Winter is here, and we’re in the throes of it now, Calgary. We’re experiencing that deep winter chill, which means the Bow — and our backyards — are freezing over.

Folks in Calgary have come up with plenty of ways to beat the cold weather. There are skating rinks, cross-country skiing at local parks, local holiday events like Zoolights and Once Upon a Christmas, plus a whole variety of indoor markets, live performances, and local music. You might have even started thinking about flooding the backyard for your own private outdoor rink. With the cold snaps we experience in the city, it’s not out of the ordinary.

As Calgarians, we tend to have a lot of opinions about how things are. Luckily, residents took to Reddit recently to share their thoughts on the best ways to spend the winter.

If Calgary locals know one thing, it’s how to bundle up and have fun. Here are a few ways to do just that.

Love for holiday lights

Whether you’re a real Kris Kringle or more Grinch about it, December is a festive time in the city. Calgarians recently dished about the activities they love doing in a recent Reddit post, and there’s a whole swath of things represented, from driving around the city to find the best lights to spots with the most pristine photo ops.

Along with the Lighten Up Calgary map of Christmas lights, free holiday light displays are a real favourite among residents. The Lions Festival of Lights and Bowness Park were mentioned by users, and many appreciated the fact that they had free admission. Other older favourites, like Spruce Meadows, have changed to a fee-based admission structure.

Some residents mentioned specific communities with some seriously beautiful light displays. “Have you walked on Crescent Boulevard?” one user noted. “That one house hires professional staff to do their setup — wow!”

Deck the malls

Hitting up “as many Christmas markets as possible” is another Cowtown December fav. It’s easy to do with this handy list of all the festive holiday markets you can attend in and around Calgary. One user had a tip on how they get their holiday shopping out of the way with peace and quiet. “I like going to the mall, but on slower days,” they said. “Just the Christmas decorations, music and ambiance, but without the crazy crowds.” There’s nothing better than getting a little shopping done with a holiday soundtrack on the radio and a Santa nearby.

One user is a real dog lover and mentioned, “Confederation Park with the dog,” adding, “he loves the snow and lights.” Confederation Park is also lit up for the holidays, and we wrote about the many other features of this 160-acre green space over the summer. In winter, Confederation Park has cross-country ski tracks maintained by the Foothills Nordic Ski Club, frozen ponds, and plenty of hills for sledding. It’s definitely a local wintery gem.

Other residents got nostalgic thinking about December in Calgary from years past. “When me and my sister were kids, we’d all get into the family car on Christmas Eve and drive around the city looking at all the houses with light displays,” they said. That’s a holiday favourite that never gets old.

If you do the same thing, you might just spot jolly old Saint Nick himself. Take a note from these Calgary locals and lace up your boots this December.

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Em Medland-Marchen

Em is a Staff Writer for Curiocity Calgary. They are passionate about live music, rose gardens, iced coffee, and walks along the Bow River.

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