It's almost Christmas!! Such a busy time of year with all the preparations.. Yet here I am shooting pictures, using Christmas lights as a background and playing with candlelight and decorations...
Festive Edmonton
Christmas is over and pretty soon all the decorations will be disappearing from all over the city, and that is why I am so happy we have managed a few trips around the city to capture the festive look. Even the frigid temperatures holding steadily this year didn't stop us from visiting different places in Edmonton to admire the lights and decorations that adorned buildings and shops during the month leading to Christmas. Dressed in layers and armed with cameras and friends ;) we have first ventured to Legislative Assembly of Alberta and its grounds to see what they've done this year. We weren't disappointed at all and spent a pleasant hour or so walking around the grounds and when the cold has gotten to us, were pleasantly surprised by a cup of hot chocolate that the pleasant staff was serving for visitors inside the building.
It's always a pleasure to visit the grounds. They do a great job dressing a lot of trees in lights and it all looks just magical with the snow covered ground!
Next on our list of places to visit this time of year was Whyte Avenue. Another place, that does not disappoint, if you are in need of a little holiday spirit.
It's really hard not to appreciate the creativity that goes into decorations of most of the little boutiques that line Whyte Avenue and surrounding streets. It's always a pleasure to enjoy a stroll there, but with the lights and holiday atmosphere of that particular visit I must admit, this was one of my favorite trips there!
Christmas in Edmonton cannot be truly enjoyed, in my opinion, without a trip to Candy Cane Lane. It's an adventure, every time we go there. Every year the houses look great and the place is full of visitors. All you need to remember is to bring a donation to Edmonton Food Bank and you can enjoy a walk (or a drive when it's freezing) in a Christmas wonderland. I really don't know how the residents survive this amount of visitors each year, but I thank them for it!
I hope you have enjoyed this little tour of wintery Edmonton. Yes, it can be cold and snowy, but around Christmas it is also beautiful and festive and definitely worth getting outside our cozy houses and braving the elements in search of the holiday spirit, in case we needed a little boost! :)
Kasia
Our Christmas - Part 2
So it's Christmas eve, and really I want to wish you, the reader and the follower of these pages, and your loved ones, a very very very Merry Christmas and a big thank you! To add to these wishes here is a small sample of my wife's baking, and kids portraits. Enjoy!
Our Christmas - Part 1
So it's that time of the year again. The time we wait for impatiently whole year. Our Christmas preparations really start in early November. Lists are being made, checked at least twice. Little hints are dropped in the middle of conversations. Then first week of December it starts for real. On a weekend we all go out and pick a fresh christmas tree. Then take it home, trim it, and usually decorate it the same day. Everyone is involved. Then the rest of the house gets it's share of garlands, lights, and bows. It's festive. But that doesn't even touch on the baking that goes on after the decorations... on that in the next part. Here are a collection of photos from the day the Christmas tree arrived home. Enjoy!
Time again for Christmas
It's that time of year again. The weekend in Edmonton was very very cold. Temperatures reaching -40C with windchill, were a perfect excuse to stay indoors watch a movie or two, play some games with the kids, and just enjoy the warmth and the fragrance of a fresh Christmas tree. Here are some shots taken over the weekend to put you in the Christmas frame of mind. Enjoy.
Bit of Christmas
This weekend was an official start of Christmas at our house. Got the christmas tree at a local seller, brought it home, and the whole family decorated it. Loads of fun. So I decided to share some of the christmas cheer with all of you who happen to read this blog. Just click on the picture, and it will take you to the gallery. Merry Christmas to all!