December 26th, 2025

Good Afternoon, Waterloo Region!

Hope everyone's staying safe with the icy roads out there - preferably situated somewhere warm, & enjoying Boxing Day.

Bit of a shorter one again, but we'll cover some fun New Year's Plans on Monday... and get back to our "regular programming" starting in 2026.

Is there anything you'd like to see included in upcoming newsletters? Hit reply to let me know! Want to make sure we're continuing to deliver value for you each time.

In today's email:

• some fun, local events over the weekend
• Truffle
• the world's oldest customer complaint
• & more

Let's dive in 👇

WHAT'S HAPPENING

General (Ongoing Events)

​The Gingerbread Exhibition | Dec.26th-28th from 9am-5pm each day | "It's our most sweetest tradition of the year! The Gingerbread Exhibition invites gingerbread architects from the community to show off their skills! Stop by and vote for your favourites!"

You can check out some of the submissions on their Facebook page, and this article from Cambridge Today - seriously impressive builds!

​Winter Crafternoons | Schneider Haus, Kitchener | Sat, Dec. 27th & Sun, Dec. 28th from 11am-4pm | "Come on down and enjoy some quality family time and tour our historic house in its coziest season!"

Friday, December 26th

​The Almost Hip: Boxing Day Show | Room 47, Waterloo | 7pm | "Join us for an early evening Boxing Day show playing all the Tragically Hip hits."

​Adam James | The Jazz Room, Waterloo | 8pm | "An award-winning Canadian jazz vocalist, keynote performer and songwriter - a unique blend of soulful music, transformative storytelling, and visionary philosophy."

Saturday, December 27th

​Musical Bingo (2 games!) | EVO Kitchen & Bar, Cambridge | Disney Edition (2pm) | Taylor Swift Edition (7pm)

​Rusty Nail Comedy | TWH Social, Kitchener | 8pm | Headliner: Keith Pedro

​Sam Dickinson | The Jazz Room, Waterloo | 8pm | "Sam plays the guitar, leading a 4-pieces setup that also includes a clarinet, bass & drums"

​Dance Legion 519: Salsa & Bachata | Royal Canadian Legion Branch 272, Cambridge | "Join us for our monthly salsa/bachata social!"

​Back To The Future Party | The Canadian Brewhouse, Kitchener | 10:30pm | "We’re taking it back to the music that made us — the songs we grew up on, the classics we still feel in our hearts, and the genres that raised the culture"

Sunday, December 28th

​Family Fundays! | Homer Watson House & Gallery, Kitchener | 1pm | "Learn new skills and explore your creativity as a family. There will be a new activity monthly. December 28th is Paper Collage Penguins"

​The Nutcracker: A Canadian Tradition | Centre in the Square, Kitchener | 1pm & 5pm (two shows) | "Inspired by a partnership with the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, this uniquely Canadian Nutcracker features over 100 vibrant costumes and stunning backdrops"

Farmers Markets

​St. Jacobs | Saturday, December 27th (7am—3:30pm)

​Kitchener | Saturday, December 27th (7am—2pm)

​Cambridge | Saturday, December 27th (7am—1pm)​

* none of these events are sponsored. that will always be made obvious if so.​

WEATHER

🌨️ Fri, Dec. 26th | HIGH -4° | NIGHT -10° | 100% POP | 5cm 💧/❄️

⛅️ Sat, Dec. 27th | HIGH -4° | NIGHT -6° | 30% POP

🌧️ Sun, Dec. 28th | HIGH 1° | NIGHT -1° | 70% POP | 5-10mm 💧

SPORTS

🥅 Kitchener Rangers | 5th overall | 2nd in Western Conference

• Next Game:
  • Sunday, December 28th | Erie at Kitchener | 2pm | Tickets​​

🏀 KW Titans

• A fresh new look and exciting off-season signings have people pumped for the KW Titans home opener!
• Saturday, December 27th: KW Titans vs. Windsor Express | Kitchener Auditorium | 4pm | Tickets​ | Live TV (Paid)​

ADOPTABLE PET OF THE WEEK

Meet Truffle!

Truffle is a 2 year old, mixed breed male who weighs 57 pounds. He looks like a ton of fun!

"A big, lovable pup with a heart as rich as the earthy treasure he's named after! This boy brings a special kind of magic wherever he goes, turning ordinary days into little delights with his cuddles, wiggles, and joyful bounces. With his wise and soulful eyes and sweet personality, Truffle is the kind of dog who makes every moment feel special. He loves long, sniff-filled walks, all the pets, and the occasional playful game."

Tap here to find out more.

And there are tons of dogs, cats and other animals that are looking for their forever homes. You can find the adopt page here.

* if you adopt a dog or any pet from these emails, reply and let me know! I'd love to send you a special gift to help get things started

RANDOM FACTS OF THE DAY

The world’s oldest known "customer complaint" is nearly 4,000 years old. It’s a clay tablet from ancient Mesopotamia (c. 1750 BCE) where a customer named Nanni complains to a merchant named Ea-nasir about the poor quality of copper ore he was sold and the rude treatment of his messenger.

The Svalbard "Doomsday" Seed Vault is a frozen bunker in the Arctic designed to protect the world's food supply from global catastrophe. Buried 400 feet into a mountain, it uses natural permafrost to keep over 1.3 million unique crop samples frozen in time. It serves as the ultimate "hard drive" for the planet, ensuring we can restart global agriculture if our current crops are ever wiped out.

Squids have doughnut-shaped brains. Their esophagus actually runs through the center of the "doughnut." This means if a giant squid swallows something too large, it can actually cause permanent brain damage.

THANK YOU!

Hope you have a great weekend & we'll see you Monday 💪

​

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