What Christmas Looks Like in Canada

Happy December! Ever wonder what Christmas looks like in Canada? Under the subdued light of a winter sky, Christmas in Canada is altogether beautiful, challenging and jovial.

Around here, Christmas is also downright comical. Take our gingerbread house of 2014, for example:

The kids and I made it from scratch. And I\’m pretty darn proud of it, I\’ll tell ya! Pretty. Durn. Proud.

That kit never saw us coming…

As it\’s only natural when winter rolls around, many of our international friends like to chide us Canadians about, \”living in igloos,\” and \”driving dogsleds…\” We get a chuckle out of it too. After all, Canucks must be tough to withstand the six feet of snow we might receive one day and the -30 temperatures the next.

But, the truth is – sometimes we do! Make igloos and ride in dogsleds, that is.

Riding in a dogsled in winter is one of the most exhilarating and festive things you can do.

And remember what I said about the six feet of snow and minus temperatures? Our horses are pretty tough too. Still, I don\’t understand why they prefer to be outside of their shelters on days like this.

Around here, we take our Christmas gift wrapping very seriously.

Simple yet, creative is what works for me.

Sugared snow in the winter is a Canadian must. Careful! This stuff is addicting.

Getting a Christmas manicure with a loved one is a perfect way to spend time together.

And speaking of loved ones… some of our children are terrified of Santa…

…But have no hesitation when it comes to handling a reindeer with cloven hooves and antlers.

As horse people, you can bet we will haul through crazy storms and road conditions just to make it to the next cow practice. Because you know, Christmas is coming. But so are the January shows. And we wouldn\’t want to miss a beat.

As horse professionals, Christmas decorations like these are plentiful on our trees:

Frost on barbed wire fences is beautiful.

And absolutely nothing beats a little ice skating on a frozen, outdoor pond.

The CP Holiday Train was a new custom we incorporated into our Christmas affairs this year. As a fund-raiser for food banks in Canada and the U.S., the CP Holiday Trains — one travels through Canada, the other in the U.S. — have covered over 100,000 miles and raised close to $9.5 million and 3.3 million pounds of food since the program started in 1999. And with a healthy donation to the food bank, we got to listen to Jim Cuddy, for free, from a box car turned into a live stage.

As Canadians, we are always mindful of others in need during this time. Young and old alike, \’tis the season for sharing, caring and joy.

More importantly than that however, this is a mindset we try to hard maintain throughout the year.

With only a few days left to go, I hope Christmas is looking as wonderful for all of you as well!