Happy New Year!

THE WEEKLY GOOSE

NO: 098 | 12.28.2022

Did you know? The first New Year’s celebration dates back more than 2,000 years! In 45 B.C., Julius Caesar, the emperor of Rome, was the first to declare January 1st a national holiday. He named the month after Janus, the Roman god of doors and gates. Janus had two faces, with one looking forward and one looking back, and Caesar felt that a month named after this god would be fitting.

If you're partying like it's 45 B.C. again, be sure to tag us in some photos on Instagram. As much as we'd love a big party, we'll be enjoying a fairly low-key New Years Eve with some family and friends, especially since we missed spending Christmas Day with them due to us getting Covid. :(

Whatever it is you do on New Year's Eve, however, we hope you had a great 2022 and we wish you an even better 2023! Thank you for being a part of Must Do Canada.

But without further ado, enjoy the 98th edition of the Weekly Goose newsletter, which features a video about the winter in Ottawa, a travel guide to the best things to do during the winter in Canada, an article about some wacky worldwide holiday traditions, New Year's Eve events, and more!

OTTAWA IN THE WINTER

Back in early 2020, right before Covid became a thing, we travelled to Ottawa to experience the city during the winter months. From skating on the Rideau Canal to experiencing winter festivals and Nordic Spas, this is how to enjoy the winter in Ottawa.

WATCH VIDEO

TRAVEL GUIDES

THE BEST THINGS TO DO IN THE WINTER

With winter in Canada taking up a good chunk of the year, it really makes sense to get the most out of it. So if you're looking for activities to actually enjoy the snowy months, we've got you covered in this guide to the best things to do during the winter.

READ ARTICLE

WHAT'S ON FOR NEW YEARS

While we certainly can't list every New Year's event in Canada, we wanted to give you a good example of some of the fun you can have while ringing in 2023!

As Canada's largest city, Toronto has many New Years Eve events to take part in. Most notably is the big party in Nathan Phillips Square. You can also opt for a very special dinner at the CN Tower.
Vancouver is another great spot to ring in the New Year. The countdown celebration will be taken to Concord Pacific Place and East False Creek with lots of festivities and a dazzling show of fireworks using numerous fireworks barges. However, the upscale Gatsby's House Party sounds pretty cool too.
In Calgary, there will be a big fireworks display from the Calgary Tower, as well as many other events throughout the city. For hockey fans, you could always watch Vancouver take on the Flames at the Saddledome as well.
In Edmonton, you can also bundle up with your family and head to Sir Winston Churchill Square to usher in 2023 at the New Year’s Eve Downtown Festival. If you prefer something warmer, you could always partake in the New Year's Eve Beach Ball at the World Waterpark.
Newfoundlander's are the first Canadians to take in New Year's Eve and St. John's is already a great city to enjoy some festivities and fireworks. Continuing with Canada's Atlantic region, Halifax always puts on a good New Year's Eve show as well.
In Winnipeg, the best place to celebrate New Year's Eve is at the Forks.
And last but not least, those living in or visiting the nation's capital on New Year's Eve have plenty of events to choose from as well.

BEAVER BITES

Some people can't stand Christmas music and some people just can't get enough of it. If you're in the latter group and are still longing for more holiday music, here's a list of the most-streamed Christmas songs on Spotify.
Everyone tends to get busy around the Christmas season but few people can compete with Santa Claus and Canada Post workers. After all, they delivered 1.5 million letters to Santa Claus last year as part of their official Santa letter program, which started way back in 1981.
Discount airlines in Canada are popping up everywhere but it's not looking good for Flair. They've had an average of 13.7 complaints filed against them with the Canadian Transportation Agency for every 100 flights they ran between April and September, the highest rate of any Canadian airline.
Last but not least, with New Year's Day just around the corner, many of us will be breaking out the bubblies. However, what type of bubbly will you bring drinking? For those looking for the perfect holiday toast, sommelier Lauren Friel has some tips.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Merry Christmas from Calgary, Alberta.

1915 26 Street SW
Calgary, AB T3E2A2, Canada

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