This article is over 5 years old and may contain outdated information.

Mapping

Mapping Canada's merriest sites

'Tis the season for the country's winter wonderlands, jolly jurisdictions and seasonal spots.
  • Dec 07, 2016
  • 172 words
  • 1 minutes
The most Christmassy place names in Canada Expand Image
Advertisement

Who’d have thought a map could help stir up the Christmas spirit?

All of the place names shown here are recognized by the Geographical Names Board of Canada (yes, even Quebec’s Lac Ho-Ho). Of course, some locations — like the communities of Silver, Man., and Golden, B.C. — technically have nothing to do with the yuletide, but they suit our purposes just fine when the season is upon us.

Other places and features were expressly named for the holiday. New Brunswick’s Appalachian Christmas Mountains, for example, include peaks for each of Santa’s eight reindeer (and two extras for the North Pole and St. Nicholas). That’s because in 1964 Arthur F. Wightman, a member of the Canadian Permanent Committee on Geographical Names, noticed they were a) still unnamed and b) lay close to the source of “North Pole Stream.” Meanwhile, British Columbia’s Sugarplum Spire was dubbed as such simply because geologist Peter Robinson thought it was “frosted white like a cake,” and, presumably, he was a fan of the Christmas treat.

Explore the map above to discover more of Canada’s merry and bright locales. Happy holidays from Canadian Geographic.

Advertisement

Are you passionate about Canadian geography?

You can support Canadian Geographic in 3 ways:

Related Content

Science & Tech

20 Canadian innovations you should know about

Celebrating Canadian Innovation Week 2023 by spotlighting the people and organizations designing a better future 

  • 3327 words
  • 14 minutes

Travel

Trans Canada Trail celebrates 30 years of connecting Canadians

The trail started with a vision to link Canada coast to coast to coast. Now fully connected, it’s charting an ambitious course for the future.

  • 1730 words
  • 7 minutes

Wildlife

The naturalist and the wonderful, lovable, very bold jay

Canada jays thrive in the cold. The life’s work of one biologist gives us clues as to how they’ll fare in a hotter world. 

  • 3599 words
  • 15 minutes
Andy McKinnon

Places

Canada’s first national urban park

It’s an ambitious plan: take the traditional Parks Canada wilderness concept and plunk it in the country’s largest city. But can Toronto’s Rouge National Urban Park help balance city life with wildlife?

  • 3601 words
  • 15 minutes