Ice, Snow and Christmas Lights in Pickering

• Author: WantsToTravelMore
• Accommodation: Pickering Accommodations

Southern Ontario took a hit the night of December 21 with a freezing rain storm that put a weight of ice on trees which promptly decided that it was time to break … onto power lines. At time of writing there were still people without power in Ajax, Pickering and Scarborough.

However, on Boxing Day night, we took to two neighbourhoods of Pickering in order to witness some inspired Christmas lights. Both sites were taking donations for local food banks or other charities.

On Rigby Drive (see www.rigbylights.ca) which has a soundtrack to their lights broadcast on a local 104.9 FM station. The Liverpool Road exit from the 401 heading north is the way to find Rigby Drive.

The next inspired street is Ilona Park Road, which you access via Liverpool Road south of the 401. This one has every type of ornament that a child or child-at-heart could want to see lit up. I liked the one of the Bumble (Abominable Snowman) from that cheezy Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer special from the 1960s.

Both sites for this year were amazing because they had freezing rain on the trees following by a light dusting of snow. The hundreds of lights in the big trees glowed magically from under the winter precipitation.

Don’t just do a drive by. Bring warm boots and gloves and take the time to get out and wander around. Chat with the folks around and take in the magic that light, cold air, imagination and Christmas can bring you.