The upcoming long weekend doesn’t have to be all about Easter (and for many who don’t celebrate it, or welcome the Bunny, it already isn’t!). There are other ways to spend the long weekend as a family and still get out of the house for a bit. Below I’m sharing a few suggestions for you to consider if you want to fill the time this weekend but don’t want to see another pastel anything for a while.
1- Go to the Movies
Right now, there are many family friendly movies playing.
2- Find a sugar bush
This won’t help if you are trying to avoid the crowds this weekend, but it’s still maple syrup season and I’m not sure there is anything better than fresh syrup (or maple candy. Drool).
3- Go for a nature walk
Pull on the rubber boots (and splash pants) and head for a nature walk on a local path. If the snow has started melting in your area, it may mean a messy, muddy walk, but it also means you can chat with the kids about the emerging plant life, the animals coming out of hibernation and more.
4- Go for a drive
We like to hit the road in one direction or another for short drives on weekends like this. We often end up somewhere to eat (or at a bakery) and explore some of our favourite neighbourhoods and town we haven’t been to in the winter because of timing or weather.
Tip: Black Walnut Bakery in Cumberland has plenty of outdoor seating so if we get a nice-ish day, it’s a treat to be able to enjoy a hot beverage outside! Just be mindful of which days they are open!
But food doesn’t have to be involved! Going somewhere new and different can be fun.
5- Indulge in a treat
Sure, snow may be on the ground, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have ice cream. Easter weekend often kicks off our upcoming ‘warm weather’ ice cream addiction. If you have a favourite haunt, why not indulge in a special long weekend treat together.
Pro tip: Cafe Latte Cino in Orleans has a waffle on their menu that is topped with gelato. A perfect combination (at least, my kids seem to think so!)
6- Try a new game
Long weekends are a great time for families to reconnect, certainly in our house with everyone being so busy with work, school and extracurriculars, the slower paced long weekends give us a chance to try a new board game or video game. Any excuse to spend some extra time together!
It’s almost that time again! Advent Calendar season – a countdown to Christmas. But in addition to our chocolate countdowns, our family continues to have an activity calendar countdown, something we have had since the kids were babies and it’s a tradition we continue even as they grow (and both are now teens).
If you have younger kids, search ‘advent calendar’ on my blog search bar for previous years, especially 2009-2012ish when the kids were little. We did different activities that were more age appropriate then. This calendar grows with our kids!
The history of the activity advent calendar
It began in 2009 (when I read about it from a fellow blogger here in Ottawa – thanks Andrea!) and since then, it’s become a beloved tradition. I repeat favourite activities each year, add some new ones, and update them based on the age of the kids and our plans.
As with other years, here are some tips I’m sharing about creating your own activity calendar:
a) Don’t put dates on the activities. You may need to switch them up once and a while if something changes, illness hits etc. I copy the activities from this post, paste them into Word, remove the dates and print them. Then I cut them and add them in our calendar holder.
I bought this from a local Ottawa shop years ago
b) Stock up on the stuff you need for each activities like hot chocolate or craft supplies.
c) Check your family calendar and add in activities to the 25 Days countdown list that you already know you’ll be doing – like Santa letters, Christmas tree decorating or family cookie decorating.This list is also created in close consultation with my calendar based on days of the week– some activities can’t be done easily on a weekday so I made sure they were on the weekend.
d) You’ll notice only certain movies make the list. This doesn’t mean we don’t watch others, it just means we don’t have a schedule for them.
—-> What’s most important about this calendar isn’t that you put too much effort into crafting the perfect activity, it’s that as a family you come together and take a few moments each day to celebrate and spend time doing something together that is festive, fun and family oriented.
Some days, if we get too busy, we skip.
That’s probably why I love it so much.
This calendar doesn’t work if you stress about it!
Remember, search ’25 days of Christmas’ or advent activities on my blog search bar you’ll find all our other years so if you have toddlers and preschoolers, you can use some of the ideas we had back then.
