Fall in Canada begins the switch to winter whites and backgrounds of festive colours during Canada's Festivals of Lights. Kids look forward to the Canadian tradition of Santa Claus Parades & fun Christmas shopping with a sit on Santa's knee. The winter season of 2009-2010 is special this year as the Olympic Torch lights up across Canada starting in November. The arrival of the Torch in Ottawa coincides with Christmas Lights Across Canada launch with an official illumination ceremony held on Parliament Hill. Over 300,000 Christmas lights will light up Canada’s Capital from December 12, 2009 to January 7, 2010.

The official winter period often overlaps with the beginning of Spring March Break and Maple Syrup Festivals.

ALBERTA

Calgary Lights Festival. The Christmas season would not be complete without a pilgrimage to the annual light display. Each year The Lions Club, with the help of a variety of other sponsors, adorn the east side of the Confederation Golf Course with thousands of colourful lights arranged in Christmas themes. There are waving Santa Clauses, singing angels, dozens of flashing Christmas trees and holiday greetings spelled out in a variety of languages.

Edmonton Holiday Light Up: Canada's largest Christmas tree was installed as downtown Edmonton starts to get into the holiday spirit. The giant white spruce from land managed by Millar Western Forest Products Ltd. near Whitecourt is about 24 metres tall and weighs about three tonnes. It will be held up by a new 20-tonne tree stand, then decorated with 8,000 low-energy LED lights and a new star on top. The Christmas on the Square Holiday Light Up will be held next Saturday.

BRITISH COLUMBIA CANADA

2010 Olympic News updates
Vancouver, BC. Nkrumah-Acheampong and his family—in this case his wife, son, daughter and niece—are the second group to fly to Canada this summer as part of the Canadian Tourism Commission’s (CTC) “Connecting with Canadians” program. ..... authentic Canadian experiences for Olympic and Paralympic athletes and their families leading up to the 2010 Winter Games. The trip is all part of CTC’s 2010 Winter Games tourism strategy: to boost awareness of Canada’s tourism brand—“Canada. Keep exploring”—and enhance Canada’s image as a premier tourism destination. See Complete Story. Book Hotel rooms in British Columbia

Vancouver Festival of lights on U-tube

Although Vancouver is generally free of snow, Whistler is but a short drive north for some of the best winter sports in the country.

MANITOBA CANADA

Winnipeg as the Christmas Capital of Canada and the Canadian City of Lights. Special events, promotions, official turning on of the festive downtown lights, parade is the grand finale to a day-long "Parti-Gras." Downtown; (204) 958-4640. Also the Assiniboine Valley Railway Christmas Light Festival

ONTARIO CANADA

Need enthusiasm? Sled dogs can teach you all about it
Examiner.com
For those of you who have ever had the pleasure of driving a dog sled team or watched the Alaskan Iditarod on TV, you probably know it's hard to beat sled ...See Ontario Dog Sledding Getaways

Ottawa Ontario-Canada's Capital Region

Ottawa, Ontario. If you are here in during the month of December you should take a drive or a stroll downtown to see the beautiful lights at Parliament Hill and other sites along Confederation Boulevard! Christmas Lights Across Canada. More information on Ottawa and Ottawa Hotels

Winter Festival of Lights, Niagara Falls, ON

Through November until the first week of January, the Niagara Falls Winter Festival of Lights is a spectacular lightshow that includes an illuminated 5-km route of lighted displays, fireworks over the falls and more, including concerts and children's performances.

Cavalcade of Lights,Toronto, ON

Toronto kicks off the holiday season by launching a month-long series of free events, including concerts, ice-skating and the illumination of Nathan Phillips Square and giant Christmas tree with 100,000 festive lights.

Festivals of Lights North of Toronto

The many towns and communities in resort destinations north of Toronto bring back a seasonal feeling of a Christmas past. A warm comfortable feeling without the rush of the big cities. Santa Claus Parades provide family fun when shopping in the towns and cities. The most famous of all light festivals is "First Light" taking visitors back to the very beginning of Canada on a wintry night in historic Huronia(Simcoe County) near Midland, Ontario with the writing of the Huron Carol in the 1600's.