Distillery Winter Village Nov. 13, 2025

Long before LED lights and Instagram shots, Christmas markets were places for neighbours to gather—steaming mugs in hand, carols in the air and crafts laid out on wooden stalls. Originating in Germany in 1434, these open-air fairs brought warmth to cold winters. Canada soon embraced that same spirit, turning snowy evenings into celebrations that felt both old-world and wonderfully local. Today, cities from Montreal to Vancouver—with stops in Quebec City, Edmonton, Banff and Toronto—keep the tradition glowing with their own festive markets.

© Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images

palette

Today in History

An oasis in the desert
Nov. 13, 2023Serra de Tramuntana, Balearic Islands, Majorca, Spain
Nov. 13, 2024Sea lion in a kelp forest, Baja California, Mexico

More Desktop Wallpapers:

On the open ocean road
A delightful day for donkeys
Sanctuary among the trees
International Archaeology Day
Mar. 26, 2025Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival
Whats blooming so brightly?
A pair of high achievers
Aug. 11, 2025Village of Santa Maddalena, Dolomites, Italy
‘The hills have a power to soothe and heal which is their very own.’
Sep. 30, 2025Koala in the Great Otway National Park, Australia
Sep. 6, 2023Rethymno, Crete, Greece
Nov. 5, 2023Playa del Silencio, Spain
Dec. 11, 2025International Mountain Day
Today, a nation was born
Sep. 15, 2023Glenariff Forest Park, County Antrim, Ireland
Oct. 14, 2024Fishing boats at Coco Beach in Goa, India
Jan. 18, 2025Dunes at White Sands National Park, New Mexico
Bungle beehives
Nov. 22, 2023Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Dec. 17, 2023Bohemian waxwings
Dec. 15, 2025Spiegelgracht canal in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Jun. 30, 2024Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Aug. 20, 2025The citadel in Bonifacio, Southern Corsica, France
A glimpse of Yoho National Park
World Hippo Day, a giant celebration
Where did you drop the fish, son?
Jul. 14, 2024Baia del Silenzio in Sestri Levante, Italy
The Rainbow Bridge
Huddled and hunting
Dec. 27, 2025Plate ice along Lake Superior, Grand Marais, Minnesota, United States