And again, I explain the singing that you will see on this list:
You’ll notice my list has a few spots where the activity for the day is to simply sing a Christmas song. My kids have requested these be removed but nope – they stay. I keep joking that I will add more. They find the activity boring and not necessary. But I keep them in there. Why? Because honestly, some days are busy, or tiring, or our plans change, or I’m just overwhelmed so having a few ‘freebie’ days means that we still get to do an activity, but it’s extremely simple. It works! And now it’s a running family joke.
As much as I love the holidays, I’m also a big fan of slowing things down, so when it gets to be too much, give yourself permission to skip a day (or just sing a song!) There are no real rules here. Focus on the fun, and time together.
I’m updating last year’s calendar because it will be fairly similar! But again, everything is decided based on existing plans, where the weekends fall, school events etc. I may still update this as we get into December and new activities and ideas appear!
2023 Activity Advent List #25daysofChristmas Countdown
Write letters to Santa (even with no believers in the house, this tradition stays alive!)
2. Decorate the Christmas Tree (hoping to get it on December 1 as it’s a real one)
3. Watch a Muppet Christmas Carol, the Holiday Movie Kick Off
4. Holiday Scavenger hunt around the house
5. Write a special Christmas greeting to your sibling and mail it to them (it will be a nice read when they receive it! And yes, these go in the mail with stamps!)
6. Hot Chocolate Bar
7. Christmas Craft
8. Sing Jingle Bells
9. Visit Cumberland Vintage Village of Lights
10. Gingerbread House Decorating
11. Play Holiday Who Am I?
12. Make a list of ten things you are thankful for this year.
13. Sing Frosty
14. Visit Taffy Lane!
15. Dessert for Supper, Supper for Dessert
16. Visit the Lansdowne Christmas Market
17. Decorate Christmas Cookies
18. Sing Rudolph
19. Make a donation to the local food bank
20. Hot Chocolate Bar
21. Play Family Christmas Charades
22. Bring in snow and make maple taffy!
23. Sing We Wish You a Merry Christmas!
24. Unwrap one present from under the tree (mom and dad pick!) [reader note: This is always pjs lol]
25. It’s Christmas Day. Remember you have a family who loves you. And that’s the most important gift of all.
Last year, around Christmas time, my dad made the stuffing (dressing) as he always has for decades. It’s basically the perfect stuffing that I hold all others up to.
A few days before the meal (that my parents annually host), he sent a Facebook Message to say that the stuffing was done. He also said that someone else should learn to do it too. I joked back that there was no need. He was great at it and it gave him something to do (I said with a wink).
I didn’t know it would be our last Christmas with him. And the last time he made stuffing. There were a lot of lasts we didn’t know were happening. And now we have a lot of firsts we don’t want.
Maybe we should have known better – by then, we knew he was sick but he was in active treatment that had been working – but that’s what denial and hope sometimes does.
I’ve made his stuffing before but rarely. While Andy and I have been hosting Thanksgiving for family at least a dozen times in the past 20 years (if not more, with varying crowd sizes), dad still made the stuffing to bring to the dinner.
In 2019, my parents travelled Europe so I hosted family but was left to make the stuffing. He had jokingly/not jokingly offered to make it and freeze it before their trip. I declined with thanks.
Instead, I used Facebook Messenger again to ask him for the ingredients and recipe a few days before company was coming. I sent him a photo when it was done and got his approval that it looked good. I felt I had underseasoned it.
His recipe had ingredients but no amounts. It was all done by feel it seemed and depending on how much he was making. Thanksgiving traditionally required less than Christmas dinner. There were a lot ‘some of this’ and ‘about this much’ in the instructions.
This past Thanksgiving, we were hosting our first one without him. Left again to make the stuffing, I pulled up the old Facebook messages that I had forgotten that I had until I searched the words. There again were the ‘instructions’. So my mom and I spent time to sort of piece it together.
My daughter joined us at my mom’s house and the three of us set out to try, taste and approximate dad’s stuffing as close as we could. We consulted my aunt for additional guidance.
With his previous messages, our memories, and our taste buds, we made a pretty close attempt.
It wasn’t the same, let’s be honest, but it was close. And done with his spirit in our hearts. It was quite good.
