For more things to do this week, see What’s On listings,
CELEBRATE THE SEASON Throughout December enjoy free hot chocolate, choir performances and spectacular festive lights, rated among Canadian Living magazine’s top five in Canada. Find the perfect gift at the Legislative Assembly Gift Shop. Choose from an eclectic selection of works by Alberta artists, locally produced savoury and sweet treats and more!
When: Thursday through Dec. 23, 7-9 p.m.
Where: The Alberta Legislature, 10800 109th Ave. Admission: Free
Information: Visitor Services, 780-429-7362
MAYHEM IN BETHLEHEM Black light puppet and dance musical for kids of all ages. Christmas like you’ve never seen it before! Presented by the Kids On Track Puppet and Dance Troupe. The doors open at 6 p.m. and the first 100 kids through the door receive a glow in the dark bracelet. When: Thursday, 7-8 p.m. Where: People’s Church Building, 15641 96th Ave. Admission: Free
Information: kidsontrack.org PEROGY DINNER Bring your family, friends and neighbours! Frozen sales pending availability. When: Friday, 5-7:30 p.m. Where: St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 9831 75th St. PEROGY SUPPER When: Friday, 4:30-7:30 p.m. Where: St. Elia Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 11833 66th St.
ANNUAL COOKIE WALK Coffee and wassail to warm you. When: Saturday, 10 a.m.-noon Where: Southminster-Steinhauer United Church, 10740 19th Ave.
Admission: $13 to fill a box of homemade cookies. FAMILY HOLIDAY BASH WITH SPIDER-MAN LIVE! Come down for family activities, hayrides, ornament decorating and meet Spider-Man live! When: Saturday, 2-8 p.m. Where: Bonnie Doon Shopping Centre
Admission: Free HELP PORTRAIT 2012 It’s a worldwide event where local photographers and other volunteers give back to the community by pampering you and giving you a free portrait session. To date, over 16,000 photographers have given out over 200,000 portraits around the world! In Edmonton, we’ve done over 1,000 portraits. When: Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Where: Old Strathcona Trinity Lutheran Church, 10014 81st Ave. and Paramount Theatre, 10233 Jasper Ave.
Admission: Free, register at help-portrait-edmonton.eventbrite.ca
Information: help-portrait.com HOSANNA CHRISTMAS QUILT SALE Over 160 Quilts very reasonably priced. Beverages and cookies will be served. Proceeds of the sale will be donated to charities. When: Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Where: 9009 163 St.
Information: 780-484-3932 or office@hosannalutheran.ab.ca
KIDS CHRISTMAS SHOPPE Kids can Christmas shop for parents with help from The GANG (Grandmothers of Alberta for A New Generation) in a special area set up by the Mall. GANG supports African grandmothers raising AIDS orphans through Stephen Lewis Foundation. When: Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Where: Old Strathcona Antique Mall, 10323 78th Ave. Admission: Gifts from $5-20
Information: Louise, 780-417-2754 or edmgrandmothers.org
LETTERS TO SANTA Letters to Santa was an afternoon event of old fashioned, holiday activities for the whole family, including: horse-drawn wagon rides, painting in the snow, decorating a gingerbread man, hot chocolate, apple cider and coffee, sending letters to the North Pole using Morse code on telegraph equipment, writing a letter to Santa with old fashioned pen and ink, and a visit from Santa. When: Saturday, noon-4 p.m. Where: St. Albert Grain Elevator Park, 4 Meadowview Drive, St. Albert Admission: Free
Information: Musée Héritage Museum at 780-459-1528 or museum@artsheritage.ca
LUMINARIA Come to the Devonian Botanic Garden to stroll in peace and light. Thousands of candles light the paths of the Kurimoto Japanese Garden. Strolling singers, ice sculpture, hot apple cider, bonfires and Snow Sprites. When: Saturday and Sunday, 5-9 p.m. Where: Devonian Botanic Garden. Located 5 km north of Devon on Highway 60. Free park-and-ride shuttle from Devon. Check devonion.ualberta.ca for details. Admission: $10 adults, $8 senior, $5 children 7-12, children 6 and under free.
