Canadian Winterland Nights at Casa Loma

Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, at this time of year it's pretty hard to avoid. The Winterland Nights at Casa Loma seems to be a good blend of family friendly wintery things and holiday decor. Colourful fairy lights decorating the garden and artist designed Christmas trees inside including a 40ft tree by Fashion Icon Jeanne Beker in the Grand Hall. 

  

Casa Loma was built in 1911-1914 as the private residence for Sir Henry Mill Pellatt by architect E. J. Lennox. The 98 room home is 64,700 square feet and was the largest private residence in Canada. The home boasted an indoor pool, bowling alleys, secret passage ways, an oven large enough to cook an ox, an elevator, central vacuum and 40 telephones (at a time when there were only 200 telephones in the whole of the city of Toronto). Pellatt and his wife lived in Casa Loma for less than 10 years, before moving out and being financially ruined.

Since then, the building has gone through several transitions but always has been a city landmark. Eventually, the castle became a tourist attraction, showcasing its heritage rooms, enhancing its special events programs and even developing a highly rated restaurant, Blue Blood Steakhouse, which I totally want to find an excuse to go to, but only don't want to spend my entire pay cheque for a meal.

For this evening event (5-9om) there was a magician (who, I'm not afraid to admit, thrilled me), ice dancing, wood carving, cookie decorating, face painting, and a live orchestral performance. Not to mention a small assortment of food vendors outside. Through the tunnel leading to the stables (aka Santa!) the decorations were not lacking.

It's been years since I visited Casa Loma and I'm glad I went back. It's changed so much (as much as a heritage centre can change) and definitely for the better. I used to discourage visiting friends from visiting, but that's changed now. I felt like a kid surrounded by the holiday decor, running around the rooms discovering every nook and cranny and taking the secret passageways to other floors.

Christmas is still ever-present around each corner of the castle, but seriously where else in the city can you enjoy holiday decor, heritage rooms, and views of the big smoke like this?

view from one of the castle towers

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