Things to Do in Toronto in December: The Holiday Guide

If you are after things to do in Toronto in December, the short answer is lights, markets, skating and one well-timed night at the ballet. The city leans all the way into the holidays this month, and a lot of the best of it costs nothing: Cavalcade of Lights, the outdoor rinks and the free entry windows at the Distillery Winter Village.

The thing to plan around is the calendar, not the weather. Early December is quiet and cheap. The week between Christmas and New Year is the single busiest stretch of Toronto’s winter, and prices and queues follow.

What the weather actually does

Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991 to 2020 normals for Toronto Pearson put December at a daily average of minus 1.6C, with a daily high of 1.9C and a daily low of minus 5.0C. That means the month hovers right around freezing, so you get slush as often as powder.

Snow is real but modest: 24.1 cm across the month, about 9.2 days with 0.2 cm or more, and only 1.6 days with 5 cm or more. Total precipitation is 58.6 mm, and a good chunk of that arrives as cold rain.

Pack accordingly:

A proper winter coat, not a shoulder season jacket.
Boots with grip. Freeze and thaw cycles turn sidewalks to ice.
Hat, gloves, scarf. Wind off Lake Ontario is the part visitors underestimate.
Layers you can shed, because the subway and every mall are heated hard.

It is dark by about 5 p.m. all month, which sounds grim and is actually the point. Everything worth seeing in December is lit.

Things to do in Toronto in December, week by week

The Distillery Winter Village runs to January 3, 2027 at 55 Mill Street, and it is closed on Christmas Day. December is when the ticketing tightens: entry is free all day Monday to Wednesday only until December 13, and from December 14 to 31 you need a ticket from 4 p.m. daily. Thursdays in December are also ticketed from 4 p.m. General Admission is $16 plus service fee and HST, which lands at $19.89, and kids aged 9 and under are free. There is no box office on site, so buy online. Our Toronto Christmas Market guide has the full tier breakdown.

If you want the market without the crowd, go a weekday morning in the first two weeks. Before 4 p.m. is free, and you need to be inside before 4 p.m. to use that window.

Cavalcade of Lights runs to January 7, 2027 at Nathan Phillips Square, nightly from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. The tree, the lighting installations and free public skating to music are all there, and all of it is free.

The Nutcracker by the National Ballet of Canada runs December 5 to 31, 2026 at the Four Seasons Centre, 145 Queen Street West. Tickets start at $72. It is the one indoor booking worth making early, because the December 26 to 31 performances go first.

Free museum nights land twice. The AGO’s First Wednesday Night Free falls on December 2, and the ROM’s Third Tuesday Nights Free falls on December 15, running 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. with special exhibitions included. Both need a timed ticket booked ahead, and both release them online in advance. Confirm the date on the museum’s own site before you build an evening around it.

New Year’s Eve is a free City run celebration on December 31 with family friendly entertainment. The City posts the lineup and the location details closer to the date, so check toronto.ca rather than an old listing, because the fireworks have not always been at Nathan Phillips Square.

Skating, which is the best cheap thing in December

All drop-in skating at City rinks is free. The outdoor artificial rinks typically open in late November and run to March, so December is the first full month of the season. Skate rentals are available at Nathan Phillips Square in winter, and the City also runs a free Skate Lending Library at select locations with no reservation needed, lending skates, helmets and skating aids.

The Bentway’s skate trail under the Gardiner is also free. Its 2026 to 2027 dates were not posted when we checked in October 2026; last season it opened December 20 and ran to March 8, so check thebentway.ca in early December.

Between the two, Nathan Phillips Square is the one to do at night with the Cavalcade lights on, and the Bentway is the better skate if you actually want room to move. More no-cost options are in our free things to do in Toronto guide.

Christmas Day and Boxing Day, planned properly

December 25 closes most of the city. The Distillery Winter Village is closed, and museums and shops follow. The TTC confirms Sunday service on Friday, December 25 and on Friday, January 1, with subway service starting around 8 a.m. Boxing Day, Saturday December 26, runs holiday service: Sunday schedules, but starting earlier at roughly 6 a.m.

So the sensible shape of that week is this. Christmas Day is for a walk, a rink and a hotel or Chinatown dinner booked in advance. Boxing Day is for the Eaton Centre if you like a crowd, or anywhere else if you do not. December 27 to 31 is when every indoor attraction in the city is at capacity, so book timed tickets ahead and go first thing in the morning.

The TTC has offered free rides on New Year’s Eve in recent years, usually announced in December. Do not count on it until the TTC says so, but check before you pay for a ride home. Our TTC beginner’s guide covers fares, Presto and transfers.

Driving downtown in late December is a bad trade. If you are doing it anyway, the downtown parking guide has the evening flat rates.

The December day trip

The Winter Festival of Lights in Niagara Falls runs to January 10, 2027, nightly from 5 p.m. to midnight including holidays. It is free, covers more than 8 km across the Niagara Parkway, the Fallsview District and Lundy’s Lane, and has fireworks every Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. through December.

Because the lights come on at 5 p.m., a December trip works as an afternoon departure and a same night return. Our guide to Niagara Falls without a car has the GO train and bus details.

What to skip in December

CN Tower tickets bought days ahead for the view. December cloud is common and the tickets are date specific. The cheapest way up the CN Tower guide explains the timing.
The Distillery after 4 p.m. on a December Saturday, unless the crowd is the appeal.
Any outdoor plan that depends on snow. Half of December sits above freezing.
Leaving the big indoor attractions for December 27 to 31.

If you are arriving before the holiday switch flips, our Toronto in November guide covers the earlier end of the season. How we check this stuff is on our about page.

Prices, dates and hours were checked in October 2026. Event details change, so confirm on the official site before you go.

Quick answers

What are the best things to do in Toronto in December?

The Distillery Winter Village runs to January 3, Cavalcade of Lights is free nightly at Nathan Phillips Square from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., and the City's outdoor rinks are free. The Nutcracker runs December 5 to 31 at the Four Seasons Centre.

How cold is Toronto in December?

Environment and Climate Change Canada's 1991 to 2020 normals put the December daily average at minus 1.6C at Toronto Pearson, with a daily high of 1.9C and a low of minus 5.0C. Wind off the lake makes the waterfront feel colder.

Does it snow in Toronto in December?

Usually some. The normals show 24.1 cm of snowfall across the month and about 9.2 days with 0.2 cm or more, but only 1.6 days with 5 cm or more. A white Christmas is possible, not guaranteed.

What is open in Toronto on Christmas Day?

Not much. The Distillery Winter Village is closed on Christmas Day, and most museums, shops and the LCBO are closed. The TTC runs Sunday service with subways starting around 8 a.m., and some hotel restaurants stay open. Boxing Day is the opposite, with everything trading.

Is December a good time to visit Toronto?

Yes, if you are here for lights, markets and skating rather than warm weather. It is the busiest and priciest stretch of the winter, and the first half of the month is cheaper and far less crowded than the week between Christmas and New Year.

What should I pack for Toronto in December?

A proper winter coat, a hat, gloves and a scarf, plus boots with grip for slush and ice. Layers matter because indoor spaces are heated hard. If you plan to stand outside watching lights, add thermal socks.

Sources

Prices, hours and schedules change. Check the official site before you go. Spot something out of date? Email info@truecitytourism.com. Some links may be affiliate links. Disclosure.