I will always remember one of my favourite Christmas gifts that I've received so far as an adult. It was a gift that couldn't fit under a Christmas tree, that couldn't be wrapped, and that required skiing 11 km to enjoy. Given to my husband and I by his parents back in 2006, it's a pretty great gift if you still remember it 10 years later.
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The Christmas gift that took us to Skoki backcountry lodge |
The amazing gift I still cherish to this day is the trip we were given to a backcountry ski lodge for two nights as a couple. Today, a gift like this would mean even more because it's something my husband and I would never buy for ourselves, always feeling guilty if we leave our son behind on an adventure. Even in the pre-kid days, it was a great trip and it was the first time we'd been to this lodge. We'd long dreamed of going but it's hard to justify the expense of doing something "decadent" for yourself when you think of the groceries you could be buying instead. (yes, I'm too practical.)
We've also had family members buy us ski cards as Christmas presents and my father would buy us discount cards to every hill within a five hour drive of Calgary. It made skiing a LOT cheaper and we were very grateful for those cards.
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A Christmas Gift Could Give you THIS Great Experience! |
So, now I ask you, what would you like for Christmas? What lodge or resort have you been longing to visit? What tour have you been eyeing up? What bucket list item could a family member easily buy you as a present? Or, what could your spouse buy you that would make your favourite winter sport much easier to do this upcoming season?
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Where would you like to spend a weekend with the family this winter? |
Below are some suggestions to get you started with your holiday wish list. I hope they will also serve as inspiration if you're looking for ideas for that hard-to-buy-for spouse, outdoor loving parent, or child who has more than enough toys in the house! Choose one of these ideas for your brother, sister, best friend, or even your child's teacher at school if you're working together on a class gift.
Holiday Gift Guide for Outdoor Families: Trips, Activities, and Tours
~ with giveaways!
Suggestion 1:
A Fun Weekend Away for the Family (sponsored by the Delta Kananaskis Lodge)
If you're immediately thinking that you don't want to spend Christmas away from home, don't worry because I don't either! What I'm suggesting is that you plan a weekend away for the family sometime in the new year. Book a couple of nights at your family's favourite mountain hotel (perhaps a resort you've always wanted to stay at,) and brainstorm some fun activities you'll do while there.
Then, you buy a calendar. You write the date of the trip on the calendar and you wrap it up to put it under the tree, addressed to your family or to the kids. With the calendar, you could type out a nice letter outlining the fun activities you plan to do. Examples could include skiing, a snowshoe tour, an afternoon at a resort tube park, a trip to the hot springs in Banff or passes for the Banff gondola, dinner out at a favourite restaurant, etc.
If buying a trip for an extended family member (and you don't want to book the date for them,) ask the resort about purchasing a gift card. Alternately, I worked with my husband's parents the year they sent us to a backcountry ski lodge. We chose the dates together and surprised my husband with the present.
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Winter at the Delta Lodge at Kananaskis |
Featured Mountain Resort: The Delta Lodge at Kananaskis (with contest)
We LOVE the
Delta Lodge at Kananaskis and it's positively magical during the winter with its skating rink, snowshoe and cross country ski trails right outside your door, sledding hill, sleigh rides, and proximity to the Nakiska Ski Area. The restaurants are family-friendly and affordable, and the swimming pool is worth a stay alone with its indoor/outdoor hot tub and eucalyptus infused steam room.
To read more about winter at the Lodge, read my story from last winter:
Ten Reasons to Spend Time at Kananaskis Village this Winter.
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Ski trails right outside your door at Kananaskis Village |
Enter to WIN a one-night stay at the Delta Lodge at Kananaskis for your family this winter with breakfast included in the stay.
Full details are at the bottom of this post where you can enter to win.
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Indoor outdoor hot tub at the Delta Lodge at Kananaskis |
Suggestion Two:
Ski Discount Cards and Passes (sponsored by Resorts of the Canadian Rockies)
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Nakiska Ski Area |
There are a couple of different options for discount ski cards in the Canadian Rockies and most of them have to be purchased by the end of December. Most include multiple hills or resorts and qualify the card holder for free ski days along with discounted days. Most can also be upgraded for direct to lift access.
Gift cards or actual lift tickets are other great gift ideas for the skier in your family.
Featured Ski Resorts: Resorts of the Canadian Rockies (with contest)
Invest in an
RCR Rockies card, on sale until December 31st and get free skiing at four resorts (Nakiska, Fernie, Kimberley, and Kicking Horse) on your 1st, 4th and 7th days with discounts on the other days. Buy a card for each family member and wrap them up under the tree or put them in stockings.
You can also buy lift passes for the RCR Resorts from Costco at a great discount or you can buy
RCR gift cards (in $25, $50 and $100 denominations.) These make great Christmas presents wrapped up with a new toque or pair of ski gloves. And, the gift cards would be very useful if planning an afternoon at the
Nakiska Tube Park.
