The holidays are officially upon us, folks! It’s time for holiday gatherings, well wishes, connecting with loved ones, the glittering lights, and cozy evenings. I must admit, the holidays are one of my favourite times of the year. Today on the blog, I’m sharing a recap of some of the festivities I’ve been up to these past few weeks, and what’s to come in the lead up to Christmas and New Years. After all: ’tis the damn season.

Winter Wine Tasting

I started celebrating early with some winter wine tastings in Lake Country, towards the end of November. A few of the wineries in the area were doing some holiday-themed activities and raising proceeds for the food bank, which was so great to support! My mom, cousin, and I checked out a few different spots. We went to Arrowleaf Cellars to scope out their holiday market, taste some of their delicious cream puffs, and try some samples of hot chocolate and mulled wine. Everything was delicious and it was absolutely packed for the festivities!

We swung by Ex Nihilo briefly to check out their incredible decor, plus their featured smokies on the fire. Gray Monk offered a pairing of their Odyssey Merlot with a house-made gingerbread cookie, which was honestly one of the best I’ve ever had. We finished things off at Intrigue Wines, featuring wine and food pairings to try while exploring their mini holiday market and festive gift shop. I highly recommend checking out their winery/gift shop, they have so many incredible gift ideas for the holidays! I might be biased, but I obviously think wine tasting is one of the best activities year-round, and the holiday season gives it that extra dose of sparkle.

Holiday Markets

Apart from the markets we checked out at the wineries, I visited a few other holiday markets in the Okanagan area as well. I scoped out the Christkindl Market at The Laurel Packing House in Kelowna. This venue and market was a new one for me, as I had not visited before. The space is cute and rustic, with the market featuring a lot of homemade artisans. I drank some delicious apple cider too!

I also checked out the Craft Culture Holiday Market, held at Prospera Place this year. It was a huge market, taking up the entire rink and the area surrounding the rink too. I found it a bit overwhelming at times because it was super busy. It was still pretty cool to be able to find so many local vendors in one place though. I didn’t have a ton of Christmas shopping to do, but I’m still glad I got the chance to explore some holiday markets!

Festive Fun

In the midst of all these activities, I’ve also enjoyed some holiday decorating. I love having tons of lights and festive decor this time of year. The sparkle from decor and Christmas trees always helps during these darker months! As we near closer to Christmas and it gets even colder out, I’m looking forward to more cozy evenings in. Bring on all of the cheesy holiday movies! 😀 When I’m not snuggled up under the glittering lights watching a holiday show, I’ll be taking some winter walks too. I’m crossing my fingers for a snowy Christmas this year!

I’m officially taking a break from writing blog posts for the rest of the holiday season. Time to celebrate, eat, drink, get cozy and cherish memories. I’m looking forward to enjoying some time with family before jetting off to Toronto in the new year. In 2025, I’ll be back with even more to share about the holidays – until then, ENJOY!! ‘Tis the damn season to slow down and celebrate. I’m right there with ya. ❤ XO