December in Ottawa means the Christmas Market at Lansdowne, winter lights on Parliament Hill from December 7, drive-through lights at Wesley Clover Parks, skating at city rinks and sunset around 4:20 p.m. Here are the 2026 dates that have been announced, the ones that have not, and the numbers to plan around.
December in Ottawa: the short answer
In December, Ottawa has Christmas markets, light displays and skating. The Ottawa Christmas Market runs at Lansdowne on set weekends in 2026, and Winter Lights Across Canada lights up Parliament Hill and Confederation Boulevard every evening from December 7, 2026 to January 7, 2027. Magic of Lights runs as a drive-through at Wesley Clover Parks. City rinks open once it freezes, and museums work well on the coldest days.
Plan for short days. Sunset is around 4:20 p.m. in mid December, so evening light shows start early. Four events below have confirmed 2026 dates. Several others happen most years but have not announced 2026 dates yet, and we say so instead of guessing.
Christmas markets and lights: 2026 dates
Ottawa Christmas Market. Dates for 2026 are Nov 20-22, Nov 27-29, Dec 11-13, Dec 18-20 and Dec 31. Ottawa Tourism's listing has a collapsed "see more dates" link, so the Dec 4-6 weekend may also be on, but we could not confirm it. It is at Aberdeen Plaza at Lansdowne, Marché Way, in the Glebe. Entry is free. It is a European-style market with vendor cabins and live performances. Ottawa Tourism does not list hours yet.
Winter Lights Across Canada. From December 7, 2026 to January 7, 2027, sites along Confederation Boulevard in Ottawa and Gatineau are lit every evening, including Parliament Hill, national museums and embassies. No show times are listed. The program started in 1985 as Christmas Lights Across Canada.
Magic of Lights, Wesley Clover Parks. It runs November 20, 2026 to January 2, 2027 at 401 Corkstown Road. It is a drive-through display of about two kilometres of LED lights that you see from your car. Ottawa Tourism does not list prices.
Alight at Night, Upper Canada Village. This one is outside the city, at 13740 County Road 2 in Morrisburg. It runs November 27, 2026 to January 2, 2027, with over a million lights, a sound and light show set to holiday music, a St. Nicolas visit and a free miniature train ride. Admission and open nights are not listed yet.
Recurring December events not yet confirmed for 2026
These usually happen, but we could not open an official 2026 page confirming dates as of October 29: the Mayor's Christmas Celebration at City Hall and Winter Wander on Sparks Street. Rink of Dreams at City Hall has a refrigerated ice surface with free skating 7 days a week from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. when open, but Ottawa Tourism says its winter 2026 dates are not announced yet.
For holiday concerts, including the Nutcracker, check the National Arts Centre's own calendar; we have not confirmed any 2026 December listing. Senators and PWHL Ottawa Charge December home games are also worth checking on each team's own schedule. For New Year's Eve, the Christmas Market is open December 31, 2026. We found no confirmed 2026 city New Year's event or OC Transpo New Year's Eve service notice yet.
Skating, museums and cold days
Do not plan on the Rideau Canal Skateway in December. The NCC says its season typically runs from January to early March, depending on weather. When it opens, it is about 7.8 km long, free and open 24/7. In December, use city rinks instead.
For cold or dark afternoons, our ranked lists of museums, attractions and malls cover indoor options across Ottawa and Gatineau. Parks are best on bright days before 4 p.m.
Best of Ottawa for December: holiday dinners
Our restaurant list ranks 1,309 qualifying Ottawa locations by a published formula on public Google Maps ratings and review counts, pulled October 29, 2026. The top three right now are Everest Cuisine Ottawa on Carling Avenue (4.9, 3,087 reviews), Kanzan Japanese Grill in Kanata (4.9, 1,782 reviews) and Tava Turkish Cuisine in Kanata (4.9, 1,335 reviews).
For a steak dinner, 12 locations qualify. Rosebowl Steak and Seafood on Preston Street leads (4.6, 748 reviews), followed by Harmons Steakhouse on Elgin Street (4.6, 594 reviews) and Delicious Steak House in Orléans (4.5, 1,559 reviews). The lists refresh every 90 days, next by January 27, 2027. Book early for the weeks before Christmas.