Finally, check the
Deals and Packages section of the Nakiska website to find great specials on accommodation which often includes lift tickets. The RCR website also has a Vacations Tab where you can
book a winter ski vacation for the family.
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Nakiska Tube Park, Kananaskis |
To read about our adventures skiing at RCR Resorts, please read the following stories:
Off to a Great Start at Nakiska Mountain Resort
5 Reasons to Make Nakiska your Local Ski Hill this Winter
Family Guide to Fernie Alpine Resort
Family Guide to Kimberley Alpine Resort
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Kids Tree Skiing at Kimberley Alpine Resort |
Enter to Win Two Lift Tickets and Two Tube Park Tickets for Nakiska Ski Area
Full details are at the bottom of this post where you can enter to win.
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Ski days bring families closer together |
Suggestion Three:
Tours and Guided Adventures (sponsored by Kananaskis Outfitters)
Just to get you thinking, here's a short list of fun tours you could give as a gift to your family this Christmas:
- A dog sledding tour in Kananaskis or at Lake Louise
- A sleigh ride in Kananaskis, Banff, or at Lake Louise
- A cave tour in Rats Nest Cave, Canmore (for kids 10+)
- A guided snowshoe tour or hike in Kananaskis
- A guided ice walk in Johnston Canyon or Grotto Canyon
- A heli-snowshoe tour in Kananaskis
There are many tour operators for most of the activities above and a
quick google search should help you pick an operator based on the area
you want to explore. If you need help in this area, leave a comment on this story or send me an email. (you can find my contact information under the "contact me" tab at the top of this page.)
Most companies will print you a voucher that you can wrap up to put under the Christmas tree. Otherwise, book the tour and mark the date on a calendar that you would wrap up (as with the travel suggestion above.) Alternately, you can usually buy gift cards for tour operators if you don't want to choose the date for an extended family member.
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Nothing says "Merry Christmas" like an awesome tour booked for the family |
Featured Tour Operator: Kananaskis Outfitters (with contest)
Kananaskis Outfitters operates a small outdoor retail store out of Kananaskis Village and I can assure you it's a great place to stop if you've forgotten your ski pants at home while heading out for a day of skiing in Kananaskis. (and yes, that has happened to me.) I love stopping in at the store every time I'm at the Village and have been known to build my Christmas list after spending time browsing around the store.
In addition to the store, you'll find a full rental shop here for all your equipment needs while visiting for a day or a weekend. They rent cross country ski packages and snowshoes (including children's sizes,) fat bikes (for adults,) pulk sleds for pulling youngsters on the trails, and ice skates for the whole family (along with hockey sticks and pucks.)
Finally they offer fat bike tours to a frozen waterfall, stargazing snowshoe fondue tours, full moon snowshoe fondue tours, and daytime snowshoe tours which are suitable for the whole family. Note that the evening snowshoe tours are best suited for adults or for children 12+.
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Frozen Troll Falls (a short snowshoe, hike, ski, or fat bike ride from Kananaskis Village) |
For full information on rentals and tours, please visit the
Kananaskis Outfitters Website.
Also read the story I wrote for Snowshoe Magazine last winter:
Moonlight, Snow Angels, and Snowshoes.
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Chocolate fondue at Kananaskis Village after a snowshoe tour (photo: Chelsea Scott) |
Enter to win two spaces on a Stargazing Snowshoe Tour from Kananaskis Outfitters.
Full details are at the bottom of this post where you can enter to win.
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Moonlight Snowshoe Tours at Kananaskis Village (photo: Chelsea Scott) |
Suggestion Four: A romantic weekend away for you and your partner
There are beautiful resorts located all over the Canadian Rockies and chances are, you know exactly which one your partner would like to stay at. I know it wouldn't take much for my husband to pick ten awesome resorts or backcountry lodges that he could take me to - with a guaranteed scream Christmas morning.
Book a romantic weekend away for you and your partner this winter, and as with suggestion one, mark the trip down on a calendar that you can wrap up and put under the tree. Resorts will often print vouchers as well outlining the stay and inclusions of the trip (with meals that may be included for example.)
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Emerald Lake Lodge (one of the places we've stayed before as a Christmas gift) |
Wanting to do this for your son and his wife? Or your daughter and her husband? Coordinate with one of them to pick dates and offer to take the kids for the weekend. (And yes, that's two gifts actually.) Alternately, surprise both parents and leave the trip open ended for dates. Give the couple a gift card/voucher for the resort or print out your own voucher with an IOU for the intended resort.
Finally, this is a great gift to give to your own parents who "have everything," or who can't ever think of anything they want for Christmas.
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Pretty sure your partner would approve of a stay at Mount Engadine Lodge! (photo: Paul Zizka Photography) |
No babysitter? You can always take the kids with you. Less romantic I know, but many of the condos in Banff have one or two bedroom suites (so you can have some alone time) and a backcountry lodge is always romantic, with or without kids.
