This has led to some obsessive Googling of events in our area, which I fully realize won't be of much interest to the many non-local readers of our blog, but I wanted to keep all the info in once place, and there are enough of you who are local that this might be a good resource for you too.
We aren't planning on going to most of these events (especially all the parades), but will probably pick two or three different ones where the timing works out.
If you do plan on going to any of these, please double check to make sure that the information I've collected is correct! (I would feel really badly if you went out to an event only to find I had made a mistake.)
In other Christmas-related news, our Christmas shopping for The Bean is nearly done! (Only birthday shopping to do now.) I plan on posting about some of our picks soon. AND I have already finished an ornament for the Holiday Craft Exchange that An Offering of Love has hosted the past few years. I hope S does it again this year, otherwise I suppose we'll just have an extra ornament on our tree!
Also, a quick question, with Sprout due on December 16th we weren't planning on getting her anything for Christmas --who even knows if she'll be around for Christmas this year? Does that seem awful? Should we get her something small just in case The Bean questions why Santa didn't bring anything for her (though I really don't think he will)? We won't even have stocking for her even since we won't settle 100% on a name until she's born, though my best friend did get her a "Baby's First Christmas" ornament for our tree. What do you think?
GTA HOLIDAY EVENTS
Illuminite
Saturday, November 10th, 2012 6:00 -7:00pm
Yonge-Dundas Square
Toronto Waldorf School Arts & Crafts Fair
$5 adults
Bishop Strachan School's "Deck the Halls" Holiday Show
Saturday, November 17th, 2012 10:00am -4:00pm
One of a Kind Christmas Show and Sale
Thursday, November 22nd, 2012 -Sunday, December 2nd, 2012
Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place
$14 adults (save $2 online)
Swedish Christmas Fair
Saturday, November 24th, 2012 & Sunday, November 25th, 2012
Harbourfront Centre
Toronto Christmas Market at the Distillery Historic District
Friday, November 30th -Sunday, December 16th, 2012
Mon. -Fri. 12:00pm -9:00pm
Sat. & Sun. 10:00am -9:00pm
Knox's Pumpkin Farm -Tree Farm and Santa Visits (weekends only)
Saturday, December 1st, 2012 -Saturday, December 24th, 2012 10:00am -5:00pm
Waldorf Academy Magic Winter Fair
Sunday, December 2nd, 2012 10:00am -4:00pm
Christmas by Lamplight
Saturday, December 8th, 15th, and 22nd, 2012
Black Creek Pioneer Village
~$30 adults
Barns Holiday Art Market
Sunday, December 9th, 2012 & Sunday, December 16th, 2012
Artscape Wychwood Barns, 601 Christie Street
GTA SANTA CLAUS PARADES
Pickering Santa Claus Parade
Saturday, November 10th, 2012 10:00am
-runs east and south on Glenanna Road from Dixie Road to the Pickering Parkway.
Newmarket
Saturday, November 17th, 2012, 11:00am
-route not available
Brampton Board of Trade Santa Claus Parade
Saturday, November 17th, 2012 5:00pm
-runs west on Sproule, then south on Main Street to Elgin Drive.
Santa's Parade of Lights (Oshawa)
Saturday, November 17th, 2012 6:00pm
-heads east along King Street West beginning near the Oshawa Centre. The parade route then heads south down Centre Street South then back west along John Street West and Elmgrove Avenue.
Santa Claus Parade (Toronto)
Sunday, November 18th, 2012 12:30pm
-begins at Christie Pits Park, travels east along Bloor to Avenue Road, south down Avenue Road to Front Street, then east along Front Street to end near the St. Lawrence Market.
Milton Santa Claus Parade
Sunday, November 18th, 2012 2:00pm
-runs north on Bronte Street South from Anne Street to Main Street. The parade then heads east on Main Street to the Milton Mall.
Cobourg Santa Claus Parade
Sunday November 18, 2012 2:00 p.m.
-runs along King St. from D'Arcy St. to Orlando St.
-runs along King St. from D'Arcy St. to Orlando St.
Markham Santa Claus Parade
Saturday, November 24th, 2012 11:00am
-parade goes north on Main Street Markham starting at Highway 7 and ending at the Markham Museum
Uxbridge Santa Claus Parade
Saturday, November 24th, 2012 11:00am
-runs east along Brock Street between Centre Street and Franklin Street.
Santa Under the Stars (Aurora)
Saturday, November 24th, 2012 6:00pm
-runs south on Yonge Street between Orchard Height Boulevard and Murray Drive.
Hamper's Santa Claus Parade
Sunday, November 25th, 2012 1:00pm
-runs west along Kingston Road from Victoria Park Avenue to Walter Street.
Mississauga Santa Claus Parade
Sunday, November 25th, 2012 1:00pm
-runs south down Queen Street South beginning near Britannia Road.
Richmond Hill Santa Claus Parade
Sunday, November 25th, 2012 1:30pm
-runs south on Yonge Street from Industrial Road to Hillcrest.
SantaFest Parade (Vaughan)
Sunday, November 25th, 2012 2:00pm
-begins at Canada's Wonderland and moves east along Major Mackenzie Drive, ending at the Vaughan Civic Centre.
*parade is paired with an afternoon of family activities at a Santa's Village at the Maple Community Centre.
Etobicoke-Lakeshore Santa Claus Parade
Saturday, December 1st, 2012 10:00amEtobicoke-Lakeshore Santa Claus Parade
-running along Lake Shore Boulevard West from Dwight Avenue west to Thirty-Sixth Street
Bolton Kinsmen Santa Claus Parade (Caledon)
Saturday, December 1st, 2012 11:00am
-runs north along Queen Street South between Queensgate Boulevard and Centennial Drive.
Schomberg's A Main Street Christmas (King Township)
Saturday, December 1st, 2012 4:00pm
-a community festival which includes a Santa Claus Parade beginning at 4pm and a Farmer's Parade of Lights later on in the evening.
*there is a small admission fee to the festival for those over the age of twelve.
Burlington Christmas Parade
Sunday, December 2nd, 2:00pm
-runs south along Guelph Line from Prospect to New Street, west along New Street and James Street, then heads north up Brant ending at Caroline Street.
Weston Santa Claus Parade
Sunday, December 2nd, 2012 2:00pm
-runs south along Weston Road between Church Street and Sidney Belsey Crescent (crossing Lawrence Avenue).
I do not think it is too early at all! For some reason the holidays seem fast approaching this year, more than previous. As for a gift for Sprout. I think you should have a little something around "just in case" she does make an on time appearance. I think little ones pick up much more than we give them credit for and The Bean seems quite intuitive from what I have read in the blog. Little Monster was barely 2 weeks old on Christmas day and even though we asked everyone to please not get him anything (they did not listen), we did find a couple of small baby items that we would have purchased anyway to wrap and put under the tree and even took some shots of him with his first present from Santa. Of course it was nothing in comparison to the picture we have of him holding his first football, regulation size and all, that my Pittsburgh Steelers loving brother gave him that year :)
ReplyDeleteI'm far from being able to give "from experience" advice, but knowing me I would get her something small. #1 would be an ornament I think (which you have covered), then something like a crocheted blanket. As part of nesting I'm all ready planning on crocheting one, If I'm due around Xmas, I would try and reserve it for then. (Might need the time to finish, lol.)
ReplyDeleteIf she is a little after Christmas, the gift can stay under the tree until she arrives.
I don't think its terrible not to get her anything. My daughter will be 10 months old around Christmas so I plan on getting her something small, but at this age and especially Sprout's, they don't remember these things. Its more for you.
ReplyDeleteKnox farm sleigh ride with visit to Santa's cabin is magical.
ReplyDeleteYou forgot the Bowmanville Santa Claus Parade! It's the event of the year! At least in Kim's family. :) Newcastle has a really nice parade too.
ReplyDeleteAlso, in Tyrone there is a tractor parade every year which is really cool. I can't remember what it's called but I should look it up because the kids like it. It's a very short parade but the kids love the tractors all lit up with lights.
I love the Swedish Christmas Fair. My mom and I go sometimes (my mom is Swedish). I might make plans with her to go again this year.
Thanks for doing my research for me! :) I'm already getting excited about Christmas.
As for Sprout having a gift, Kim's Aunt Muriel, who is in her 70s, still remembers when Kim's dad (her brother) was born. He was born on December 21st and she was so worried Santa wasn't going to know she had a baby brother. But on Christmas morning there was a rattle for him, and she was so happy. She's shared that story with me more than once, so it obviously had a big impact on her. She was older than the Bean, though. He's young enough that he might be too wrapped up in the excitement of his own gifts to notice, but if it was me, I'd probably get a few things just in case he asks. Erik was born on December 29th and we did have a few gifts for him just in case he came before Christmas. And I think we opened them when he came home on New Year's Eve.
You can always put a few baby things that you already have in a stocking. I am sure that Bean will love it.
ReplyDelete