Celebrating Family Day in Ottawa during a pandemic
In Canada, Family Day was originally created to give people time to spend with their families. There’s no
better way to spend a leisurely Family Day than by making memories with your family and friends. This
day is meant not just for relaxation and fun, but also so you can appreciate how much bond each person
shares within their personal community of loved ones- from deep connections in childhood all through
maturity! The provincial government established Family Day on October 12, 2007, to be first observed
on February 18, 2008. It is observed on the third Monday in the month of February. However, not all
Canadians get to observe this day. There are only 8 provinces that observe Family Day; Alberta, British
Columbia, New Brunswick, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island. Other
provinces may refer to this day with a different name, but in Ontario, it is called Family Day.
Family Day : Good for your health
Spending time with your loved ones is one of the most important things you can do. And it’s not just good
for them – it’s great for you, too! Family Day is a holiday dedicated to spending time with your family and
friends. Here are some of the benefits of spending time together:
- Improves mental health ;
- Helps children do well in school ;
- Reduces the risk of behavioural problems ;
- Helps children develop future parenting skills ;
- Reduces stress ;
- Children feel important and loved ;
- Parents and children develop a stronger bond.
What to do on Family Day ?
In the past, many families would celebrate Family Day with outdoor winter activities such as skiing, sliding,
skating, participating in Winter Carnivals and Events. In Ottawa, we have the opportunity to spend
family time at Winterlude and enjoy skating on the world’s largest skating rink, the Rideau Canal, taking in
all of the sites and activities while enjoying hot chocolate and Beaver Tails. Since the pandemic, Ottawa’s
Winterlude has only been observed virtually. The same has been decided for this year. However, you can
still make your own fun and memories with your families on this day! Taking the kids outside building a
snowman, sliding, skating on the Rideau Canal or any community outdoor rinks, enjoying a bonfire, hot
chocolate, roasting marshmallows and making s’mores! You can even make s’mores in the microwave.
The key is to take this time to have some fun and make memories with your family !
Did you know that you can make your own Beaver Tails in the comfort of your own home?
What a great activity that all can enjoy! Look on the internet to find a homemade recipe. If you have a
bread maker you can also use the following recipe to make Beaver Tail dough :
- 1 cup milk ;
- 1 egg ;
- ¾ tsp. salt ;
- 3 tbsp. sugar ;
- 1 tbsp. butter ;
- 3 ¼ cups white flour ;
- ¾ tsp. bread machine yeast.
- Measure all ingredients into the bread machine in the order given. Select dough cycle ;
- Remove dough and place on floured surface. Cover with large bowl and let rest 10-15 minutes ;
- Divide into 10 pieces and stretch to 8×6 ovals ;
- Preheat oil in deep fryer to 350 degrees. Deep fry ovals 30-45 seconds holding it under the oil until browned. Turn and brown other side. Drain on paper towel ;
- Top with 1-2 tbsp. of toppings of choice :
- Sugar & Cinnamon ;
- Sausage ;
- Cream Cheese & Onion ;
- Jam ;
- Apple & Cinnamon ;
- Chocolate & Hazelnut ;
- Killabe Sunrise (sugar, cinnamon, lemon) ;
- Maple Butter.
The entire Visavie Ottawa team wishes you a happy Family Day!