Noel in Novia Scotia

An extremely brief history of Nova Scotia:


In 1621, a  Royal Charter granting the right to settle lands also gave the Canadian province its name (simply, New Scotland), although French colonists established the first permanent European settlement in Canada in Arcadia in 1605. Before that the land was already home to the Mi'kmaq nation. Nova Scotia has a little under 1 million residents; the capital city is Halifax.

Halifax from the air

If you are planning a visit, be sure to check your visa and passport requirements for Canada.
While it does snow, temperatures in winter are from zero degrees Celsius to about 15 degrees Celsius. That’s not too bad – the weather is warmer because the temperature extremes of the continental climate are moderated by the ocean. And as a result, Nova Scotia lies in the mid-temperate zone, where the climate is closer to continental rather than maritime despite the province being almost surrounded by water. New Zealand gets colder!


You can get there via plane, boat, train, bus, car, motorcycle, RV or as a walk-on passenger, and by cruise ship. Halifax and Sydney are the main ports of call for more than 20 major cruise ship lines. The port of Sydney is the cruise gateway to Cape Breton Island. 

There are over 1,000 different places to stay: hotels of all shapes and sizes, luxurious resorts & spas, oceanside cottages, charming bed & breakfasts, antique-filled country inns and campground sites, both backcountry and serviced. Perhaps not camp sites at Christmas! 

Check them all out Here. There are a lot of pretty good packages, too.

This bed and breakfast appealed to me:

Christmas events start early. It’s a time of real community spirit and there are many many events over November and December. I’ve selected a just a few., and most of them well before the 20th (the exception being the Capella Regalis Men and Boys Choir).
November 7th – to December 13th, in Kentville, CentreStage Theatre Presents: Farndale Avenue Christmas Carol.
“The ladies of the Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild Dramatic Society mount another assault on the classics with their stage version of A Christmas Carol. They enthusiastically portray a dizzy array of characters from the Dickensian favourite (and a few which aren't), engineer some novel audience participation while bravely contending with an intrusive PA system and a real Farndale first rap their vocal cords and feet around two original, show stopping songs.

November 28th, to December 7th is  the Sherbrooke Village Old Fashioned Christmas, with an opening night tree lighting, candle light procession and fireworks. Over the two weekends there will be Christmas crafts, concerts, festive dining, Victorian tea and more!
This event appeals! November 29 to December 13 is The Chester Gingerbread Festival, a celebration of all things Gingerbread. The Opening ceremony has tree lighting, hot chocolate and cookies and a visit from Santa on a fire truck. 

There’s the Gingerbread Christmas craft market, Gingerbread suppers, Christmas play on stage at the Chester Playhouse, Gingerbread curling bonspiel, Gingerbread house competition, an outdoor Gingerbread man contest to be judged on facebook, a gingerbread man parade, and a family wrap up at the Chester Playhouse with presentation of awards and prizes and a cookie contest. Sounds fun! Being a redhead myself, I wonder if spectators get prizes for being “gingas”?

On 4 December, a 4 day festival at Barrington Passage, South Shore, kicks off the Christmas season and the beginning of the lobster season. Events include the lighting of a giant Lobster Trap Christmas tree, fireworks, Parade of Lights, Christmas House Tours, lighting of Christmas decorations, carolers, craft fairs and much more.

December 5 the Christmas Festival of Trees and Crafts on the Eastern Shore delights, with a wonderland of many beautifully decorated natural balsam fir trees and more than 70 crafters showcasing high quality beautifully made pieces.

Also from the 5th to the 11th December, the Symphony Nova Scotia presents The Nutcracker.

On 7 December, see Tales of A Charlie Brown Christmas, the Halifax Jazz Festival's 11th annual fundraiser for music education featuring local jazz legend Jerry Granelli with HRM's Vivace Children's Choir, conducted by Krista Vincent.

thanks to summerville for this image. A very snowy Christmas!

December 13th, Musique Royale presents The University of King’s College Chapel Choir in “A King’s Christmas”, and on the 20th performs “To Bethlehem with King’s” featuring Capella Regalis Men and Boys Choir.

December 14 there’s a Christmas Carol singalong, with local talent.

Here’s a thought: You could nip across to Nova Scotia, experience all the pre-Christmas fun and then zip off to Hong Kong for a couple of days before spending Christmas Eve and day in Santa Fe, finally completing a total Christmas blast by flying into Rio for the huge New Year celebrations! Then spend January recovering…