Ottawa weather, sunrise and sunset in December
Environment Canada's 1981-2010 normals for the Ottawa CDA station give December a mean daily temperature of -5.6 C, a mean high of -2.0 C and a mean low of -9.2 C. Expect about 41.3 cm of snow and 31.9 mm of rain. Snow falls on about 12.2 days, about 17.4 days stay at or below 0 C, and freezing rain or drizzle shows up on about 2.7 days. Mean snow depth at month end is 12.8 cm, with 82.6 hours of bright sunshine for the month.
On December 21, 2026, sunrise is about 7:39 a.m. and sunset about 4:22 p.m., for a day of 8 h 43 min. Sunset is earliest around December 10, at about 4:20 p.m. By December 31, sunset is back to about 4:29 p.m. These times come from a calculator (sunrise-sunset.org), not an official source.
Is Boxing Day a stat holiday? Ottawa and Gatineau differ
In Ottawa, yes. Boxing Day, December 26, is one of nine public holidays under Ontario's Employment Standards Act. In 2026, December 26 is a Saturday. If a public holiday falls on a day an employee does not normally work, they get a substitute holiday off with public holiday pay, or public holiday pay alone if they agree in writing or electronically.
In Gatineau, no. Quebec's CNESST lists eight statutory holidays. Christmas Day is one, Boxing Day is not. So hours and holiday pay on December 26 can differ on each side of the river.
Questions and answers
What to do in Ottawa in December?
Visit the Ottawa Christmas Market at Lansdowne (Dec 11-13, Dec 18-20 and Dec 31 in 2026), see Winter Lights Across Canada on Parliament Hill from December 7, drive through Magic of Lights at Wesley Clover Parks, skate at city rinks, and use museums and malls on the coldest days.
What events are happening in Ottawa in December 2026?
Confirmed so far: the Ottawa Christmas Market, Winter Lights Across Canada (Dec 7, 2026 to Jan 7, 2027), Magic of Lights at Wesley Clover Parks (Nov 20, 2026 to Jan 2, 2027) and Alight at Night in Morrisburg (Nov 27, 2026 to Jan 2, 2027). We have not confirmed 2026 dates for the Mayor's Christmas Celebration, Winter Wander, Rink of Dreams or NAC holiday concerts.
Is December 26 a stat holiday in Ontario?
Yes. Boxing Day is one of nine public holidays under Ontario's Employment Standards Act. It is not a statutory holiday in Quebec, so it is not one in Gatineau.
What time is sunset in Ottawa on December 21?
About 4:22 p.m. on December 21, 2026, with sunrise about 7:39 a.m. The earliest sunset is around December 10, at about 4:20 p.m.
Can you skate on the Rideau Canal in December?
Usually not. The NCC says the Skateway season typically runs from January to early March, depending on weather. Use city rinks in December.
Sources
- Ottawa Tourism: Ottawa Christmas Market (event calendar). Checked .
- Ottawa Tourism: Ottawa Christmas Market. Checked .
- Canadian Heritage: Winter Lights Across Canada. Checked .
- Canadian Heritage: About Winter Lights Across Canada. Checked .
- Ottawa Tourism: Magic of Lights. Checked .
- Ottawa Tourism: Alight at Night. Checked .
- Ottawa Tourism: Rink of Dreams. Checked .
- NCC: Rideau Canal Skateway. Checked .
- Environment and Climate Change Canada: Climate Normals 1981-2010, Ottawa CDA (6105976), December. Checked .
- Sunrise-sunset.org API: Ottawa, December 10, 2026 (calculator). Checked .
- Sunrise-sunset.org API: Ottawa, December 21, 2026 (calculator). Checked .
- Sunrise-sunset.org API: Ottawa, December 31, 2026 (calculator). Checked .
- Government of Ontario: Your guide to the Employment Standards Act, Public holidays. Checked .
- CNESST: Statutory holidays. Checked .
- fromOttawa place data: best-restaurants and best-steakhouses lists (Google Maps ratings and review counts, data date 2026-10-29). Checked .