Need some more inspiration: Check out my latest story for Snowshoe Magazine:
Ten Snowshoe Adventures to try this Winter in the Canadian Rockies. It features many gorgeous front and backcountry lodges, romantic tours, and resorts - many that are just as awesome on a pair of skis if you prefer skiing to snowshoeing. (Just skip the backcountry huts or hostels if you are really looking for a romantic weekend and don't fancy sharing a bedroom with strangers.)
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Shadow Lake Lodge in backcountry Banff - romantic with or without kids (Photo: Shadow Lake Lodge) |
Suggestion Five: The ultimate outdoor adventure for your partner
Do you have an adventurous partner that you never quite know what to get for Christmas? Here are some ideas to get the ball rolling.
- A Guided ice climbing day
- A Guided backcountry ski day
- A Course with a local adventure company (intro to ice climbing, backcountry skiing, rock climbing, etc.)
- A Guided Fat Bike Tour (see Kananaskis Outfitters Tours above)
- Any Adventure tour your partner would love! (Think: The Via Ferrata at Mount Norquay or Kicking Horse Mt. Resort for next summer, a cave tour in Canmore's Rats Nest Cave (good all year long,) a dog sledding tour this winter, etc.
- A safety course to help ensure your partner comes home alive from their adventures! (Think: Avalanche Skills Training Courses!!)
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The sky's the limit for adventure tours that you could get your partner for Christmas |
There are many tour operators for most of the activities above and a
quick google search should help you pick an operator based on the area
you want to explore. If you need help in this area, leave a comment on this story or send me an email. (you can find my contact information under the "contact me" tab at the top of this page.)
And as with previous suggestions, most companies would be happy to give you a gift card or printed voucher for you to wrap up and put under the tree. Think of a creative way to wrap it. (For example, what would your partner need if he/she were to go fat biking for a day?)
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A Backcountry Ski Tour makes for a great Christmas present! |
Suggestion Six: Tickets to a Concert or Event for you and your partner
You shouldn't have problems thinking of an event your partner would like to go to over the next few months. The one that comes to my mind though is the
Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour. The Tour will be coming to Calgary from January 17th to the 30th.
Tickets can be purchased on line or from MEC if you are in Calgary.
Babysitting suggestion: coordinate with friends who also want to go see the film tour. Buy tickets on different nights so you can take turns watching each other's kids.
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Get inspired to travel and to explore at the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour |
Suggestion Seven: Passes or Vouchers for Family Fun Activities
While this may not be a primary gift for the kids, it makes for a great stocking stuffer. Consider some of the following ideas:
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Buy your kids fun passes for Christmas |
- Passes for local theme parks and attractions such as Calaway Park, Heritage Park, the Telus Spark Science Centre or the Calgary Zoo
- Passes to a local climbing gym. (You may even be able to buy passes for the Climb Park at the Hanger in Calgary if you explain that you want them as a Christmas present.)
- Gondola tickets in Banff or tube park passes for Nakiska or Mt. Norquay in Banff
- Passes to a favourite leisure centre. (We recently spent a day at Vivo in Calgary and got to try rock climbing, skating, and swimming with our day pass.)
Bonus Suggestion: A Subscription to an Adventure or Wildlife Magazine
My son has subscriptions to two magazines and he loves getting them in the mail. The ones I recommend for kids are the
National Geographic Kids (or little kids) Magazine and
Wild, which is published by the Canadian Wildlife Federation.
And while you're at the Canadian Wildlife Federation's Website, consider
adopting an animal for Christmas.

Magazine subscriptions are great presents for the grandparents as well and ours regularly get a list of publications that the family wants.
GIVEAWAYS
Enter to win a one-night stay at the Delta Lodge at Kananaskis in a standard guest room for you and your family this winter.
Conditions and terms of the stay:
- Breakfast is included with your stay
- Room selection to be determined based on availability. (Blackout dates: December 25 – January 2 and February 18 – 21)
- The room will accommodate two adults and up to two children. (Room for a third child would have to be accommodated by special request from the resort)
- The winner must be able to stay at the lodge this winter with the stay to happen by the end of March, 2017
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Enter to win two lift tickets and two tube park tickets for Nakiska Ski Area. The tickets must be used by the end of the 2017 season and there are no blackout dates. The winner will be sent a certificate to use whenever he or she wishes this season.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Enter to win two spaces on a stargazing snowshoe tour from Kananaskis Outfitters. The winner will receive a gift certificate so that they can book for the date of their choice this winter season, 2016-2017.
Note that this is for a regular stargazing snowshoe tour and does not include a fondue tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
All Giveaways end on November 24th. A winner will be notified by the 25th.
If I don't hear from the winner by November 28th, I will choose a new winner.
Giveaways are open to anybody who will be able to visit Kananaskis this winter to use their vouchers. Winners must be 18 years of age or older.
Holiday Gift Guides from other Outdoor Family Bloggers