Information: 780-987-3054 ext. 2223 MINKHA SWEATERS ANNIVERSARY SALE We are planning a big 10th anniversary sale! All proceeds return to the knitting cooperative Minkha — a group that was begun 20 years ago from seed money from Save the Children Canada. Products are beautifully hand-knit sweaters, vests, scarves, ponchos, and more — in pure alpaca and Pima cotton. All proceeds return to the women and their families. When: Saturday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Where: Windsor Park Community Hall, 11840 87th Ave. Admission: Free Information: Linda, 780-436-5732 or Jennifer, 780-434-8105, minkhasweaters.com PHOTOS WITH SANTA & HORSE DRAWN HAYRIDES Get your photos with Santa (charges apply, first come, first served), enjoy fun activities and hop on a free horse drawn hay ride (hay rides do not run in temperatures below -18 C, first come, first served) and get a coupon for free hot chocolate from Dairy Queen, while supplies last. When: Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Where: Marketplace at Callingwood Professional Centre, 6650 177th St. Admission: Free Information: callingwoodmarket
place.com
PRINT AFFAIR: SILVER & GOLD To celebrate and embrace our amazing arts community, SNAP presents Print Affair, an evening of great music, wonderful food, exquisite drinks and high calibre contemporary print art. The event focuses on the sale of contemporary print work at all price ranges and encourages Edmonton to support local arts & culture by purchasing art as gifts this holiday season. When: Saturday, 7 p.m.-midnight Where: 12056 Jasper Ave. and 10123 121st St.
Admission: $15 members, $20 nonmembers, purchase tickets at snapartists.com or call 780-423-1492.
A CHRISTMAS PAST Visitors will enjoy cheerful Christmas music, cookies baked in a woodburning oven, festive crafts and homemade apple cider. Learn about the evolution of Santa Claus and how Edmonton celebrated Christmas in 1915 as you explore our special holiday exhibit. Enjoy the cosy atmosphere of this elegant mansion while discovering Christmas traditions celebrated by the Rutherford family. When: Sunday, noon-4 p.m. Where: 11153 Saskatchewan Dr.
Admission: $4 adult, $3 youth/senior, children six and under free.
Information: Louise Mckay, 780-427
3995 ST. DAVID’S WELSH SOCIETY SING-ALONG CHRISTMAS CAROLS AND SONGS IN WELSH AND ENGLISH Christmas carols and songs singalong in Welsh and English. When: Sunday, 2-4 p.m. Where: The Lounge, Knox-Metropolitan United Church, 8307 109th St.
Admission: Free, refreshments to
follow. Information: 780-488-8310 HEART AND SOUL SILENT AUCTION AND CONCERT Come join the Heart of the City Piano Program for a night full of talent and inspiration, featuring youth artists sharing their musical talents so that other youth can also have the opportunity to pursue their musical dreams. When: Monday, 6-9 p.m. Where: Myer Horowitz Theatre, SUB, University of Alberta
Admission: $10 advance, $15 at the door. Email hcpp@ualberta.ca to purchase tickets.
CP HOLIDAY TRAIN Join the community in Josephburg and enjoy the festive CP Holiday Train, a lit up freight train travelling across Canada. A free outdoor music concert features performances by Doc Walker and Miss Emily. The train arrives at 5:15 p.m. sharp. Please bring a donation for the Strathcona Food Bank. When: Tuesday, 4:30-7 p.m. Where: Moyer Recreation Centre, 54569 Range Road 214, Josephburg, Strathcona County Admission: Free
Information: strathcona.ca/
holidayfun
CHRISTMAS BUREAU BREAKFAST Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP, in partnership with Sobeys and Westin Edmonton, is pleased to host the 31st annual Christmas Bureau Breakfast. All proceeds raised at the breakfast are used to help less fortunate families enjoy a festive meal at Christmas. When: Wednesday, 7-8:30 a.m. Where: Ballroom, Westin Edmonton Admission: $75 or $750 for a table of ten, purchase tickets at fmc-law.com or call Gail Pharand at 780-423-7223. DANCE GOOD PRESENT WOMEN CONVERGENCE DANCE COLLECTIVE Voted in Vue Edmonton’s Weekly’s 2012 best Best dance Of, Good company Women Dance Collective present the second annual Convergence, an evening of multidisciplinary contemporary dance integrating interactive technology.
