In December, Montreal will be covered in a (clean) white coat, and even the orange cones will look a little like Christmas decorations…
Between the hyperglycemia of the candy-cane-chocolate-warm-cream-whip combination and the nostalgic disorientation of colorfully illuminated streets, December is going to be a very exciting month.
We’ve – and we’re making our December calendar a little early this year – already planned our most phantasmagorical holiday outings in town!
December Calendar
November 27-December 21: Christmas Village at the Atwater Market
To buy our Christmas trees and present our babies to Santa, we’ll be at the Atwater Market – where we’ll also find all the ingredients for our holiday meals.
Where? At the Atwater Market
When? November 27 to December 21
How? free admission
December 3-March: skating at LUMINO
The downtown festival of lights returns in early December with the opening of the ice rink on the Esplanade Tranquille…
On December 3, starting at 5 p.m., the 16th edition kicks off, and it’s open to all!
Where? Esplanade Tranquille, rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest
When? December 3, starting at 5 p.m., and running until March 8, 2026
How? Free admission
December 4: Full Cold Moon – and the last supermoon of the year
December begins in Montreal with a flurry of snow, a little freezing rain (ouch) and a big blue sky. We’re entering the twelfth month of the year, but we’re already in the last lunar cycle of 2025, and on December 4, the moon will be full.
The Cold Moon will also be a “supermoon” in 2025. This means that it will be really gigantic, and also that it will appear more orange than usual.
The Cold Supermoon will rise directly after sunset on December 4, 2025, and will be at its peak at 6:14 p.m. ET.
December 5-24: Christmas in the Park Festival
From December 5 to 24, 2025, the Festival Noël dans le Parc transforms the city into a living tableau of animation, lights and music.
This year’s Noël dans le Parc festival features free concerts by France d’Amour, Justin Boulet, Oli Féra, Hochelaga Hotshopts, Betty Bonifassi, Vanille and more. For the full festival program, visit the festival website here!
You’ll also be able to drink beer from the Dieu Du Ciel brewery and buy a Christmas tree – all those big, cold offices deserve one, don’t they?
Where: Place Émilie-Gamelin, 1500 Berri (Ville-Marie) | Parc des Compagnons, 4375 Cartier (Plateau) | Parc Lahaie, 5040 boul. Saint-Laurent (Mile End)
When? December 5 to 24, 2025
How? Free admission
December 5-20: Ceramics workshop with The Holiday at Monokiini
In December, the Sip & Clay workshop is married with the film The Holiday, a great classic of the holiday season, overworked city dwellers and the crazy romanticism of the season…
Where? 8280 Boulevard Saint-Laurent
When? All dates are in December 2025, and workshops are from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
friday, december 5
Saturday, December 6
Saturday, December 13
Thursday, December 18
Saturday, December 20
How? $51/person,and to reserve, click here!
December 5: Holiday Market at Commons Studio
Where? Commons Studio, 5333 Avenue Casgrain, studio #313
When? December 5, 2025, 2pm to 5pm
How? free admission
December 5,6 and 7: Free gift cinema at the Esplanade Tranquille skating rink
This year’s Ciné-cadeau program kicks off the season with three free, skate-in movies at the Esplanade Tranquille skating rink…
Where? Esplanade Tranquille (corner Ste-Catherine and Clark)
When?
Friday, December 5, 2025 – 5pm
Saturday, December 6, 2025 – 11am
Sunday, December 7, 2025 – 11am
How? Free admission – for more info, click here!
December 6: Vintage Christmas Bazaar
Where? Église Saint-Jean Berchmans, 5945 rue Cartier
When? December 6, 2025, 10 am to 5 pm
How? Free admission
December 6-7: Vegan Christmas Market
Where? Salle Agora, 175 av. du Président-Kennedy
When? December 6 and 7, 2025, from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
How? Free admission, but reserve your ticket here!
December 6-7: Marianne Fest – Christmas market
Where? Église Très-Saint-Rédempteur, 3530 rue Adam
When? December 6 and 7, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
How? Free admission
December 7: Festilumi Dog Party
Festilumi, Montreal’s attraction of lights, invites pooches to participate in the Soirées Canines, because our furry friends can take a turn in these little worlds of wonder too.
