Montreal Christmas -- or Noël -- events and activities as well as shopping options are plentiful, as per usual, and 2009 promises yet another great Christmas season. Whether you love or loathe the holidays, celebrate with or without family, it can be a really fun time of the year, even solo! Tailor a Montreal Christmas -- or humbug season -- that suits you and your lifestyle with a little help from your Guide to Christmas in Montreal.
1. Santa Claus Parade
Photo © Evelyn Reid
A Montreal Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without the city's annual Santa Claus Parade, a tradition since 1925. Better known as the Défilé du Père Noël, the Montreal Santa Claus Parade typically features thousands of delighted kids waiting to catch a glimpse of Santa Claus, with about 15 floats proceeding along downtown artery and top shopping destination, Ste. Catherine Street, from Fort to St. Urbain.
Find out when and where the Santa Claus Parade is held and view pictures of a previous edition.
2. The Other Christmas Parade
Photo courtesy of Plaza St. Hubert
A low key alternative to Montreal's largest Christmas parade (see above) is Montreal's second largest Christmas parade, the Plaza St. Hubert's Défilé de Noël -- French for "christmas parade" -- a lesser known annual event held usually a week after the popular downtown Santa Claus parade.
3. More Montreal Christmas Events
Peter McDiarmid / Getty Images
Christmas tree-picking, museum exhibits, nativity scenes, high-budget productions, low-budget gems, the bulk of Montreal's favorite Christmas-themed events are assembled right here.
Attend one of these Christmas events in November or skip ahead to December's holiday musts in Montreal.
4. Ready, Set, Shop
Photo by Flickr user Kalleboo
A one-stop shopping mecca, I've listed downtown Montreal's shopping centres, most huddled together in a roughly 20-block radius. I also added a list of Montreal's major shopping centres outside the downtown core.
Several Christmas shopping bazaars and fairs with one-of-a-kind locally crafted gifts are also listed on the Montreal Christmas events calendar.
