18 Free Holiday Programs to Check Out This Season
As the year comes to an end, ring in the holidays with a little library cheer!
With over 400 programs to choose from in the last couple of weeks of 2018, we're confident that there's a program for everyone. And they are all free!
If you're still looking for the perfect gift for someone, why not take them to a library program? To help you decide from our broad range of programs, we've narrowed it down to 18 recommended holiday programs:
For the crafty:
Get inspired to create your own greeting cards. For ages 12 and up.
- Don Mills Branch – Friday, December 14, 4 to 6 pm.
Presented as part of the Library Settlement Partnerships (LSP), enjoy a festive afternoon learning about holiday celebrations in different cultures. Make gift boxes and greeting cards to take home. All ages welcome.
- Fairview Branch – Saturday, December 15, 10:30 am to 12 pm.
Holiday Cookie Decorating Workshop
Decorate tasty treats to take home for the holiday season. For youth ages 12-19.
- Parliament Street Branch, Community Room – Tuesday, December 18, 4 to 5 pm.
No crumbs, no sugar – create a gingerbread house out of paper!
- Eglinton Square Branch – Friday, December 28, 2 to 3 pm. *DATE CHANGED*
For the music aficionado:
An interactive festive holiday musical experience for the whole family complete with props, books, instruments and a solo performance to warm your hearts. Presented by soprano Karen Usha Gray. Check each location below for details.
- Don Mills Branch – Saturday, December 15, 11 to 11:45 am.
- Deer Park Branch – Saturday, December 15, 2 to 3 pm.
- Northern District Branch – Tuesday, December 18, 10 – 10:45 am.
- Burrows Hall Branch - Saturday, December 22, 11 am to 12 pm.
Enjoy holiday songs performed by solo flutist Jessica Kanowitz while learning about the history of this musical instrument. All ages welcome. No registration required.
- Spadina Road Branch – Tuesday, December 18, 6 to 7 pm.
Music of the Ancients: Renaissance Music
Join students from the University of Toronto's Early Music Studio for an evening of music from the late 1300s to the beginnings of the Baroque era. Delight in a fascinating world full of sacred and secular songs with dance, carols, madrigals, troubadours and counter-tenors! All ages welcome. No registration required.
- North York Central Library, Auditorium – Thursday, Dec 27, 7 to 8 pm.
For the techie:
If you have experience using Sculptris, then take the Sculptris Challenge! Each contestant will have one hour to sculpt a popular cartoon character using a model sheet. The winner will have their sculpture 3D printed for FREE, and it will be displayed in the Digital Innovation Hub for all to see!
Explore Autodesk Fusion 360 and learn to make simple 3D objects and prepare them for printing. In this workshop, we will focus on holiday and winter themes. For ages 12+. Registration required.
- Downsview Branch – Saturday, December 22, 2 to 3:30 pm.
Take a break from your holiday preparations to immerse yourself in the world of virtual reality. Play interactive games or explore vast experiences.
For the film buff:
The tale of a family man getting a second chance to look at his life with a different perspective on Christmas Eve with the help of a guardian angel. Runtime: 2 hours, 15 minutes.
- Brentwood Branch – Friday, December 21, 1:30 to 3:45 pm.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Jack Skellington, king of Halloween Town, discovers Christmas Town, but his attempts to bring Christmas to his home causes confusion. Rated PG.
- Bloor/Gladstone Branch – Friday, December 21, 6 to 7:30 pm.
Join in on a craft session from 1:30 to 2:00 pm AND a movie about Santa's clumsy son, Arthur. Rated PG. Runtime: 1 hour, 37 minutes.
- Weston Branch – Saturday, December 22, 1:30 to 3:45 pm.
Classic holiday comedy about an eight-year-old who finds creative ways to protect his house from a pair of burglars when he is accidentally left home alone. Rated PG. Runtime: 1 hour, 43 minutes.
- Don Mills Branch – Friday, December 28, 2 to 3:45 pm.
For the party-goer:
Celebrate holiday stories, songs, rhymes and activities. For children with their paren'ts or caregivers.
Celebrate the TD Gallery's Alice Opens the Door exhibit and make your own Mad Hat. For children with their paren'ts or caregivers. No registration required.
- Toronto Reference Library, Beeton Hall – Thursday, December 27, 2 to 4 pm.
For children with their paren'ts or caregivers. No registration required.
- Richview Branch – Friday, January 4, 2019, 1 to 2 pm.
New Year's Eve with kids
No need to stay up late to ring in the new year, count down to noon with crafts, activities, dancing, and stories! Check each location below for details.
- S. Walter Stewart Branch – Monday, December 31, 10 am to 12 pm.
- Bloor/Gladstone Branch - Monday, December 31, 11 am to 12 pm.
- College/Shaw Branch - Monday, December 31, 11 am to 12 pm.
- Northern District Branch – Monday, December 31, 11 am to 12 pm.
- Richview Branch – Monday, December 31, 11 am to 12 pm.
Other Ideas
Can't make it out to a program? No problem – we've got you covered! Why not try:
- Downloading your holiday reads with OverDrive eBooks and eAudiobooks.
- Getting festive recipes through your favourite magazines online.
- Enjoying the sounds of the season or build your party playlist using Naxos Music Library or Hoopla.
Holiday Hours
And for something else to do over the holidays, why not pay us a visit? Here are our holiday hours:
- Sunday, December 23, 2018 – Closed
- Monday, December 24, 2018 – Christmas Eve – Open from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- Tuesday, December 25, 2018 – Christmas Day – Closed
- Wednesday, December 26, 2018 – Boxing Day – Closed
- Sunday, December 30, 2018 – Closed
- Monday, December 31, 2018 – New Year's Eve – Open from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- Tuesday, January 1, 2019 – Closed
Happy holidays from Toronto Public Library!
2 thoughts on “18 Free Holiday Programs to Check Out This Season”
Thanks so much for this information. My sister in Toronto is going to love this as an early Xmas gift!
Thanks for your comment, Burnaby!
Happy holidays 🙂