As temperatures dip and the coloured autumn leaves blanket the dampened roads, the gentle glow of Christmas lights begins to brighten early evenings, hinting softly at the year’s ending.
It’s a special time of year, and we might all be pondering the best way to celebrate the winter holiday season with family and friends.
To help you out, we have some suggestions for some great local winter activities.
Christmas Markets
If you haven’t visited already, this is a great time to explore one of the most iconic and popular Christmas events in Vancouver: the Vancouver Christmas Market.
A home to artisan shops and food stalls offering an array of traditional beverages and savoury and sweet delicacies, the event runs through to Christmas Eve in the heart of downtown.
You can book a time slot in advance on vancouverchristmasmarket.com for faster, efficient entry, but may stay as long as you like. Moreover, live music and holiday entertainers fill the market with joyful melodies all day throughout the entire season.
Closer to home, UBC Properties Trust has organized the Wesbrook Village Holiday Market, which features local artisans displaying handcrafted goods available for sale. The market runs on Saturdays and Sundays from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. until Dec. 22 at Norman MacKenzie Square in Wesbrook Village.
There’s also the Artisanal Christmas Market from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7 at the University Chapel, located at 5375 University Blvd.
And the UNA will be hosting their Winter Festival on Saturday, Dec. 14, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Old Barn Community Center, including photos with Santa, crafts, and hot chocolate.
university neighbourhoods and throughout Vancouver. (Photo: Ada Bucur)
Candlelight Concerts
Seasonal music is a great way to get into the holiday mood. For classical music connoisseurs, Listeso String Quartet performs a 60-minute Christmas concert at Kerrisdale Presbyterian Church, on Saturday Dec. 20.
If you are looking for some audience participation, the popular Christmas at the Chan concert which includes a sing-along will be on Dec. 8 at 2:30 p.m. this year. Featured performers include Trinity Western Choirs and Orchestra and Pacific Voices.
If traditional music is not your thing, then perhaps the Winterbang Festival on Dec. 11 will appeal. This free concertduo includes electroacoustic music by UBC Music students, featuring the laptop orchestra.
Nutcracker, Anyone?
If your winter holiday season is not complete without some sugarplums and belligerent mice, Vancouver has a number of Nutcracker options to choose from.
The Royal Winnipeg Ballet returns for a series of performances starting on Dec. 13 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.
Royal City Youth Ballet has performances around the Lower Mainland running through to Dec. 21, and Goh Ballet’s Nutcracker runs from Dec. 19-22 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.
Mountaintop Fun for the Family
For the Peak of Christmas, Grouse Mountain is transformed into the enchanting North Pole, where twinkling lights, gentle snowfall, and reindeer come together for a magical holiday experience.
This one-month event continues through to Christmas Eve, inviting people to walk along the Blue Grouse Lake decorated with light installations, and enjoy the tranquility of winter mountains on the mountaintop skating pond. It is a perfect opportunity for families to watch classic Christmas movies at the Theater in the Sky and meet Santa’s reindeer up close.
A Mountain Admission Ticket includes round-trip travel via the Skyride and access to these mountaintop attractions; a family ticket for 2 adults and 2 children costs $205, while tickets for adults, youth (ages 13-18), and children (ages 5-12) are priced at $80, $70, and $40, respectively.
Light it up
While there aren’t any big Christmas light shows on Point Grey campus, there are plenty of light festivals and hot chocolate to be found not too far away.
St Paul’s Hospital Lights of Hope runs from November 27-January 3. This longtime fundraising tradition includes carols, hot chocolate and fireworks. Check it out at 1081 Burrard St.
VanDusen Festival of Lights is a guided walk through the gardens that runs until Jan. 5 at the VanDusen Botanical Garden at 5251 Oak Street. Tickets are only available online via Showpass.
If you prefer your lights with more snacks, then check out Granville Island after sunset on any day through to Jan. 3. Admission is free.
SEOHYEON PARK IS PURSUING HER BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES AT UBC.