Othman's
Kitchener
Seniors $32
Lancaster
321 Lancaster St WKitchener, ON N2H 4V4Rear entrance via Bond St. Details
- Mon–Fri
- 10:00–7:30
- Sat
- 10:00–6:00
- Sun
- 11:00–5:00
Park nearby while the road is closed. Fee-free Othman's ATM inside.
See shop pageKitchener · Waterloo · Guelph
Holiday & Christmas haircuts
December is the busiest month of the year in all four shops. We keep regular hours throughout, Christmas Eve included — we close only Christmas Day and New Year's Day — and the 22nd, 23rd and 24th of December fill first. Book ahead and the chair is yours.
Walk-ins always welcome. Booked appointments go first, so a walk-in takes the next free chair. Why booking wins →
Book by the start of December
The two weeks before Christmas are the busiest fortnight of the year at all four shops. The week of the 22nd is the one that runs out — of slots, and of the barber you actually wanted.
Book by the start of December for any cut in the week before Christmas. All four shops keep their regular hours right through the month, Christmas Eve and Boxing Day included — the only two days we close are Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
Walk-ins are welcome all December, but booked appointments go first — so in the fortnight before Christmas a walk-in waits longer than at any other time of year. Online booking shows live availability for every barber and takes under a minute.
When to book, for what
A haircut looks its best two or three days after it is cut, not on the day. Work backwards from the thing you are getting cut for.
| Cutting for | Book it for | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A work party or office do | 3–4 days before | A fade settles on day two or three. Cut the same afternoon and it still looks cut. |
| Christmas Day itself, and the photos | The 19th to the 21st | The 22nd, 23rd and 24th of December are the longest walk-in waits of the year. |
| Christmas Eve service or dinner | The 22nd, booked | We are open regular hours on Christmas Eve, and those slots go first. |
| New Year's Eve | The 29th or 30th | Boxing Day week is the quietest stretch in December. Easiest week to get the barber you want. |
| Flying home for the holidays | The week before you fly | Cut here, land sharp. Beats finding a barber in another city on the 23rd. |
| Kids, before the school break | The last week of term | Children's cuts are $30. The first hour after opening is the calmest part of the day for a nervous one. |
Pick the cut first
Knowing the guard number before you sit down saves five minutes of guessing — and in December those five minutes are the queue behind you.
Skin fade · Mid taper fade · Scissor cut · Mod cut · Crew cut · Beard & hot towel
0–2Guard
Skin fade
Bare at the neckline, blended up into length on top. The blend is the whole job — done properly there is no line where one length becomes the next. Grows out fastest, so plan on about three weeks.
2–4Guard
Mid taper fade
Softer contrast, starting higher on the head. Holds its shape longer than a skin fade, which makes it the practical pick if you want one cut to carry you.
No guardShears only
Scissor cut
Cut entirely with shears, no clippers on top. Point-cut through the ends to take weight out without losing length, so it falls naturally instead of sitting in a block. Grows out well.
Side partMod & classic
Mod cut
A proper side part or a French crop with a real disconnect — the sharp, tailored end of barbering. Ask at Guelph or Waterloo, where we cut these most.
3–4Guard
Crew cut
Short and even all over, a little longer at the front. Nothing to style in the morning, and the lowest-maintenance cut we do.
BeardRazor line
Beard & hot towel
Shaped to your jaw rather than a template, lined with a straight razor, finished with a hot towel. The detail work people come back for.
These are the six we cut most. All 30 cuts, named and photographed →
Four shops. One standard.
Regular hours at all four, Christmas Eve included. Closed only Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Waterloo keeps its late nights too: 11 PM Fri & Sat, 9 PM weeknights.
Waterloo
Student $30
Waterloo
288 Albert St, Unit 108Waterloo, ON N2L 0G9
- Mon–Thu
- 10:00–9:00
- Fri & Sat
- 10:00–11:00
- Sun
- 11:00–5:00
Open till 11 PM Fri & Sat, 9 PM weekdays. Student menu with valid ID.
See shop pageGuelph
Student $33
Guelph
87 Macdonell StGuelph, ON N1H 2Z7Open during downtown road works. Details
- Mon–Fri
- 10:00–7:30
- Sat
- 10:00–6:00
- Sun
- 11:00–5:00
Two minutes from Guelph Central Station. Student pricing from $33.
See shop pageKitchener
Free parking
Westheights
450 Westheights Dr, Unit 2Kitchener, ON N2N 2B9
- Mon–Fri
- 10:00–7:30
- Sat
- 10:00–6:00
- Sun
- 11:00–5:00
Free plaza parking. Kids' cuts from 1 month to 13 years.
See shop pageRead before you book
The detail behind the dates above.
Holiday haircuts — frequently asked
When should I book a haircut before Christmas?
Book by the start of December for any cut in the week before Christmas. The two weeks before Christmas are the busiest fortnight of the year at all four shops. The 22nd, 23rd and 24th of December fill first, and walk-in waits on those three days are the longest of the year. If you only need to look sharp for one particular day, book three or four days ahead of it rather than the day itself — a fade settles in about 48 hours and photographs better once it has.
What are Othman's holiday hours?
All four shops keep their regular hours right through December, Christmas Eve included. The only closures are Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Waterloo keeps its late nights too — 9 PM on weeknights and 11 PM Friday and Saturday — which makes 288 Albert St the easiest shop to reach after work in the run-up. Any change is posted on each shop page and on Google before it takes effect.
Can I still walk in during December?
Yes — walk-ins are accepted every day we are open, including the whole of December. Booked appointments are given priority and are seen first, so a walk-in waits for the next free chair; in the two weeks before Christmas that wait is longer than at any other point in the year. Walk in first thing if you are leaving it late: all four shops open at 10 and the first hour is consistently the quietest part of the day, late December included.
Which days in December are busiest?
The 22nd, 23rd and 24th of December, in that order, with Saturdays and after 4 PM on weeknights busy throughout the month. The quietest stretch is the week between Boxing Day and New Year's Eve — if you want a specific barber and a specific time with no fuss, that is the week to take.
How far ahead of an event should I get a fade?
Three to four days. A skin fade is at its sharpest the day it is cut but the bare skin at the neckline reads as stubble in photographs; by day two or three it has softened into the shape it is meant to hold. A mid fade or a taper is more forgiving and will carry a full week, which is the better choice if you have several events across the holidays rather than one.
Can I book a particular barber for a holiday slot?
Yes. Online booking lets you pick your barber by name at every shop, and in December that is the whole argument for booking rather than walking in — the barber you want is the thing that sells out first, before the time does. If you have been in before, book the same barber and they will have your previous cut on file.
Do you cut children's hair over the school break?
Yes, at all four shops, from one month old to thirteen years, at $30 for a children's cut and $33 for a child's zero fade. The break is busy, so book ahead; the first hour after opening is the calmest part of the day if it is a first haircut or a nervous one. Westheights is the shop set up for kids — free plaza parking at the door and the shortest walk from the car.
Do you get busier than this at any other time of year?
Only the last two weeks of August, for back to school. December is the bigger of the two and the one where the dates are fixed, which is why booking early matters more here: in August you can move your haircut, and in December you cannot move Christmas.