Christmas Day is here and I hope you are having a wonderful one, whatever it is you are doing.  Here are some Christmas videos I want to share, feel free to link to your favorites in the comments.

Whether you go to Church once a week or once a year, there at many Christmas Eve services to choose from. So bundle up with the gang, or family and enjoy an evening of Christmas Spirit. When I refer to tonight, I am referring to the evening of December 24, 2009.

• Yellowknife Untied Church: 5403-50 Ave – Northern United Place – Tonight 7pm Christmas Eve Family Service, 10pm Communion.
• Holy Trinity Anglican Church: 4909-52nd Street – Tonight, 6pm Family Service of Holy Communion, 11pm Candlelight service, December 25, 10:30am Service of Holy Communion.
• Yellowknife Church of Christ: 516 Range Lake Road – Tonight, 6:30pm “unStable”
• Holy Family Lutheran Church: 5403-50 Ave – Northern United Place – tonight, 6:30pm “Christmas Eve Candlelight Family Service”
• Blessed Kateri Church: Dettah – tonight, 11pm Christmas Eve Mass, December 25, 11am Christmas Day Service.
• Salvation Army Church: 4925-45 St – tonight, 7pm Christmas Even Candlelight Celebration.
• Yellowknife Pentecostal Tabernacle: 118 Haener Drive – tonight, 7pm Christmas Eve Candlelight Service.
• Yellowknife Vineyard Church: Discovery Inn Centre – tonight, 7pm Christmas Eve Family Service.
• Glad Tidings Fellowship: 5013-49 st – tonight, 7:30pm Christmas Eve Service.
• Yellowknife Christian and Missionary Alliance: 4lm west of Airport on Hwy 3 – tonight, 6:30pm Christmas Eve service.
• Calvary Community Church: 5502-50 St – tonight, 7pm Christmas Carol Service.
• St. Patrick’s Church: St. Patrick’s High School Gym – tonight, 7pm & Midnight, Children’s Family Mass, Midnight Mass. December 25, 11am Christmas Morning Mass

As Christmas is only 2 days away I decided to finally post up the photos of Christmas Lights around Yellowknife. There were some amazing displays to see and if you take a drive this evening I’m sure you’ll see them as well. Last week was the judging of the City if Yellowknife Lights Competition although I’m not actually sure of the results. Let me know if you spot the winners and runner ups. Enjoy. Best viewed with Christmas music in the background.

This house was extra special. If you can see the poster in the window it says “Tune into 107.1FM 1 -10″. On that frequency they had none stop Christmas music playing. The nice things was we were able to drive fairly far away from this location and still get reception, which was pleasant.

This is the house I believe won the Lights Competition, and why wouldn’t it. This house is decked out. If you’d like to see it, it is in Bromley Court.

So what do you think, are you in the Christmasy mood now? I’m currently sitting down for the eventing typing this up while listing to Michael Buble’s Christmas album and watching my cat play under the Christmas tree. What do you do to get into the Christmas Mood?

For someone who has only been in Yellowknife for two days and on the last day of their tour to say how excited and overwhelmed they are about our city means a lot to a person who shares there passion. That is exactly what happened Saturday, December 19, 2009 at NACC. You see it was the second showing of Singing for Supper, and the last on the cross country tour. It was a benefit concert for not only our local food bank but also the national food bank.

Tom Jackson along with the band Pear, Shannon Gaye and Kristian Alexandrov sang the night away and what joy it was. It had been some years since I had been to NACC and it was a pleasure going back. I was looking forward to Mr. Jackson himself, but when I realized the rest of the musicians would be playing along side him I was thrilled. Tom with his powerful voice, Denis and Lynae of Pear on vocals, fiddles and mandolin, Shannon Gaye on vocals and percussions, Mr. Alexandrov on keyboard, and Tom McKillip and Craig Bignall on guitars all made up a wonderful sounding band.

First up in the evening was Shannon Gaye accompanied by Kristian Alexandrov. Shannon, a recording artist based out of Vancouver, has preformed at festivals across Canada and has toured more times than you can count on both hands. She is a layered and dynamic writer and combines energy and her prospective on life to create the music she loves. Kristian, who is Shannon’s musical director, was named Smooth Jazz Pianist of the Year 2008. Together with Shannon’s powerful voice and well written lyrics and Kristian’s very skillful musical talent they both did a wonderful job preforming for Yellowknife.

Pear, who came to the stage next, was a great couple. Lynae and Denis Dufresne, who are married, make up the duet that is Pear. They are just starting out and this is their first ever cross country tour. They both have a definite passion for music and for each other for that matter. They are a sweet yet gritty “pear” that can really let loose with a fiddle. They were very impressed with Yellowknife and loved it so much they even might return for Folk on the Rocks. Follow them on twitter @PearBand.