When: Thursday through Saturday, 8-10 p.m.
Where: L’Uni Theatre, 8627 rue MarieAnne-Gaboury
Admission: $20 general, $15 student/ senior/member. Purchase tickets at tixonthesquare.ca or call 780-420-1757.
Information: goodwomen.ca C-JAM BIG BAND C-Jam Big Band is a 17 piece band that plays wonderful big band music that is fun to dance to. Come and join us in Stony Plain for an evening of music and dancing. When: Saturday, 8-11 p.m. Where: Stony Plain Community Centre, 5008 51st St., Stony Plain Admission: $15
Information: 780-963-9349 or carol_h@telus.net LECTURES & MEETINGS AN EVENING WITH ROBERT BATEMAN Join the renowned Canadian painter and naturalist on the occasion of the United Nations’ International Day of the Mountain. When: Tuesday, 7-9 p.m. Where: The Metro Theatre, 8712 109th St.
Admission: $10 at the door. Advance tickets can be purchased at Mountain Equipment Co-op, 12328 102nd Ave. SPORTS & RECREATION RABBIT HILL ALPINE SKI CLUB OPEN HOUSE Rip it up! With Rabbit Hill Alpine Ski Club. This event is for children of all ages to come out and give ski racing a try. Train with our coaches and try out your skills through a few gates in our race course. Registration will begin at 9:30 a.m. in the Audi Training Center located next to the T-bar. Free lift tickets to the first 40 kids, must have parent present. When: Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Where: Audi Training Centre, Rabbit Hill Snow Resort
Admission: Free Information: rabbithillalpine.com TRY-A-TRAINING Team In Training is the world’s largest endurance training program. More than 500,000 volunteer participants have crossed the finish line and raised over $1.2 billion for blood cancer research and patient services! The Edmonton TNT group is having a Try-A-Training day. If you’ve ever thought about joining TNT, this is a great time to check it out! Bring your running/ walking gear. When: Saturday, 8:45-10 a.m. Where: Hawrelak Park, skating/paddle boat pavilion Admission: Free
Information: teamintraining.ca/ab WALK ALBERTA Come out and join the St. Albert Trekkers Volkssport Club as we walk downtown pedways and enjoy Christmas decorations and displays. Five and 10 km available. When: Saturday, 8-11:30 a.m. Where: Commerce Place, 10150 Jasper Ave. Meet next to the atrium by Tim Hortons.
Information: David Hall, 780-9512882 or davidhall@live.ca RECREATIONAL SKIING SUNDAY MORNING TRIP Day trips to cross-country ski areas near Edmonton every Sunday meeting at 9 a.m. We will carpool to the venue. Destinations include Blackfoot, Fort Saskatchewan, Tawatinaw Valley, Athabasca, Drayton Valley, St. Albert, Chikakoo Lake and Camrose. See edmontonnordic.ca for details. We will usually ski for several hours and cover 10 to 20 km at an intermediate pace.
When: Every Sunday through Mar. 31, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Where: Edmonton Area Cross-country Ski destinations — within 90 minutes of Edmonton. Will carpool to destination starting at Bonnie Doon Shopping Centre. Admission: Free Information: Bill Kenny, 780-6903329 or jwk070669@yahoo.com.
WASKAHEGAN TRAIL HIKERS Enjoy a river valley hike along the North Saskatchewan from Snow Valley to Hawrelak Park led by a Waskahegan Trail Association guide. When: Sunday, 9:45 a.m.-2:45 p.m. Where: Meet at Argyll McDonalds, Argyll Road and 81st Street. Carpool available from here to trailhead.
Admission: $20 annual membership, guests welcome.
Information: Helen, 780-468-4331