Christmas is just days away! Are you ready? Hopefully you don’t have much, if any shopping left to get done, and instead can enjoy some quality family time this weekend. If you are looking ahead to make plans for New Year’s Eve, be sure to check out my latest blog post with all the fun family events for NYE. As for this upcoming weekend, here is my list of family-friendly events for December 22-23.

Saturday:

• Ottawa Farmer’s Market Christmas Market – Aberdeen Pavilion, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm (farmer’s market, horse drawn sleigh rides, live entertainment and food)
• Survival of the Slowest – Canadian Museum of Nature, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm (new exhibition opens this weekend, see more than 20 live-animal habitats. Meet the keepers. Enjoy daily live-animal demonstrations. $6 plus museum admission)
• How the Grinch Spied Christmas – the Diefenbunker Museum, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm (learn about how the Grinch spied, do who-crafts, who hot chocolate and who movies, included with museum admission)
• Cheerfully Made Saves Christmas – Sensplex, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm (150 of the areas best hand-makers to help you with last minute shopping, $5 admission, children are free)
• Holiday Hours at Billings Estate – Billings Estate National Historic Site, 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm (explore the exhibitions, take in the holiday décor, and relax with a Christmas-themed activity or craft. General admission pricing applies: $16.00 family; $6.50 adult; $5.50 seniors and students; $4 child.)
• Rideau Hall Skating Rink – Rideau Hall, 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm (free outdoor refrigerated rink, skating only, no hockey)
• Madagascar: A Musical Adventure – Ron Maslin Theatre, Kanata, 1:00 pm (Based on the smash hit DreamWorks animated motion picture, Madagascar – A Musical Adventure follows all of your favorite friends as they escape from their home in New York’s Central Park Zoo)
• The Hockey Sweater: A Musical – NAC English Theatre, 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm (two showings of this Canadian musical tale)
• The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe – Le Meridien at Centrepointe, 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm (two showings for this classic tale by C.S.Lewis)
• OFC Christmas Party – Ottawa Family Cinema, 710 Broadview, 2:00 pm – 4:45 pm (watch ‘Tales of Christmas and the Snowman’ on the big screen, door prizes, Christmas treats, Santa and Mrs.Claus appearance, book your seats ahead of time!)
• A Christmas Carol – The Gladstone Theatre, 2:30 pm and 7:30 pm (John D. Huston helps recreate this Christmas classic)
• Vintage Village of Lights – The Cumberland Heritage Village Museum, 3:00 pm – 8:00 pm (illuminated from 5 pm to 8 pm, stroll the village, take a wagon ride, decorate a gingerbread man, visit with Santa)
• Alight at Night – Upper Canada Village, 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm (gorgeous holiday display with thousands of lights decorating the heritage village, Santa visits, carollers and a carousel)
• Magic of Lights – Wesley Clover Parks, 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm (2 km drive thru light display, buy your tickets online, $20 a car)
• The Music of Star Wars – Meridien Theatres at Centrepointe, 7:30 pm (Ottawa Pops Orchestra channels the Force to bring you the music of Star Wars, appropriate for all ages)

Sunday:

• Ottawa Farmer’s Market Christmas Market – Aberdeen Pavilion, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm (see above)
• Survival of the Slowest – Canadian Museum of Nature, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm (more above)
• How the Grinch Spied Christmas – the Diefenbunker Museum, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
• Holiday Hours at Billings Estate – Billings Estate National Historic Site, 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm
• Rideau Hall Skating Rink – Rideau Hall, 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm (free outdoor refrigerated rink, skating only, no hockey)
• The Hockey Sweater: A Musical – NAC English Theatre, 2:00 pm (one matinee showing)
• The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe – Le Meridien at Centrepointe, 2:00 pm
• The Music of Star Wars – Meridien Theatres at Centrepointe, 2:30 pm (matinee of this Pops Orchestra performance)
• Vintage Village of Lights – The Cumberland Heritage Village Museum, 3:00 pm – 8:00 pm
• Alight at Night – Upper Canada Village, 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Magic of Lights – Wesley Clover Parks, 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm