The rain and mild weather might not have you thinking about the holidays this weekend, but there are many events to get you into the spirit.

There's Swan Lake at Centre in the Square on Sunday, Boreal's Songs for a Snowy Season at the River Run Centre in Guelph, the Gift of Lights is on at Bingemans (and this weekend you can walk through it), and so many artisan shows (see below).

But you may also want to avoid the holidays, and for that there are events like the comedy of Nigel Grinstead at Rhapsody Barrel Bar on Saturday, a screening of The Woman Who Loves Giraffes at Princess Cinemas in Waterloo or the production of Absolutely … Fred by the Cambridge Community Players.

Here are five other suggestions for how you can spend this first weekend of December.

Homestories: Three Siblings and A War

6 p.m., Friday, Nov. 30

Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery, 101 Queen St. N., Kitchener

This film is part of the second annual Global Migration Film Festival, which is presented by the Waterloo Region Immigration Partnership. The festival will feature new films about migration, the people it impacts and how it changes lives. There are a number of films over the course of the next month. Learn more on the website. Homestories: Three Siblings and A War tells the story of three siblings who grew up in Ljubina in Bosnia Herzegovina who are forced to migrate to Germany and what their lives look like 20 years later.

Chanukah in the Square

5:30 p.m. start, Sunday, Dec. 2

Waterloo Town Square

(Also: Similar event at Guelph City Hall)

Celebrate the start of Hanukkah with two different events. The one in Waterloo Town Square in uptown Waterloo will include latkes, dreidels, chocolate gelt, the lighting of the region's tallest menorah and a fireworks display. There will also be a toy drive for hospitalized children. The event in Guelph is similar, and the city will be lighting a 9 foot menorah.

Also this weekend: The Uptown Waterloo Holiday Marketplace gets underway with lots of deals in uptown stores, visits with Santa, horse-drawn trolley rides and live music.

And Waterloo's tree lighting ceremony is Friday night.

Candyland

10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 1

Central Park, 615 King St E., Cambridge

Central Park in Preston will be transformed. There will be live entertainment, games, Santa, horse-drawn trolley rides and food trucks. A fun, free family event. Some planned events may be weather dependent (like the ice slide) but there's still lots of fun to be had.

We should also mention it's the Hespeler Santa Claus Parade Saturday, too!

Oh, and the Festive Flutes are back at the Idea Exchange Queen's Square location on Sunday.

Waterloo Concert Band: 'Twas the Night Before Christmas

2 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 2

Knox Presbyterian, 50 Erb St. W., Waterloo

This free and family-friendly concert that is sure to get you into the Christmas spirit, even if the weather is rainy and mild this weekend.

Buy local by attending a local artisan or craft show this weekend. (Lauren Bird, CBC)

Artisan and Craft shows

For the next few weeks as Hanukkah gets underway and Christmas arrives, I'll be featuring a list of some of the artisan and craft shows taking place in and around Waterloo region so, if you want, you can buy something local for people on your list.

Late Night Sip and Shop in Fergus Friday evening.

Holigay Market at Fresh Ground in Kitchener Saturday morning.

K-W Artists Show and Sale in Kitchener on Saturday.

KW Habilitation hosts its annual Community Christmas Bazaar on Saturday.

Stitch 'n' Kitsch Winter Handmade Market at CIGI in Waterloo on Saturday.

Make-A-Difference Market at Conrad Grebel at UW on Saturday.

Pop-up holiday market at Innocente Brewery in Waterloo on Saturday.

Ayr Handmade Holiday Show is Saturday.

Holiday Season Beer-zaar held by Queen of Craft in Guelph on Saturday. (Book ahead for various workshops and discussions or arrive day of for craft fair.)

Creative Spark Winter Market in Guelph on Saturday.

Elliott Community Annual Christmas Bazaar in Guelph on Saturday.

Trading Post Holiday Market at The Common Cafe in Guelph on Saturday.

Christmas Bazaar at Guelph Lake Commons on Saturday.

Hespeler Public School craft and vendor sale is on Sunday.

Holiday market at Moonshine Juicery in Waterloo on Sunday.