Where? Festilumi, 315 rue du Marché Central
When? December 7, starting at 4:30 p.m.
December 7: story time at Joie de Livres
We’re bringing the kids to story time, a new event at one of our favorite bookstores in Montreal, and in their pajamas too!
Children can also color their own cups to sip hot chocolate after the classic tale of this sweet hour.
Where? Joie de Livres, 5163 Boulevard Saint-Laurent
When? Sunday, December 7, from 10 to 11 a.m.
How? Free admission
December 12-14: Collectif Créatif de Montréal Christmas Market
Where? Théâtre Denise-Pelletier, 4353 rue Sainte-Catherine Est
When?
Friday, December 12, from 3 pm to 8 pm
Saturday, December 13 and Sunday, December 14, 10am to 5pm
How? Free admission
December 12-14 and December 19-21: Puces Pop Christmas Market
Where: Église Saint-Denis, 5075 rue Rivard (at Laurier metro station)
When?
Weekend 1:
December 12, 13, 14, 2025
Friday, December 12: 3pm to 7pm
Saturday, December 13: 10am to 5pm
Sunday, December 14: 11am to 5pm
Weekend 2:
December 19, 20, 21, 2025
Friday, December 19: 3pm to 7pm
Saturday, December 20: 10am to 5pm
Sunday, December 21: 11am to 5pm
How? free admission
December 12-20: The Nutcracker by Les Grands Ballets Canadiens
Oh, sugarplum! It’s almost Christmas and – obviously – we’re going to grab our tickets to see one of the most nostalgic ballets of the year and, who knows, start a new holiday tradition.
Montreal has one of the finest corps de ballet in the world, and every year, for the holiday season, Les Grands Ballets stages The Nutcracker. This year, The Nutcracker is choreographed by Fernand Nault.
Where? Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, Place des Arts, 175 rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest
When? From December 12 to December 20, 2025, at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
How? Tickets start at $99, and to reserve, click here!
December 13-14: Holiday Market at Café Léo
There’ll be music, local artists and artisans and their creations for holiday gift-giving…
Where? Café Léo, 1215 rue Berri
When? December 13 and 14, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
How? free admission
December 12-14: Port-Royal de Belleville Christmas Market
Where? 545 Legendre West
When? December 12, 5 pm to 8 pm / December 13 and 14, 10 am to 5 pm
How? free admission
December 20-21: Christmas Market at the Livart
Where? Le Livart, 3980 rue Saint-Denis
When? December 20 and 21
How? free admission
December 20-21: Somber Solstice, Marché Maleficarum
For the winter solstice, Montreal’s gothic and witchy market organizes a special holiday edition… Season’s Creepings…
Where? 4000 rue Saint-Ambroise, suite 278
When? December 20 and 21, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
How? free admission
December 21: Holiday card making with Dine & Dish
So far, Dine & Dish’s workshops have been varied; scones, bag charms, tarot and espresso martinis, crochet, painting, junk journaling … There’s something for all our best girlfriends -now and in the future.
And for the festive season, the December 21 workshop is a greetings card-making event at Café Oui Mais Non…
Where? Café Oui Mais Non, 72 rue Jarry Est
When? December 21, 2025, 2pm to 4pm
How? Tickets start at $49.99 and include the workshop, food and drink – to get your ticket, click here!
December 21: A Charlie Brown Christmas -concert
Close your eyes and it’s as if you’ve fallen back into childhood at this concert by the Conservatoire de musique de la Montérégie…
Where? Cinquième Salle, Place des Arts
When? December 21 (2 performances)
How? Tickets here!
december 21: winter solstice
December 21 is the shortest day of the year – or the longest night, depending on which you prefer… It’s the winter solstice, between December 21 and 22. This used to be when we celebrated Christmas. After that, the days slowly start to get longer (already!).