Thanksgiving was just a trial run though for the big show anyway – Christmas, where even more family will gather.
But we have a plan, we have the ingredients. We know what we’ll change in December. We tried, and that would have made him happy I think. Even if his remains the ultimate best. Because it is. It was.
I’m now going to write down the ‘recipe’ so that we have something to refer to in the future. I’ll need to remember the amounts. It’s not the same. But nothing is anymore, you know?
Savoury Stuffing
2 large onions, diced
3/4 pound butter
3 loaves of whole wheat bread (not fresh)
3 pounds of potatoes (this may be adjusted still)
3.5 tsps of summer savoury (or more to taste)
Pepper to taste
Directions:
Pulse the bread in a food processor. Set aside
Boil potatoes. Mash.
In a pan on the stove, Melt butter and add the chopped onions.
Add in savoury
add the ‘wet’ mixture to the bread.
slowly stir in mashed potatoes, until well blended.
My friends at Centrepointe Theatre are welcoming families on January 6 to the Al Simmons show for some laughter and fun. This might be the perfect way to end your Christmas vacation in Ottawa together before the kids head back to school.
“Juno award-winning children’s musician, kooky comic, mad inventor and all-round wacky performer, Al Simmons entertains and enthralls. Known for his eccentric props and costumes, this Vaudevillian show thrills fans of all ages.” – Centrepointe Theatres
You can find details on the Centrepointe Theatres website and purchase your tickets. If grandma or grandpa are still looking for family gift ideas, this might be the experience for all of you to find under the tree!
There is still plenty of summer left before the kids all go back to school! Not sure how to keep them busy if you are around Ottawa this summer? Here are some activities that you may want to check out (I’ve included ones that will be perfect for older kids and ones for younger toddlers and preschoolers too!)
The History Hall has been something we’ve been looking forward to, and it’s on our August list to visit. With so many Canadian artifacts and so much information in one spot, it’s sure to be an interesting visit.
My son has been asking to go to this for a while, so if you have older kids or ones interested in military history, the limited Vimy – Beyond the Battle exhibit (it’s here until November) will be of interest to you. This is also on our August list!
This was brought to my attention by my sister who has three little ones under the age of five. She raved about the special programming at the Billings Estate National Estate Site (a place we love to go too!). I didn’t realize they had so much to offer during the summer. There are programs for preschools as well as kids up to age 12. Different days of the week offer a different theme. Check it out!
Another local museum that we love is the Cumberland Museum. On August 13, they have a special farming event where families can learn more about farm life, and get hands-on with experiments and more.
We love visiting Upper Canada Village, and the summer is always a great time to walk around the village and explore. Plus, buy bread. Before you go: Print off the two free children’s tickets that Ontario has available!
I recently wrote an article on SavvyMom about all the fun activities at Petrie Island. It’s been a rough year for the Island, and some activities may have changed depending on how the location is doing, but it’s worth looking into the junior naturalists program so kids can learn more about the creatures and plants living there!
I love a rural fair. Probably because I grew up where every summer you couldn’t wait to attend the fair. I also love deep fried mini donuts. The Navan Fair is August 10-13!
I always find it fun when we are able to see art, acting, music and more on the streets, up close and out in the open. The Ottawa Busker Fest is sure to have the kids in awe as they watch! It’s on Sparks Street from August 3-7!
A favourite place of ours to visit with the kids is the Agriculture Museum right here in Ottawa. Since I grew up on a farm (my grandfather was a farmer and we had a barn that he used beside his large one) I feel a special connection to it.
Having a farm for my children to visit (now that my grandfather doesn’t anymore) is especially important for me. I want them to see the hard work involved, how animals are raised, where milk and other foods come from and feel connected to all of that, as I did growing up.
The Agriculture Museum, or ‘Farm’ or ‘To see King’ as it’s called in our house (King is a Clysdale horse who lives there) is a frequent request. I started going when my son was less than a year. It was a perfect outing for the two of us during the day and we’d bring snacks as they got older and picnic. Now it remains a family favourite.
There are animals, tractors on display, special exhibitions and a play park. What’s not to love?
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