Swing n’ Skate (Jan. 7 – Feb. 25)
Skate around to the sounds of jazz and swing music. Skates are free on a first come, first served basis.

Calvin Vollrath (Jan. 11)

Music performance from the renowned fiddler. 

Motorcycle show (Jan. 12-14)
Bikes, stunts and ladies’ night – what’s not to like?

Onegin (Jan. 17 – 28)
Indie rock band musical, new to Edmonton’s stages. 

Ice on Whyte (Jan. 25 – Feb. 4)
Annual festival on the boardwalk, packed with the best outdoor winter activities like ice carving.

With vacation days, visiting family and countless engagements with friends over this month, don’t let the pressure ruin the fun.

Communication

Be very clear on when guests are leaving and arriving. If they are taking a flight, how will the airport run be coordinated? If it’s a dinner party, are children invited? Communication can go a long way to solving issues before they arrive. If in doubt, call to check-in.

Food

Do not be shy about asking guests to contribute to the menu. Christmas dinner can easily be made into a potluck and ask closer friends to bring sides, desserts or drinks. Don’t forget to check about any allergies or dietary restrictions before meal planning.

Children

If you are having several guests with children over, consider hiring a babysitter for the evening to keep the children entertained. The children will enjoy the evening more and parents will appreciate the break!

Arrivals

If your guests are arriving by car, make sure there is enough parking space. If necessary, move your car down the road so they can have easier access.  Have a place to drop shoes and jackets near the entrance so there is no scramble at the doorstep. If it’s chilly out, a freshly made pot of tea or eggnog will be welcomed.

Overnight guests

Think about the things you need when you stay at a hotel and use that as guidelines for preparing the room for your guest – put out clean towels, a water bottle and make sure the room is not cluttered. And it’s always a good idea to have a spare toothbrush lying around, just in case someone forgets one.

Asking for help

Most guests are eager to help wherever they can but don’t know what to do. Let them help you. Guide them towards what they can do to give a hand – can they dry dishes or lay the table? Including guests in the preparation can often make everyone feel more at ease.

Relax

At the end of the day, don’t lose sight of what is important – enjoying the time with your guests. The house doesn’t have to spotless, the meal doesn’t have to be perfect and the activities don’t have to be seamless. Do the best you can and then sit back, relax and enjoy. 

Zoominescence (Dec. 1 – 31)
A month long festival of lights, held at the zoo.

Celebrate the Season (Dec. 7 – 23)
Free event of music and colourful lights, held in front of Alberta’s Legislature Building during the evenings.

Choir! Choir! Choir! (Dec. 11)
International singing phenomenon that showcases the best of collaboration and choir.

A Christmas Peril Food Bank Benefit (Dec. 15)
Trio of locally based experimental musicians. All proceeds go to Edmonton’s Food Bank and, for those who donate non-perishable goods, entry is free.

Glow-in-the-dark Axe Throwing (Dec. 23 – Jan. 7)
Not your typical holiday activity but one-of-a-kind fun for the whole family.

Shumka’s Nutcracker (Dec. 29 – 30)
A new twist on a holiday classic, this local production features both ballet and folk dance.

Salute to Vienna (Dec. 30)
Highly romantic and spirited, the beauty of this ballet waltz will bring you to the heart of Europe.

Qualifying for a mortgage has never been a breeze and it’s about to get much harder.

In mid-October, the federal government announced changes to mortgage qualification rules and a more stringent “stress test” for uninsured mortgages for those with a 20 per cent or higher down payment.

The biggest impact these changes will have is on purchasing power and housing affordability. Rate Hub, a rate comparison website, looked at two different financial scenarios to compared what a family could afford to buy before and after the new rules.  

Before the changes, a buyer could borrow roughly the equivalent of seven times their yearly income. With the new rules, that has been reduced to slightly more than five times their yearly income.

In practice, the new rules means that homebuyers have had their buying power slashed by about 20 per cent.

The latest stress test comes after several other rule changes this year in the real estate market that have been met with equal criticism. Earlier this fall, borrowers with less than 20 per cent down payments were affected and, now, the focus has turned to those with 20 per cent or more down payment.  

The idea, regulators explain, is to help protect banks and ensure that everyone – no matter how much money they’ve initially put down – have to undergo a stress test before borrowing.

Banks are competitive and, to drive business, do not want to offer below-market rates and mortgages if other banks are doing so. By making it a federal regulation, it means that all banks have to be on board – levelling the playing field and reducing risks from uninsured mortgages all around.

For homebuyers, however, it means that some properties are now out of financial reach which brings up all sorts of issues of housing affordability because people will no longer qualify to borrow as much money as previously.

Experts say that the new measure will hit the real estate market like a sledgehammer by driving down prices. Others believe it is a good change and will equalize the market over time.

The changes come into effect on January 1, 2018. 

Bustling winds, rainy days, and stormy nights are now solidly upon us with few hints left of warmer times left.

Do not despair, with the shift of seasons comes a chance for change for both you and your home. Take the right steps for you and your family to be happy and well.

Air quality
• Spring-cleaning is an old adage but don’t wait till next year.
• Now is the time to vacuum, dust and sweep up dust bunnies and cobwebs.
• Thoroughly check for moisture spots and moulds—certain strains, like black mould, can be deadly.
• Consider purchasing an air filter for improved quality.

Lights
• A lack of sunshine and light during the winter can cause SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). Proper lighting and vitamin D supplements can help mitigate the symptoms, however.
• Sunlight lamps produce a glow similar to the sun and, in addition to helping with the winter blues, can feel more calm and natural that harsh light.
• Consider switching to LED lights to lower electricity costs.
• Tri-coloured bulb – with each flick of a switch, the bulb casts a different tone and it’s a great way to control the lighting without buying multiple lamps.

Green clean
• Air fresheners, though pleasant smelling, often contain harmful chemicals that can cause lung disease and aggravate allergies. Switch to natural, biological fresheners.
• If you don’t recognize the long list of ingredients on your cleaning products, consider switching to something more natural. Eco-friendly choices are good for you, your home and the environment.
• What’s in your laundry detergent and soap? Some chemicals can dry skin and damage clothes. Biological keeps you just as clean without the harshness.

Safety
• Even more important than health consciousness, basic safety measures can be life-saving. Do not skimp or skip on this front.
• Check that your fire alarm works and you have a fire extinguisher close at hand and easy to locate in an emergency.
• Make sure there are carbon monoxide detectors working and placed around your home, especially in bedrooms.
• Have an earthquake preparedness kit at hand and an evacuation plan ready – know with certainty where you will seek shelter if the earth starts shaking.