By Catherine Ding

With the minimal snow this December, getting into the holiday spirit may be difficult. But if you want to make the most of this winter break, take off your cozy socks, set your hot chocolate on the table, and visit these seven festive activities all in the greater Toronto area to get into the holiday spirit.

Ice skating at Union Station

Looking for a fun activity to do with friends? The busiest TTC station just brought back its annual free skating event partnered with TD Bank, and this year, it’s larger than it’s ever been. If you have skates, bring them out of the dust and visit Union Station for a skate. If not, a limited supply of rental skates will be available at the rink. Can’t make it this winter break? No worries! Open until January 29th, there’s plenty of time for fun.

Illumi Light Festival

What’s one thing great about more darkness in winter? The biggest light show in Ontario! Back with its winter show, the Illumi Light Festival makes for the perfect place for some holiday-coded photos and festive snacks. Open starting at 5 pm and with tickets around $25, it takes the average person 1 hour to walk through this illuminated trail. During this stroll, you’ll encounter an adorned tree as tall as the Statue of Liberty, illuminated animals, one shimmering North Pole, and more. If the Illumi festival interests you, visit as soon as you can before the closing day on January 7th.

Daydream Toronto – The Ice Cave Escape Room

With school out for the break, are you looking for an activity to keep your brain active? Daydream Toronto is an immersive escape room with eye-catching visuals that will tempt you to purposely stay locked in longer. All escape rooms of Daydream Toronto have a $36 entry fee and were designed and created with the assistance of local artists who take pride in building immersive narratives for escapees. In the Ice Cave escape room, you and your minimum group of three will collaborate to explore and uncover the mysteries of the destruction caused by a meteorite. With only 60 minutes on the clock, this escape room was voted by Daydream Toronto as its most difficult and intricate room yet.

Holiday Hills – Stackt Market

Located in the heart of Toronto, Stackt Market is North America’s largest shipping container market. Recently they brought back their Holiday Hills market, which leaves on December 31st. With diverse shops and food vendors, this market fully embraces the holiday atmosphere and makes for the perfect stop to pick up gifts created by local businesses. Stackt Market comprises art exhibits, a marketplace, food vendors, and cozy seats by campfires. Whether you are here for a bite or a stroll, you’ll leave in the holiday spirit.

Distillery District Winter Village

The Distillery District was created by a community of developers with a vision to transform a Victorian area in Toronto into a vibrant space that resembled the atmosphere of New York City’s SoHo area. Today, this village is still flourishing with the help of local businesses, including food vendors, delicately handcrafted gifts, retail stores, and more. Distillery District’s Winter Village is the perfect destination to embrace Toronto’s holiday season and is open until the New Year with tickets starting at $18.

Holiday Movies at a Theatre

What’s better than watching a movie in a theatre? Watching a movie surrounded by cars at a drive-in movie theater of course! The 5 Drive-In theatre is an iconic destination in the GTA, located in Oakville. Designed to embrace the retro atmosphere of a classic drive-in theatre, this outdoor space features concession booths, multiple screens, and a variety of films ranging from classics such as National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation to recently released films like Wonka.

Winterfest

The majority of Richview students have heard of Canada Wonderland’s Halloween Haunt. However, have you visited Wonderland’s Winterfest before? Until January 6th, for a month and a half, this nationally recognized amusement park transforms into an immersive and festive experience filled with dazzling lights, seasonal merchandise, food, and events. Whether you are here for a thrill or for a fun time, you’ll leave feeling merrier than before. Hopefully one of these activities sparked your interest! Embrace what the GTA has to offer and try something new. You don’t know, maybe you’ll like it!