Mr. Tom Jackson came on last but was accompanied by the rest of the performers. Most of us may know him from his six seasons on North of 60 but he is also a magnificent musician with 14 albums under his belt. He is a dedicated actor and musician always helping those less fortunate. He was appointed an Order of Canada in 2000, was bestowed with the Humanitarian Award at the 2007 Junos and has done many other things through out his life that can be notable.

The group did several originals by Mr. Jackson and covered some wonderful Christmas songs. It was truly a delight being able to attend the concert. If nothing else it has put me into the festive spirit.

Did you get a chance to attend either Friday or Saturday nights show? What did you think of it? Would you like more concerts in Yellowknife?

Yesterday I took a stroll down to the Salvation Army where I found 250 students all lined up. They were lined up from the front door of the Army all the way up the hill into the gym of St. Pats High School. They made a human chain in order to deliver the 25 hamper the school had gathered and put together. The hampers I then distibuted to local families in need over the holidays.

I have put together this video which show a little more of what was going on, as well as some photos.

You can see all the photos on Flickr.

Good morning. Today doesn’t have much going on and neither does the weekend, as far as I know yet. So I will just wanted to share with you two things that are going one.

The first is the Sound of the Holiday Season put on by the Sir John Franklin Highschool students. It will be featuring the Grade 9 Band, Jazz band, Choir and more. The event will be held at NACC for one night only, Wednesday, December 16, 2009. It will be starting at 7:30pm and tickets are only 7$

The music room at Sir John has been buzzing for weeks about the exciting events planned for this year’s Christmas Concert. It will feature two sing-a-long pieces, several Christmas favourites, and lots of other great repertoire. Our groups play music that pulls the heart-strings; music that excites you; music that surprises you; music that has such a great impact on you that when you leave, you will say “that was the best $7 I’ve ever spent.” Mixed in with the music will be information about the benefits of studying music, the plans for developing a community band, and what parents and family can do to get involved with continuing to build this wonderful program.

The second is more of a request for you. You see Ykonline and my personal blog are currently being voted upon for best podcast/video blogging blog in Canadian Blog Awards. Both blogs have made it to the 2nd round, which is unbelievable and I am very thankful. So I have to ask if you could help me some more. If you feel so inclined and appreciate what I do here, please go and vote. The only thing I ask is if you could vote KyleWith 1st and YkOnline 2nd. I’m trying not to get my votes split therefore asking people to vote for KyleWith over YkOnline. For anyone that goes and vote, I am truly thankful and promise to continue providing Yellowknife and the world content here on YkOnline.

Have a good week.

As the days grow shorter and we get closer to Christmas the events start to slow down, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t going to be awesome. Coming up this week are a few things you should definitely check out.

Experience the magic of the Nutcracker at the Capital Theatre! Join the excitement when Clara’s favorite toy, the Nutcracker, magically comes to life. The Nutcracker and his resilient soldiers battle a cluster of sneaky mice, lead by the evil Mouse King before he wisks Clara away to the enchanted Kingdom of Sweets. From Thursday, December 10, 2009 – Saturday, December 12, 2009, 7:30 pm, 2:30 pm.

Art on Art: local artists collaborating with Yellowknife Glass Recyclers Co-op Ltd. All are invited to come see unique designs by local artists, etched onto recycled glass vessels (made from 100% recycled glass, rescued from the waste stream). Great eco-friendly gifts that support Yellowknife’s art community! Friday December 11, 7pm-11pm at Northern Images.

Christmas Lights Competition: the City of Yellowknife will be going around Judging the light competition. Residents and Businesses of Yellowknife were challenged to to decorate for the Holiday season. I would encourage you, although it is colder now, to take a drive or walk around Yellowknife and see all the lights and decoration. Judging takes place today ( Dec 8 ) and Thursday December 9.

The Nutcracker put on by Bella Dance Academy:  Local dancers of all ages bring this timeless classic to life on stage at the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre. Join the excitement when Clara’s favorite toy, the Nutcracker, magically comes to life. The Nutcracker and his resilient soldiers battle a cluster of sneaky mice led by the evil Mouse King before he whisks Clara away to the enchanted Kingdom of Sweets. Fun for the whole family! The show is on December 10, 11, 12, 7:30pm each night and 2:30pm on Saturday. To buy tickets follow this link.

Where is Santa: Santa is still in town and he wants to see you. The big jolly fellow will be in 3 different places over the next couple days. He will be at the Centre Square Mall Wednesday, Thursday and Friday until Christmas from 7pm-9pm. Then on this Saturday (Dec 12) he will split his day between Walmart, 11am -5pm and Trails End Harley Davidson posing with some bikes.

This morning was one like no other. I was relaxed and comfortable. The skies were clear and the sun was coming up. It was a beautiful morning here in Yellowknife. I decided to write about it, but on my personal blog. I did this because I didn’t know if it related enough to Yellowknife to make the cut for YkOnline. After writing it and pondering for a while I decided I would share it will my reader of YkOnline. So here you go:

We all knew the warmer weather would come to an end here in Yellowknife, and quite frankly I was looking forward to it. Although I do enjoy it being only -5 outside, but while I’m walking around there are things I do miss. The snow on the roads does not stay packed and makes it a mess to drive in and it seems like it is always cloudy.

