Holiday outages hit lights, cooking and travel. Here is how to prepare your Christmas plans, food and home for a winter power outage in Canada.
- Winter storms around the holidays are a real cause of outages, so plan for one.
- Keep a 72 hour kit, charged devices, no cook food and a plan B for the meal.
- Check travel, check on relatives, and never burn fuel indoors.
Holiday weeks mean more cooking, guests and travel, which makes an outage harder. A little planning helps.
At home
- Keep the 72 hour kit where you can reach it.
- Use LED lights and battery candles; avoid real candles near trees and wrapping.
- Keep a cooler and ice for the holiday fridge if the outage drags on: keeping food cold.
Meal plan B
Have a no cook backup meal: menu. Know what to toss: food safety.
Travel and guests
Check the forecast before driving and carry a winter car kit. Check on older relatives and neighbours.
Safety
Never use barbecues, stoves, generators or fuel heaters indoors: carbon monoxide safety.
Gifts that help
A power bank, headlamp, crank radio or power station makes a useful gift.
Backup power picks (Canada)
Size the unit to your own load first: see the sizing guide.
Quick comparison
| Brand | Best for |
|---|---|
| BBLUETTI | Large lineup, expandable home systems |
| JJackery | Wide range, compact to home backup sizes |
Power stations and solar generators with fast charging. Compare capacity and warranty.
Larger capacity power stations that can run a fridge, with expandable batteries.
- Broad capacity range
- Expandable home-backup options
- Compare battery chemistry and stated cycle life
Popular portable power stations and solar kits for short outages.
- Has a Canadian storeHas a US store
- Small, mid and large models
- Compare capacity, output and warranty on the maker page
Quick answers
Can storms cause outages at Christmas?
Yes. Winter storms can cause outages any time in winter.
What should I have ready?
A 72 hour kit, charged devices and a no cook backup meal.
Is it safe to use a BBQ indoors?
No. Never.