The Weekender: Idina Menzel, The Addams Family and The Santa Claus Parade
1. THE SANTA CLAUS PARADE (FREE!)
This is the one Sunday in the whole year when otherwise adamant proponents of sleeping-in rise with the sun to stake their claim on the perfect patch of pavement, all to make sure they have the best view of this gleefully over-the-top extravaganza. Expect floats, bands, costumed merrymakers and copious candy canes. ‘Tis the season for sugar highs to be jolly, after all. November 20. Bloor to University, University to Wellington, Wellington to the St. Lawrence Market, thesantaclausparade.com.
2. IDINA MENZEL
As fans of Rent, Wicked and even (sometimes) Glee, we’re exactly the target audience for this two-nights-only concert. Idina Menzel belts out her own songs and some Broadway hits, accompanied by the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. It might even be our big break, since the shows will be filmed for a PBS special, which means our hysterical cheering will definitely be on public access television, right? November 17 and 18. $49–$125. Koerner Hall, The Royal Conservatory, 273 Bloor St. W., 416-408-0208, rcmusic.ca.
We’d like to high-five someone over at the World Wildlife Fund for this creative, environmentally friendly and somewhat strange partnership: Coca-Cola announced today it will swap the colours on its cans over the holidays to help protect polar bears. The soda brand is participating in the World Wildlife Fund’s “Arctic Home” campaign, which raises funds to safeguard polar bear habitats in Canada’s North, with Coca-Cola contributing $2 million to the WWF over the next five years. Coke will also match consumer donations made to the campaign until March 15, 2012, up to $1 million. “The polar bear and the rugged Arctic are enduring symbols of the Canadian North,” Coca-Cola president Nicola Kettlitz said in a statement. “For Coca-Cola, the polar bear is especially near and dear to our hearts.” Given that the company’s been more than happy to use the cuddly bears 
The Thomas Sabo wing ring ($369) is a fantastic little gift to yourself. It’s made of sterling silver, and the stones are cubics, so they almost sparkle like the real thing. This is a statement piece; its wing spans the width of almost two fingers but is comfortable to wear, unlike double-finger rings, which can be uncomfortable unless custom sized by a jeweller. Rock the wing ring over the holidays with a glitzy cocktail dress or wear it year-round to give any outfit a glamorous edge.
Bang and Olufsen’s BeoSound 8 is the one of the few docks/speaker systems compatible with iPads, iPhones and iPods available in Toronto for the holiday gift-buying season. It’s pricey at $1,190, but the sound quality is fantastic and the unit can be wall mounted or rest on a countertop. Available in black or white, fabric speaker covers also come in purple, green, yellow and lavender blue.
The popularity of Blair Waldorf-esque headbands has gone the same direction as Gossip Girl: down. This year, fascinators have made a comeback. And while there are plenty of girlish feather and bowed versions, we prefer a more grown-up look. These chic miniature berets from Toronto designer Danielle Suppa are easily held in place with a couple of bobby pins. Her 
Sure, we already gave you 100 present ideas in our annual 
