In Search of Christmas Spirit in Banff
It is common for Jamie and I to visit certain places and promise a swift return to them one day—a promise that is usually hopeful. It only took us two hours upon arriving in Banff to make a promise, or conclusion rather, that we will return here next Thanksgiving. Maybe it was because we arrived at 1a.m. and were mildly travel-delusional, or maybe it was all the new fallen snow, or the fact that our hotel was a castle—it is hard to tell why, but the certainty of returning has stayed with us.
The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel was everything it is made out to be. It sits in the nook of the Canadian Rockies, overlooking the town of Banff, with its regal and picturesque history. We pushed through the revolving door, which in itself was of a weight that required the use of your shoulder, and were greeted with chandeliers and stone walls. The rooms were modern, and before the clock struck 2a.m. we were wrapped in our robes looking out onto the town and mountain ranges that were quietly covered with snow that reflected the light of the moon.
Every morning we had a similar routine. We ate a buffet breakfast of benedicts, cured meats, potatoes, and pancakes just before we headed to the spa. We had facials one morning, and massages the next. We stayed for a few hours in the spa, for the temperature had dropped in Banff, and they had an outdoor hot tub that looked out only the the moutain ranges. When you can see the snow wave in the wind from distant slopes, that is what calm looks like. So yes, we stayed at the spa. One morning we did laps in their indoor pool, and then cozied up once more in the heated outdoor pool. We also had Holiday High Tea at the Rundle Bar, and Jamie tasted the Madame Butterfly tea while I indulged in the coffee reindeer cakes.
Banff was cold, and a type of cold that our coats were not prepared for. We spent time walking around town, thankful to pop in and out of shops, and even more thankful for the hot chocolate trail. My goal was to hit two hot chocolates a day, and over the course of 3 days, we experience specialty hot cocos that ranged from brownie, peppermint, strawberry, to caramel swirl flavored. At the Christmas Market, we saw Santa in the reindeer stables, ate the best perogies in town, and drank mulled wine. We shopped and enjoyed the fire pits, leaving when Jack Frost nipped a little too much at our nose.
One afternoon we drove up to Lake Louise. When the lake freezes over, you can ice skate on it. We can only hope to be so lucky next year when we return! The drive was gorgeous up to the lake, and we got to see the wildlife bridges that are such a beautiful bridge to the nature here, literally and figuratively. You could see the turquoise blue of the lake, and as we walked alongside it, we were reminded of the dramatic landscape of our home in California. And we were reminded why we will likely never leave it.
Banff hosted a hot chocolate trail. Over 20 locations sold specialty hot chocolates. We had so much fun discovering new ones. It had so many different Christmas events, including the Christmas Market, but also it had a lit trail called “In Search of Christmas Spirit.” On private property, you took a lantern and followed a trail through the woods made up of animals made of lights. They told a story of how they can use the gift of their spirits to help uplift humans during this festive time. Owl flew across the landscape and recruited wolves, bears, Banff Springs snails, fish, and other birds to join the cause of promoting Christmas spirit. It was adorable.
The Banff gondola took us up Sulfer Mountain, and it made me a little queasy going up the mountain. The views, however, were worth it. We got to see the magnitude of the Canadian Rockies, and the peaks continued for days. The entire town of Banff is a hamlet between mountain ranges and rivers.
