City Guides
Holiday+Planner
Get lit with the Holiday Planner

Get lit with the Holiday Planner

Yule love our annual festive special

By Allison Saunders Dec 1, 2016

Talking points to help you survive the holidays

Talking points to help you survive the holidays

For when things get awkward at the family function
It feels like we’re all in the same boat here.

By Stephanie Johns Dec 1, 2016

Making the case for <i>A Garfield Christmas Special</i>

Making the case for A Garfield Christmas Special

Move over Jingle Cats
So you’ve got your typical holiday binge slate—Charlie Brown, Rudolph, Frosty, all the Dunder-Mifflin holiday party episodes of The Office, a month’s worth of Simpsons Christmas (“Shove this up your stocking!”) and splicing together various movies from their multiple cable viewings.

By Tara Thorne Dec 1, 2016

Homesick for the holidays

Homesick for the holidays

On guilt, loneliness and coping with being a world away from home during the holiday season.
I’m sitting in my room, a sheet of yellow paper resting on my lap with the list of things I need to pack before I go home to Nigeria.

By Sarah Poko Dec 1, 2016

Leftover do-overs

Leftover do-overs

Empty out that growing collection of Tupperware dregs and get creative.

By Michelle Cameron Dec 1, 2016

The original tin

The original tin

Taking a walk down Quality Street to dissect the residents of the holiday season’s most iconic coffee table treat.
There’s nothing blatantly festive about Quality Street, it’s actually available year-round though for some reason it tastes like a certain time of year.

By Stephanie Johns, Tara Thorne and Allison Saunders Dec 1, 2016

Hot stuff, coming through

Hot stuff, coming through

Warm your frozen fingertips and overwhelm your tastebuds with one of the city’s richest hot chocolates.
DARK CHILI BELGIAN HOT CHOCOLATE This waterfront chocolate-maker and cafe swears by its real Belgian hot chocolate, which comes in a slew of flavours—like dark and white chocolate, peanut butter, mint, even strawberry. Whether you’re piling it high with add-ons (whipped cream is free, marshmallow is $1) or drinking it straight-up, a sugar coma is in your future.

By Allison Saunders Dec 1, 2016

Wrapper of the year

Wrapper of the year

Sometimes what’s on the outside counts, too. Luckily, these local makers and retailers are cut out for the job of perfecting your presents.
Quarrelsome Yeti Weird and wonderful, creepy and cute, Geordan Moore’s whack wrap can make the most boring of gifts (not that you would) extraordinary. Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market, 1209 Marginal Road; Halifax Crafters Winter Market, Dec 2-4

By Allison Saunders Dec 1, 2016

Stocking market

Stocking market

Give the gift of handmade by stuffing your stockings with some of these local luxuries.
Oh Dina!

By Allison Saunders Dec 1, 2016

New Year's Eve Guide 2016

New Year's Eve Guide 2016

Just because this year kind of sucked doesn’t mean its grand finale has to

By Allison Saunders Dec 24, 2015

The complete holiday sweater guide

The complete holiday sweater guide

Say “Fleece Navidad” with every piece of knitwear on a scale from tacky to tasteful.
Ugly Nothing says Ugly Sweater Party like a stitched-on snowman decal.

By Allie Sweeting Dec 3, 2015

Celebrate with the Holiday Planner

Celebrate with the Holiday Planner

Our annual festive special rounds up sweet treats, warm sweaters, gift inspo and events to help nudge your holiday cheer out of storage.

By Allison Saunders Dec 3, 2015

Season’s readings

Season’s readings

Five must-read books suited for the entire spectrum of your holiday shopping list.
We've got a read on who ended up on your list this year, and we're telling you it doesn't matter—there's a book for that.

By Lindsay Gloade-Raining Bird Dec 3, 2015

Carols everywhere

Carols everywhere

Thanks to an iconic soundtrack, A Charlie Brown Christmas remains as powerful as ever at 50 years old.
A piano, a gentle drum shuffle, a children’s choir: The opening notes of A Charlie Brown Christmas, scoring a lightly falling snow, are not just familiar, they’re iconic.

By Tara Thorne Dec 3, 2015

I did it all for the cookie

I did it all for the cookie

Manual Food & Drink Co.’s Emma Adamski, maker of our sweet cover cookies, offers up tips on how the wow with your holiday baking.
Emma Adamski's holiday eating traditions include her mom's butter tarts and her family uniform—"buffet pants"—but wacky, hand-crafted sugar cookies? Not so much.

By Allison Saunders Dec 3, 2015

A visit from <strike>St. Nicholas</strike> bae of Christmas past

A visit from St. Nicholas bae of Christmas past

Say hello from the other side with this poetic round-up of gifts that’ll win back your lover, maybe.
’Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, your nostalgia was stirring, your new fling had no pulse. With Adele turned up high, your makeup on point, you flew from your house with only one goal in sight.

By Lindsay Gloade-Raining Bird Dec 3, 2015

Card candy

Card candy

Send your season’s greetings, grinchy feelings and letters to Santa on sweet stationery from local artists.
Screen printed gift tag by The Quarrelsome Yeti Seaport Farmers’ Market, 1209 Marginal Road (Saturdays and Sundays) and Halifax Crafters’ Winter Show, Dec 4-6, Olympic Community Hall, 2304 Hunter Street

By Allison Saunders Dec 3, 2015

The ice cometh: 10 places to go skating

The ice cometh: 10 places to go skating

Looking to lace up and do laps? Here are some of the city’s public skating opportunities.
The Oval, 5775 Cogswell Street, 902-490-2347 You’re not alone if you’re counting down the minutes until Oval-time.

By Allison Saunders Dec 3, 2015

Independence holiday

Independence holiday

Aloneness, loneliness and the weight of choosing a Christmas away from home.
In September of last year, I entered some search terms into an app called Skyscanner.

By Tara Thorne Dec 3, 2015

It's the ho-ho-Holiday Planner

It's the ho-ho-Holiday Planner

Now bring us some figgy pudding
'Tis the season to go shopping, listen to crappy music, navigate an endless list of frosty fun times, over-do it on the egg nog lattes, wish for snow to fall and then curse it as soon as it arrives.

By Allison Saunders Dec 4, 2014

Mingle belles—how to dress for the holidays

Mingle belles—how to dress for the holidays

Finding the fine line between fashionable and festive can be challenging. We raided four local stores to provide wardrobe inspiration for holiday party season
Office party

By Allie Sweeting Dec 4, 2014

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Vol 25, No 17
September 21, 2017

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