Tag - holidays

Spend the Best Christmas eve in Toronto

The holidays are almost here and you are probably looking a place to relax and have fun with your family and friends, planning the gifts, the games and the dinners with your friends from highschool. If you are looking for something different, here are some good reasons to get out of the house over this 2015 holiday season in Toronto, CA.

A Toronto tradition for more than 100 years, The Santa Claus Parade returns to put smiles on the faces of families all across the city. From children to adults, thousands of Canadians and people from other countries line the streets to look Santa, while he leave a big smile on their faces. The celebration consists of more than 25 different-themed floats, 22 bands, 100 celebrity clowns, more than 1,500 volunteers, and the big man himself, Santa.

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This year’s Santa Claus Parade begins at the Christie Pits Park at 12:30 p.m. It travels past the ROM and the Eaton Centre, before ending at St. Lawrence Market. Click here to see the Map of the Route

Tips: Make sure to arrive early for a good spot as space fills up fast. It’s also always a good idea to bundle up and bring a hot drink in a reusable mug to stay warm waiting for St. Nick. Bring your camera for pictures and if you want you can dress yourself of a christmas character.

15959375995_f40539f22e_zMore Toronto Christmas Market Photos

Prepare yourself for an authentic European-style Christmas Market. Local vendors and craftsmen sell their wares in stalls while carolers sing and kids play on the Ferris Wheel and carousel.
Entertainers at the market include a daily sing-along with Santa’s elves, daily caroling and a world caroling championship. There’s a life-sized gingerbread house, carousel, ferris wheel and of course, Santa and his reindeer.
You can find handmade or imported goods like Christmas ornaments and scarves, or delicious food like Belgian waffles, Bavarian nuts, poutine and corned beef sandwiches. The Beer Garden (19+ open at night) serves beer, cider, mulled wine and other holiday cocktails.

If you love Christmas shopping shows, you can´t miss The One of a Kind Christmas Show to spend the best Christmas eve in Toronto, you will find featuring unique products for everyone.

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Shop for hand-crafted ceramics, jewellery, furniture, clothing and accessories, browse through art galleries, watch a fashion show and take part in artistic holiday activities. Since 1975, it has become the largest consumer craft show in North America.
There are also hands-on workshops where you can make unique gifts. Each includes breakfast and admission to the show.

November 26, 2015 – December 06, 2015
At Enercare Centre
Adult: $13, Senior/Youth: $7.50, Children under 12: Free

Definitely DJ Skate Nights can be more fun than dancing on the floor.

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One of the city’s most scenic rinks brings the party outdoors with a series of weekly events that brings the best of Toronto’s nightlife to the cold winter nights. Free Admission

December 13
DJ Skate Launch with DJ Jellybean Benitez/30th Anniversary of House
December 20
1 LOVE T.O. Holiday Skate Party
DJs Dlux and Lissa Monet.

December 27
Ladies Night
DJs L’Oqenz and Mel Boogie play electronic, disco and dance around the rink.

The National Ballet of Canada presents its annual Christmas show, The Nutcracker, is one of the most recognizable ballets in the world.

You can also find performances at the Sony Centre, in Mississauga, plus the National Ballet’s at the Four Seasons Centre for Performing Arts. Plus, the TSO performs and evening of the Best of Tchaikovsky at Roy Thompson Hall. Click Here to See All Performances

Walk through the city with some friends, family or a special someone to watch the Christmas lights of Toronto, beautiful Christmas trees, festive store windows and displays.

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Yorkville, the Distillery Historic District and Nathan Phillips Square are some of the best spots to stroll with a hot cocoa in hand.

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra perform George Frideric Handel’s Messiah, a staple of the holiday season for anyone who appreciates powerfully composed pieces of classical music.

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The conductor for the night will be Sir Andrew Davis and he will be joined by soprano Erin Wall, mezzo-soprano Elizabeth DeShong, tenor Andrew Staples, bass-baritone John Relyea, and the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir.

New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas

It was the beginning of year 2014. I was at Las Vegas with my father (who lives there), my best friend and my cousin. New year at Las Vegas, what else can you ask for?

There this big publicity of the famous new year show, all the fireworks, the nightclubs full of artists, it makes it even hard to decide what you want to do! However, New Year’s Eve is a synonym for “be ready to spend lots of money” and not all of us are ready to spend our vacation budget in a single night. If you want to have a great night and still not spending a fortune, here are some highlights from my experience that may help you:

  1. Plan your night with enough time in advance and either book in the restaurant you want to go, buy your entrances to the nightclub or show, or plan your itinerary, considering how to move from one place to another. One important thing to know is that all the closest streets that access to the Strip are closed that day since the afternoon.
  1. Avoid using cabs. Cab drivers really make their night on New Year’s Eve! They charge more than double from regular prices. Instead, buses have a special long schedule, so they are available all night (or almost all night). Cab or bus, you will likely be dropped you off 3 or 4 blocks away from the place you want to get to, since (as i mentioned before) streets around the Strip are closed. Most important than everything: don’t drive if you are drinking. Police patrols are everywhere, stopping cars for no reason and randomly so avoid accidents to happen and your night to get ruined.
  1. No high-heels. Or at least, keep them on your purse until you get to the place. New Year’s Eve is all about walking, and unless you are a professional model, you may not be comfortable with talking half an hour in high-heels; plus, by the time you get to your destination, your feet will be destroyed.
  1. Prepare your drinks. A great way to save money on that night is to have your drinks prepared on your own. Many people plan to spend the night only walking at the Strip and it is actually a great idea! You can see the fireworks from there, enjoy the party atmosphere everywhere, enjoy the hotel’s lighting and decoration from outside and inside and do all that while having a drink. In Vegas it is legal to walk in the street and be drinking at the same time, so you can fill a soda bottle with rum and coke, a thermo with vodka and pineapple juice or whatever you prefer. You will save LOTS of money by having your own drinks at least for the beginning of the night.
  1. If you wanna go to a nightclub, be sure to have a large group, or join one. New Year’s Eve reservations for nightclubs are only available if booking a table and they usually come with at least 2 bottles, non-negotiable rate. And let me tell you: rates can be pretty high! The best way to avoid paying a fortune is to be with a large group so you can split the bill between everyone. If the bottles are not enough, once inside you can get personal drinks per glass, but you will already be inside enjoying the famous DJ that will most likely be playing and celebrating the start of a new year with tons of people sharing your mood.

With those helpful tips given, now let me share my last 2013 night with you! We decided to have a small dinner at home, since my father lives in an apartment that has A GREAT view to the Strip so we thought fireworks would be better appreciated from there.

Then we prepared our yards and took the bus to the Strip. We walked all over the Strip for about an hour and finally decided to enter Encore nightclub, where my cousin’s boyfriend used to work. We had a blast that night (and an unbelievable hangover the next morning).

Even though you can never have a bad night in Vegas, this date specially will surely exceed your expectations! Be cautious, have fun and take lots of picture so you can remember New Year’s Eve in Vegas forever.