Christmas Within The Chateau

The Chateau Laurier is always decked out beautifully for Christmas, with multiple trees decorated by local companies and organizations as a charity benefit, linked to the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, if I'm correct. The lobbies and corridors of the first floor are filled with them.

One of those spaces is the sitting area between the main lobby and one of the hotel's restaurants. A number of portraits are permanently placed here, done by the esteemed portrait photographer Yousuf Karsh, who called Ottawa home. Karsh spent the latter half of his career with his studio here in the hotel, after moving over from his original Sparks Street studio. You can see his portrait of Einstein in the background of this first shot.

The Chateau is a delight to stop in at any time of year, but particularly around Christmas. I have more from here after the New Year, as I took some extra shots while I was present.

Wreaths And Lit Sanctuaries

Merry Christmas! I will be catching up after the weekend.

I have shots from three churches today for the occasion. Southminster United Church is a regular photo subject for me. I photographed it during the day, with the snowy evergreen off to the side of the main entrance giving a Christmas feel to the shot. I also photographed the Christmas lights outside that entrance at night, along with the lit windows from outside, with wreaths visible.

Dominion-Chalmers United Church is downtown, and it's one that I've never photographed in full. I was passing by one evening, and there were lights on in the church, including from what I recall is a side chapel. These five windows, showing Christ and the authors of the Gospels, were illuminated.

I finish with the wreaths and decorations on the doors and gate of St. Paul's-Eastern United Church in Sandy Hill, which I showed you during Doors Open.

Noel In The Great Hall

Early this month I went across to Gatineau and the Canadian Museum of History, formerly titled the Museum of Civilization. The curatorial and exhibit halls, designed by Douglas Cardinal, nicely frame the Parliament Buildings across the river. The long Prairie grasses planted here in the plaza look quite different in early December light.

There was a Christmas artisan sale that weekend down in the Great Hall, with craftspeople and bakers selling their goods. An unusual setting, among totem poles and this beautiful space, but a good spot to be in. And it was very busy. The lights, subdued in daytime, can be glimpsed here and there, changing colours, and appropriate for Christmas time.

I paused to take in Dene artist Alex Janvier's amazing mural Morning Star high overhead, as well as the plaster version of Haida sculptor Bill Reid's Spirit Of Haida Gwaii.

Before leaving, I took in the Christmas tree near the museum entrance.

Christmas Market

Here are more shots from the Christmas farmers market at Lansdowne, including more dogs, St. Nick himself, and the tree all lit up at night.

Christmas Market

The main Ottawa Farmer's Market runs through the year at Lansdowne Park, with a couple of weekends off around Christmas before picking it up again in January. During the winter months, it's held inside Aberdeen Pavilion. Over the last three weekends, it's been a busy place as the Christmas farmer market weekends have been going on. I've been in at least once every weekend. Aside from the farmers, almost all of whom are local, and all of whom sell what they grow, there are also artisans present, as well as the horse drawn wagon, music, and lots of dogs. I have more from here tomorrow.