December 26-28: Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince revisited at Théâtre Outremont
To fill this liminal period of discovery with lots of magic before the long gray months of the rest of winter, and to revisit an absolute classic, we’re taking the kids to Théâtre Outremont to see Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince …
Where? Théâtre Outremont, 1248 Bernard Street West
When? December 26, 27 and 28, 2025
Friday, December 26 – 7pm
Saturday, December 27 – 3pm
Saturday, December 27 – 7pm
Sunday, December 28 – 11am
How? Ages 7 and up, tickets from $84.68 – and for more information, click here!
December 27-January 4: The Star Wars Saga in its entirety at the Cinéma du Musée
It’s a chance to go back to childhood, to a simpler time in our lives when the good guys were good, the bad guys were bad and Han Solo was the coolest role model of the coolest people we know.
Where? Cinéma du Musée, 1379 Sherbrooke St. W.
When?
Saturday, December 27, 2025
1:00 p.m. | Episode I: The Phantom Menace
4pm | Episode II: Attack of the Clones
8:00 p.m. | Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Sunday, December 28, 2025
13h00 | Episode IV: A New Hope
16h00 | Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
8:00 pm | Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Saturday, January 3rd, 2026
1:00 pm | Episode IV: A New Hope
4:00 pm | Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
8:00 pm | Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Sunday, January 4th, 2026
1:00 pm | Episode I: The Phantom Menace
4:00 pm | Episode II: Attack of the Clones
8:00 pm | Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
How do I get in?
Tickets are per day (so each includes three films), and cost $40/day.
To see a single film, you can buy a one-way ticket on site for $15.75.
For more information and to buy tickets, click here!
and all December…
*Our holiday gift guide
Our holiday gift guide for 2025 in Montreal – we’ll store local, artisanal, eco-friendly and incredibly cool…
*Grand Marché de Noël at Place des Arts
For those who miss old Europe, and for those for whom the holiday season is synonymous with hot chocolate and fondue, this is the perfect market. Small wooden stalls, handicrafts and large glüwein marmittes? It’s going to be festive…
Where? Place des Arts
When? November 21, 2025 to January 4, 2026
How? free admission
A concert by candlelight
Under the golden light of candles, the most emblematic holiday tunes take on a new glow. Imagine O Holy Night, The Nutcracker, Let It Snow, or Feliz Navidad played by talented musicians in an intimate atmosphere where time seems suspended.
Candlelight concerts reinvent Christmas the Montreal way: a moment when music, light and emotion come together. Whether you close your eyes to Carol of the Bells or smile at the first notes of All I Want for Christmas Is You, the magic happens – soft, enveloping and universal.
At Église Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs, candlelight mingles with colorful stained glass windows; at Théâtre Rialto, the art deco soul lends itself wonderfully to the festivities; while at Le 9e or Église Saint Jean-Baptiste, human warmth meets heritage grandeur. These emblematic Montreal landmarks become veritable showcases for the notes of Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas, Joy to the World or The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.
Candlelight transforms these spaces into luminous refuges where Christmas melodies resound like promises of shared joy and rediscovered serenity.
At Notre-Dame Basilica, you can enjoy these candlelight concerts;
- Charlie à la Chapelle on December 13 and 23 – Dive into holiday nostalgia with Charlie à la Chapelle, inspired by Vince Guaraldi’s cult album A Charlie Brown Christmas. Les Chambristes du Grand Montréal, the Rozan Trio and the Basilica’s lyric artists combine their talents in original arrangements by Karl A. Rozankovic. A magical encounter between jazz, strings and voices, for young and old alike, in an enchanting setting.
- Noël Lyrique on December 19 and 20 – The Temps Fort choir, directed by Pascal Germain-Berardi, invites you to a vibrant and accessible Christmas concert, featuring rare and moving works from the choral repertoire. From William Dawson to Francis Poulenc, discover little-known pieces that reenchant holiday traditions.
Renowned for its bold projects and inclusive approach, Temps Fort transforms each performance into an unforgettable moment, combining musical depth and human warmth.
- Concert de Cantiques on December 26, 27, 29 and 30 – The lyric artists of Notre-Dame Basilica invite you to an intimate recital of the most beautiful Christmas carols. Accompanied by the Gaveau piano and the Guilbault-Thérien organ, they offer a warm and spiritual moment, perfect for celebrating the season in beauty and tradition.
Happy December!