Things to do in Montreal: December 5-11

Feeling the flutter of gift-giving jitters? That’s because there are less than 20 days of shopping time before C day! Get your holiday on with cultural events all over town, from street-corner tree markets to choir concerts to craft fairs galore. With our help, you’ll have that list ticked in no time.

(holiday music) There’s nothing like choral music to make you feel like you’re living in a magic holiday snow globe. The annual St. James United Church Christmas Benefit Concert takes place on Friday, December 5 at 7 pm. The evening includes performances by Koa Billy Boyd, 
Le Choeur du Quartier, 
People’s Gospel Choir, the female barbershop ensemble of Montreal City Voices, the Choir of St. James United Church plus there’ll be a sing-alone. The Choralies presents a whole series of Christmas choir concerts at Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel at 1:30 and 3 pm every Saturday and Sunday between December 6 and 21. Not only that, but the entry fee is on a volunteer basis. The Lyric Theatre Singers are bringing their Christmas concerts to Concordia’s beautiful Loyola Chapel. Three performances of A Candlelight Christmas will be presented on December 5, 6 and 7 at the University’s multi-faith chapel, with an entertaining repertoire mixing traditional, jazz, Latin, gospel and contemporary arrangements, in both French and English.

(cultural christmas) Until January 4, take the family to Exporail in Saint-Constant for a holiday celebration around trains, including decorated wagons, a beautiful Christmas tree, tons of activities for kids (including craft and cookie-making workshops) and, until December 21 on weekends, an appearance by Santa himself. Starting on December 6 and on until January 2, you’ll want to be at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts to see the Christmas tree exhibition, displaying a whole array of classically decorated conifers. There are also tons of activities for tots to sign up for, including a 3D tree building workshop on December 6 at 10:15 am, followed by a pop-up holiday card-making session at 11 am. Meanwhile at Pointe-à-Callière, Montreal’s history and archaeology museum, they have a secret: they know who the real Santa Claus is. Or at least who he might be. Bring the kids to meet Santa Clauses from around the world: Babouchka, Melchior, Black Peter and Santa Claus. Kids will meet these four Christmas characters on their visit through the museum’s unique archaeological remains, and learn all about how each celebrates the holidays where they’re from. Look for event times between December 6 and 28.

(gift shopping) The Salon des métiers d’art, among the year’s biggest artisan fairs, takes over downtown’s Place Bonaventure from December 5 to 21. A holiday shopping staple for thousands of people, the Salon spotlights unique, handcrafted items, from ceramics to wooden objects to clothing and accessories. Catch the last of the Nutcracker Market at Palais des Congrès until December 7, where you can find jewellery, knits, fashion, food and toys while helping out The Nutcracker Fund for Children. The beautiful – and vast! – Souk@SAT continues until December 30, spread over the tree storeys of the Société des Arts Technologiques. Find goods created by over 70 local artists, designers and craftspeople. For beautiful plant creations, gourmet treats and other gifts created from Mother Nature’s bounty, stop by the Botanical Garden Christmas Fair between December 5 and 14. The whole Espace Pour La Vie is full of life over the holidays, with activities for one and all that are guaranteed to get you in the spirit.

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