Light It Up

Finished all your shopping? Lovely. May we suggest some magical places in the city for you and the kids that will light things up this year?
The annual Toronto Cavalcade of Lights is spread across the city, illuminating many neighbourhoods for the holiday season but the most impressive light display of all is at Nathan Phillips Square (City Hall) until December 20. Take advantage of the 4:30 darkness these days and plan an early evening to appreciate the lights. Park in the lot just below the skating rink (entrance is on Bay St just north of Dundas) so if you have skaters on your team, you can take in the lights while getting a bit of outdoor activity.

This year the city kicked it up a notch with a Brian Gluckstein designed display and 300,000 lights (they’re LED so they only use 95% of the energy that regular lights do). It’s worth the trip. After skating, if you feel like a wall, stroll one block east to the corner of Queen and Yonge to check out the Bay’s holiday windows. It’s old-fashioned fun and you’ll love watching your kids press their noses against the glass.

While you’re downtown, swing by Yonge and Dundas Square, if you can keep ‘em going without a meltdown (hot chocolate after skating always helps) for some more magical lighting. Be prepared though—Yonge and Dundas is busy, so you’ll want to have your wits about you and your kids attached to you (or the stroller) the whole time. But we still love the holiday buzz you just can’t feel anywhere else.