The Winter Window Walk invites neighbours to decorate their windows and reveal them throughout the month, turning our streets into a festive outdoor gallery. Inspired by an annual Guelph tradition, this event is a joyful way to bring creativity, warmth, and connection to our community as the days grow shorter and colder.
As an added tradition, the street with the most decorated windows earns the honour of hosting the Reindeer Runway on Christmas Eve—lighting the way for Santa’s sleigh with over 300 glowing candles.
How it Works
1. Sign Up to Decorate: Any Central Frederick resident or business can sign up to reveal a decorated window on a chosen day in December. On your reveal day, your window display will be unveiled, and your date will be posted both in your window and on our community map. Sign up HERE!
Outdoor Holiday Decorations (NEW THIS YEAR!): This year we’re expanding the tradition to include holiday decorations! If you would prefer to have your outdoor decorations featured on our map, sign up HERE!
Please note: You may only sign up for either the Window Walk OR the Holiday Decorations option, not both.
2. Watch the Countdown Grow: As December progresses, more and more windows will light up across the neighbourhood! Participants are encouraged to keep their displays up until the final day of the countdown, creating a magical walking tour that gets brighter every evening.
3. The Reindeer Runway: The street with the most decorated windows and outdoor holiday decorations will earn the honour of hosting the Reindeer Runway on Christmas Eve—lighting the way for Santa’s sleigh with glowing candles.
Not decorating this year? No problem! Bundle up, grab a friend, and stroll through the neighbourhood to enjoy the displays. Bring along a thermos of tea, coffee, or hot cocoa to keep cozy as you take in the lights and creativity.
A note on window design
The Winter Window Walk is a community celebration that’s open and inclusive to all. Your window can reflect anything you’d like—messages of gratitude, hope, peace, creativity, or simply something fun and festive.
We encourage families to get involved together and invite neighbours to collaborate—perhaps even creating a shared theme for your street! The possibilities are endless, and every contribution adds warmth and joy to our neighbourhood.
Previous Years’ Windows
Reindeer Runway
In the days leading up to Christmas Eve, candles and bags will be available for pickup at a location within Central Frederick. When you pick up your candle and bag, you’ll also have the opportunity to drop off a non-perishable food item, which will be donated to the Waterloo Region Food Bank. If you’re not able to bring a food item, you can also make a financial donation directly at thefoodbank.ca.
On Christmas Eve around 7 p.m., the street with the most decorated windows from the Winter Window Walk will host the Reindeer Runway. Neighbours come together to fill bags halfway with snow, place candles inside, and set them along the curb or boulevard, spacing them a few feet apart. Once the candles are glowing, enjoy a walk through the neighbourhood with your family to see the winning street lit up for Santa’s arrival.
It’s a wonderful chance to say hello to neighbours, enjoy the lights, and share in a festive Christmas Eve tradition together.
Central Frederick Neighbourhood Association 