The days are getting shorter, carols are playing everywhere, and annual Santa Claus parades are popping up all over Muskoka. Christmas is just around the corner…

There are plenty of events in the region to help you get in the spirit, so if you missed the parades mark your calendar for some of this festive fun—maybe you’ll even make an annual tradition of one of them (if you haven’t already!).

If you have wee ones in your life, or if you’re just young at heart, or head to Santafest at Santa’s Village in Bracebridge or catch the Portage Flyer train in Huntsville (our own version of The Polar Express!) to make one last pitch to Santa. Leave a letter for the jolly old elf at a special mail box outside Christmas Tyme on Main Street in Huntsville. Or maybe you’d prefer to watch the big guy don skis for the annual Torchlight Parade at Hidden Valley Highlands Ski Area on Christmas Eve?

Or maybe your traditions have an outdoor element… a moonlit snowshoe walk on Christmas Eve, a family skate on one of Muskoka’s many skating trails like the ones at Arrowhead Provincial Park north of Huntsville, Memorial Park in Bracebridge, or at Johnston’s Cranberry Marsh in Bala.

You could light up your New Year’s Eve with early, family-friendly fireworks at Hidden Valley Highlands Ski Area or head to Arrowhead for the first Fire and Ice night on the skating trail (weather permitting – check their website to confirm). If you already have plans for the big night, you can get a jump on the celebration with a torchlight skate on the cranberry marsh trail on December 29. (All of these events are weather permitting, of course—be sure to check their websites to confirm the fun is still a go before you head out.)

You can create traditions closer to home, too. A roaring fire and friends gathered for fondue night. A build-a-snowman party. Or a day spent baking delicious Christmas goodness. (If you’re not a baker, but need an easy go-to treat that just about everyone will love, try the fudge recipe below. It’s easy as they come, next to buying it pre-made, but you don’t need to tell anyone!)

Super-fast festive fudge

What you need:

• 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup chopped pistachios, cashews or walnuts (optional)
• Crushed candy canes for topping (optional)

How to make it:

1. Place chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and butter or margarine in large microwaveable bowl. Zap in microwave on medium until chips are melted, about 3-5 minutes, stirring once or twice during cooking. You can also melt the chocolate chips over a double boiler if you prefer.
2. Stir in nuts, if desired.
3. Pour into well-greased 8×8-inch glass baking dish.
4. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes, if desired.
5. Refrigerate until set.

(Adapted from All Recipes)

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or Festivus, happy holidays to you and yours!

Residential non-waterfront sales activity recorded through the MLS® system of Muskoka Haliburton Orillia – The Lakelands Association of REALTORS® numbered 155 units in February 2017, up 18.3% from February 2016. This was a new record for the month.

On a year-to-date basis residential non-waterfront sales (249) were running 12.2% above the first two months of 2016. This was also a record for the period.

Sales of waterfront properties rose 12.8% to 44 units in February 2017. This was above both the five and 10-year averages for the month and the highest since 2002.

On a year-to-date basis waterfront sales were up 1.2% from the same period in 2016. This was also the highest since 2002.

“Non-waterfront sales activity has started 2017 at a record-breaking pace, and waterfront sales are running at a 15-year high,” said Mike Taylor, President of Muskoka Haliburton Orillia – The Lakelands Association of REALTORS®. “Supply continues to fall, which is leading to an acceleration in prices for those listings that are for sale. Should currently trends persist, that shortage of supply could potentially also start to bite into those record sales figures.”

The median price for residential non-waterfront property sales was a record $315,000 in February 2017, jumping 39.4% from February 2016.

The median price for waterfront sales was $386,250 in February 2017, rising 24.4% from February 2016.

The dollar value of all residential non-waterfront sales in February 2017 totalled $51.8 million, leaping 61.8% from February 2016. This was a record for the month of February and marked the first February to reach more than $40 million.

The total value of waterfront sales was $19.6 million, edging down 2.2% from February last year.

Residential non-waterfront sales activity recorded through the MLS® system of Muskoka Haliburton Orillia – The Lakelands Association of REALTORS® numbered 130 units in February 2016, were up 23.8 per cent from February 2015. This was just one sale short of the February record set in 2004.

Sales of waterfront properties rose by 2.6 per cent year-over-year to reach 39 units in February 2016. This was the highest February level since 2002.

“Demand for both waterfront and non-waterfront properties remained strong in February, with sales figures for both coming in at their highest levels in over a decade,” said Tom Wilkinson, President of Muskoka Haliburton Orillia – The Lakelands Association of REALTORS®. “As per usual at this time of the year, lower winter sales volumes, particularly for waterfront properties, are playing havoc with average and median price measures.”

The median price for residential non-waterfront property sales was $225,500 in February 2016, up 0.2 per cent from February 2015.

The median price for waterfront sales was $310,500 in February 2016, down 16.6 per cent from February 2015.

The dollar value of all residential non-waterfront sales in February 2016 totalled $31.7 million, up 29.9 per cent from February 2015. This was the highest dollar volume of any February on record.

The total value of waterfront sales was $20 million, down eight per cent from February last year.