Spending Christmas at the Cottage

This Christmas, spend your time at the cottage with all the holiday cheer you can find.

So, it’s been a heck of a year, hasn’t it? From a worldwide pandemic to seemingly unusual heaviness, many of us are looking towards 2021 with bright eyes and hopeful hearts. However, we’re big fans over here of taking every day as it comes… and holding onto the good days as well as we can. This, my friends, means enjoying every second of 2020 we still have left.

As we transition into the holidays, tons of us will be heading out to the cottage for socially-distanced celebrations that might just look a little different than they have in years past. While it might be hard, it can still be wonderful and fun… especially if you’re at the cottage. If you’re ready for a happy, joyful Christmas at the cottage, here are our tips, tricks and go-to activities for a happy holiday amid so much uncertainty.

Credit: Beauty for Ashes

Remember your favourite traditions… but make new ones!

In a year where everything is seemingly always up in the air, we understand that it’s hard to think of doing things differently. This year, take a two-fold approach: honour the old in every way that you can but look forward to embracing the new ones when you can. For some people, that might mean cooking your go-to holiday meal and then sharing it with your family over Zoom. For other people, it might mean taking the time to decorate the cottage for the holidays, even though you usually might spend Christmas at a family member’s house. However, you can make your holidays special!

No matter where you might normally be this time of year, embrace every second that you can with Christmas at the cottage. From hot cocoa and Christmas songs on the speaker to hikes in the snow and holiday movies on repeat, take your time at the cottage to create a restful, festive space for whoever’s there.

Keep it inside AND take it outside

While you’re at the cottage, you’re in a good space to stay safe while still exploring the outdoors. Make your time inside the cottage as warm as possible with a fire, some mulled wine and holiday vinyl on the record player, but embrace your inner December adventurer outdoors! There are tons of socially-distanced activities to do outside in Ontario, and a lot of them involve the chilly, bright air on your face.

Lace up the snowshoes to a walk down some of your favourite woodlands, drive around to look at the beautiful Christmas lights and take in all of the holiday beauty you can. You can also mask up for a night skating on the ice, you can pick out a massive Christmas tree for the cottage, and you can have fun sliding down the snow in a toboggan. After all, there’s simply nothing quite as stunning as an Ontario December — no matter where you are.

Make a cozy meal (and drink a cozy drink)!

Being warm in the cottage is one of the best things about having one, and cooking in your cottage’s kitchen is a whole new level of adventure. Find a fun holiday recipe on Pinterest (or make a family favourite!), pour a glass of mulled wine and enjoy a game or movie night in the comfort of one of the best places on earth — an Ontario cottage during the Christmas season.

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While 2020 has been a bit of a beating, we’re all about finding and seeking joy wherever and whenever we can. While you’re at the cottage, check out our Ultimate Design Guide for some inspiration and guidance for your ultimate stay-at-home space. (Psst… secret: the way we see it, a new home project is key to staying healthy AND happy at home and the cottage this year.)