I can happily say that streak has broken. This Saturday morning, the first in December, I awoke 2 hours later than normal, due to the fact I didn’t have to work, to an very uncommon amount of light coming through my window. I frantically tried to find my phone, to see if I had succeeded in sleeping in for a decent amount of time, but I was surprised to find it only 7am. As I crawled out of bed, it felt that little bit chillier in my basement bedroom and as I glanced out the window I saw the ever so clear blue sky. And at the exact moment I knew it was colder outside than previous days and I knew winter was here in Yellowknife.

One of the beauties of a Yellowknife winter is its pleasant amount of clear sky days. It is like a super charge of life. For those of you who don’t have the pleasure of living in Yellowknife you may not realize how dark it is and how little day light we actually get in the winter. Currently the sun, when it is not cloudy, will come up about 10am and set about 3pm. You can see how someone who works inside with out any windows might not get to see any of the day light. That is why on days like this, where it is so clear and the sun is so bright, I make it a point to get outside and take in as much as I can. I like to think after living in Yellowknife for 13 years I have adjusted myself to the light and darkness.

After gazing outside at the sunless blue sky I made my way upstairs to find another pleasant holiday surprise. Christmas Baking was underway and the smell of shortbread and ginger lingered in the air. The smell would make anyone instantly want to cozy up by the fire with a huge glass of milk and plate of cookies.

The final thing the just tossed my into the Christmas spirit, again for the four or firth time, was the background music of all of the famous holiday songs. Many would agree with me when I say that music can just set the mood, whatever it is. The one magnificent thing music does for me, is recall memories. Memories are dug up from past Christmas’ with family and friends. Friends gathered on Christmas Eve to celebrate in a house that is only suppose to fit half the people, laughing and cheering, sharing stories and food. Or Christmas morning from when we were kids, running into the front room to find the tree loaded with presents from Santa. Sharing Christmas morning brunch with the family talking and laughing. Many songs also remind me of the hustle and bustle of the season. I have memories of walking through malls and stores during the Christmas season and bumping into old friends, who hadn’t been seen in ages. Catching up coffee, or in my case hot chocolate.

One of my all time favorite things to do before the big day, is the got to the malls and just walk through and see people. Some you know, most you don’t. Watch people flying through stores as they have left things to the last minute. Seeing people getting ready for family who will be flying in or the big meal they are putting on.

All these things make me all warm and fuzzy inside. I plan on going around in the evenings over the next couple weeks taking photos of all the Christmas Lights throughout Yellowknife

So tell me readers, what makes Christmas season special to you? What does it mean? What does it mean while in Yellowknife?

Do you have a story about Yellowknife? Want to share it with other? Send it in to kyle(at)ykonline(dot)ca

Well I’m all lit up inside. With that feeling, it feels as if the holiday season has officially started, apparently extended shopping hours just don’t do it for me. I went down to City Hall at 4:45pm Thursday evening for Capital City Light Up. When I arrived I found a very packed City Hall foyer. I actually didn’t know what was going on as I thought it was all going to be outside, but I was wrong. Inside was the Youth Choir was signing all of our favorite holiday classics. I wasn’t able to get any photos unfortunately as I was at the other end of the building halfway in the door.

Shortly after a couple songs the crowd was directed outside. Everyone gathered around the tree, joined hands and started reenacting a scene out of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Okay maybe that didn’t really happen, but everyone did join together around the giant tree. Mayor Van Tighem took to the mic for a quick speech and then together with the choir counted down to the moment when the lights turned on, or at least some of them. After a few minutes they all came on. Take a look at the photos I was able to take, I really need to learn how to take photos in the dark properly.

Now if you not in the Christmas mood yet, head over to Flickr to see all the pictures.

Couple things going on Friday night (December 4, 2009) I thought I would mention.

The Break up get Twisted – “Come join us for good times, good tunes, and bad judgment. No cover. Except the covers we play. And hopefully you’ll cover yourselves. But not too much. Enough to keep it legal. We encourage nudity when appropriate and civilly responsible, but exposed nipples at a place called ‘Twist’ may invite trouble. And that’s just from the band.” This is a great group of people to listen to. Check them out at Twist starting at 9:30pm and going until they can’t play anymore.

Christmas with Black Umfolosi – Come out to NACC from 9pm – 10pm to check out a group of friends from Zimbabwe, that move you with their choreography and intricate rhythms of clicking and clapping.

Who Does She Think She Is: Movie! – The Aurora Art Society is putting on the film at the NUP (Northern United Place) which will be starting around 7:30pm. The film features a women trying to support herself through the arts.

Those are the only events happening Friday night that I know of, but I’m almost positive there is more going on. So you know what to do, if you know of any other events, post them below.

Drive Slow Drink Milk.