By: Karisa Simon
As the classic song says, “there’s no place like home for the holidays”. This year those lyrics have a special significance, as many families across Oakville will be staying local and celebrating the holidays with their immediate household. If this is the case for you and your family, there are still plenty of ways to have fun in Oakville during this socially distanced holiday season.
I made a list and checked it twice of some of the best holiday activities around Oakville for you and your family to partake in this year:
Santa is coming to town virtually this year! Mayor Rob Burton will be sitting down with Santa in-person instead of inviting him to the annual parade. Visit the Oakville Santa Clause Parade’s website at 9 a.m. to watch Santa’s arrival.
Breakfast plays a significant part in holiday festivities. Sunnyside Grill is an amazing all-day breakfast restaurant in Downtown Oakville that serves take-out if you are not in the mood to cook a festive spread. Their food is delicious and they provide great service.
Nothing screams Christmas like building a gingerbread house. This is a great activity to do with your entire family this holiday season and The Sweetest Thing, in Kerr Village, is the perfect place to order a kit closer to the holidays.
Stay toasty this holiday season by cozying up with a warm cup of hot chocolate. This iconic drink can be found at La Diperie in Downtown Oakville in delicious and unique flavours. I recommend trying their mint hot chocolate and adding marshmallows and Kit-Kat on top.
Giving back to the community is a great way to spread goodwill this holiday season. One way to donate this Christmas is to give a gift card, toy or non-perishable food item to the Oakville Professional Firefighters Association’s 28th annual holiday to drive.
You can donate by:
A. Dropping off a gift card, physical gift or non-perishable food item at
B. Ordering items from any retailer online and have them shipped to one of the receiving points
Re: Toy Drive
Budds’ Chevrolet Cadillac Buick GMC
410 S Service Road West
Oakville, ON
L6K 2H4
C. Sending an e-Transfer to oakvilletoydrive@gmail.com
Autodeposit is enabled – no password required
D. Donate by mailing gift cards or cheques addressed to
OAKVILLE PFFA TOY DRIVE
Oakville Fire Station 7
2010 Joshua’s Creek Drive
Oakville Ontario
L6H 6E5
(Make cheques payable to “Oakville PFFA Toy Drive”)
Crack Pot Studio is an art studio in Downtown Oakville that is offering Paint-at-Home pottery kits. If you are looking for an amazing way to allow your family to express themselves creatively this holiday season, this is a must-do activity.
It wouldn’t be the winter holidays without outdoor skating and sledding. The Town of Oakville has just announced that they are expanding outdoor activities like outdoor skating, tobogganing, hiking, snowshoeing, cross country skiing and even tennis and pickleball this holiday season, so locals can stay active and safe with their households. Also, Oakville is home to many beautiful trails and parks. A scenic walk in the midst of a forest or winter water scenery at one of Oakville parks on the shores of Lake Ontario can be a great family time activity.
If you are looking for some other fun outdoor activities, be sure to stroll through Bronte Village and take a look at the colourfully-decorated chairs painted by a diverse group of local artists. Also, you can visit Downtown Oakville’s Instagram-worthy ribbon tree of lights. Starting November 28, this tree can be found at Town Square and will be the perfect addition to your family photo.
Everyone loves sweet treats during the holidays. Christmas sweets will satisfy even the crankiest of Christmas grinches, especially La Dolce Vita’s festive flavoured gelato. This holiday season they are offering festive flavours such as candy cane and eggnog. Their last day for walk-in gelato is tomorrow! However, you can order pints online or through Uber Eats this holiday season.
Santa Holiday Experience photos are available this year in-person and virtually. In-person photos are by reservation only starting November 27. Go to Oakville Place’s website to book your in-person or virtual spot today!
I hope this list has shown you that there is still plenty of ways to have fun in Oakville during this socially distanced holiday season. Any of these suggestions will surely allow you to have a delightful holiday with your family.
