickets online ahead of time)
• Victorian Christmas – Fairfields Heritage House, 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm (Costumed interpreters will bring to life Christmas traditions of yore as you explore a beautiful farm house decorated for the holiday season. Sample delicious treats and c raft your own traditional ornament. Enjoy warm cider and caroling around the campfire)
• Christmas Lights Across Canada – Parliament Hill and Confederation Park, 5:30 pm – 11:00 pm (see the holiday show projected on Centre Block, loops every 15 minutes, and check out the lights at Confederation Park)

Sunday:

• Ottawa Farmer’s Market Annual Christmas Market – Aberdeen Pavilion, Lansdowne, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm (farmers market, new vendors, gift wrapping station, live music, horse and wagon rides and visits from Santa)
• Awesome Sundays: Awesome Neighbours – Canadian Museum of History, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm (check out the new Daniel Tiger exhibit based on the hit PBS show and meet Daniel Tiger himself, plus enjoy a craft)
• Family Sundays: PJ Party – National Gallery of Canada, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm (Visit with Santa, take a face-painting workshop, make a gingerbread house and get ready for winter with a tour of seasonal artworks. You can also sit back relax and watch The Grinch – the original)
• Ottawa Christmas Market – Lansdowne, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm (Inspired by European-style Christmas markets, this FREE outdoor event will be the first of its kind here in Ottawa. With 20+ vendors, performers, a site-wide liquor license and lots of twinkly lights)
• Breakfast with Santa – Old Firehall Community Centre, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm (free pancakes for the first 150 people, face painting, cookie decorating, crafts and a visit from Santa)
• Winter Princess Party – Boston Pizza Barrhaven, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm (two seatings, fee of $1.50 per person, crafts, games and even a concert as the winter princesses will be performing their favorite songs.)
• Holiday Freewheeling Craft Market – Shaw Centre, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm ($5 entry, kids are free, Shop from 125+ local artisans, artists and makers in a festive marketplace. Interactive art features, sip on seasonal local cocktails, groove to DJ sets and live music, finish your shopping off with a gift wrap station.)
• Signatures Originals 2019 Christmas Craft Sale – EY Centre, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm (Meet over 200 top Canadian artists, artisans, makers, and designers from coast to coast. Admission $7)
• Public Skating at Rideau Hall – Rideau Hall skating rink, 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm (grab your skates and enjoy a free skate at this historic rink)
• Holidays at the Park – Wesley Clover Parks, 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm (vendor’s row, kids craft station, horse-drawn wagon rides, Zack the donkey and more)
• Glow Ottawa – EY Centre, 1:00 pm – 10:00 pm (indoor light up holiday display with kids activities, vendors, licensed, buy tickets online ahead of time, limited tickets)
• Stanley’s Christmas Village – Stanley’s Olde Maple Farm, 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm (buy tickets online to reserve your spot at this Santa’s village where you can ride in a horse drawn carriage to the elf village, meet the elves, visit the cookie kitchen, sing carols, play games and visit the barn animals)
• Vintage Village of Lights – Cumberland Heritage Village Museum, 3:00 pm – 8:00 pm (As you stroll through the lit up village, enjoy activities including: receiving a Santagram; decorating gingerbread; taking a horse-drawn wagon ride (weather dependent); singing along to Christmas standards; decorating ornaments; a cozy campfire; and more)
• Almonte Christmas Night Parade – Mississippi Mills, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm (The Parade leaves the Almonte Community Centre at 5PM. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be available to visit with kids in the upper hall shortly after the parade returns. There will be free public skating, as well as free hot chocolate and hotdogs )
• Alight at Night – Upper Canada Village, 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm (the entire village is alight with more than one million lights, enjoy a horse drawn carriage ride, eat dinner at a restaurant, sing carols and more)
• Magic of Lights – Wesley Clover Parks Campground, 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm (drive through holiday light display, $20 per vehicle, recommend buying tickets online ahead of time)
• Christmas Lights Across Canada – Parliament Hill and Confederation Park, 5:30 pm – 11:00 pm (see the holiday show projected on Centre Block, loops every 15 minutes, and check out the lights at Confederation Park)