Vancouver Christmas Guide 2020
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way, oh, what fun it is to ride, in a one-horse open sleigh! We’re fully feeling the festivities, so we’ve compiled this guide of all things Christmas.
Until January 8, in line with the public health order issued on November 20, non-essential travel into and out of BC is not recommended. BC residents let’s do our part by continuing to stay local and support local, with your immediate household or bubble, in accordance with the latest guidelines.
Family-Friendly Holiday Experiences
Kids love sliding down a snowy slope on a sled, and adults will love unleashing their inner child to join in on the fun. Here are our picks for the best places to go sledding, tobogganing, and snow tubing near Vancouver for winter 2020/21.
Bring home the smell and nostalgia of a fresh-cut fir or spruce this holiday season by cutting your own Christmas tree. With lots of U-cut tree farms around Vancouver, you’re sure to find the perfect holiday tree for your family.
Celebrate the holiday season with thousands of twinkling lights. This Christmas, Vancouver has tons of options for festive illuminated experiences. Walk brightly lit displays, ride a train past sparkling decorations, experience Christmas lights in a snowy landscape, or enjoy Vancouver’s first drive-thru holiday lights event. Here are 12 places to enjoy outdoor holiday lights around Vancouver.
While some local festivities have been cancelled in 2020 and others are operating virtually, there’s still a glittering gift box of in-person attractions, events, and shows to enjoy, from reinvented favourites to brand new Yuletide happenings.
Skating is a quintessentially Canadian winter activity. With Vancouver’s mild winters, it doesn’t usually get cold enough in the city to skate on frozen ponds. However, thanks to modern technology, you can still skate outdoors on man-made rinks. Here are five places to go ice skating outdoors around Vancouver this winter.
Looking to keep the kids entertained this Winter Break and want to make some holiday memories too? Plan an outdoor adventure that the whole family will enjoy. Here are our picks for the best Vancouver area family-friendly things to do outside this Winter Break.
Gift Giving
This year, support local and give the gift of a very Vancouver moment.
As you start making gift lists (and checking them twice), take a moment to check out these goodies available from Vancouver attractions, available at their online stores.
Local is making a comeback! As the festive season approaches, Vancouverites are embracing small businesses, paying special attention to their quality products, and finding joy in supporting the community through hyper-locality. When seeking holiday gifts this year, look no further than these local-made gift baskets.
Did you know that buying a gift card from your favourite coffee shop means more to them than you could ever know? As we switch into festive mode, it’s more important than ever to support our local businesses.
For the first time, The Polygon Gallery, in North Vancouver’s Shipyards District, has expanded their retail experience by transforming their main floor into a beautifully decorated and carefully curated, holiday shopping destination featuring local vendors for the gift-giving season.
Granville Island Delivery Co. has always been about supporting and giving back to the Granville Island community. This holiday, Granville Island Delivery Co. is sure to impress with lots of covid-safe options to support local businesses. Offerings include thoughtfully curated gift baskets & kits, gift cards, and stocking stuffers to wow everyone on your list, all while collecting online donations to benefit the hard-working merchants on Granville Island.
Digital Happenings to Enjoy from Home
To do our part, we must spend the holidays and New Year in our bubbles, but that doesn’t mean the fun stops. Replace your festive family zoom call or New Year party with some friendly virtual competition!
During a year when many holiday traditions have had to be suspended, the Vancouver Aquarium is bringing back their most festive event – in a new, virtual format.
Fairmont Hotel Vancouver welcomes one and all to the virtual Festival of Trees in support of the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation.
Many local holiday happenings have responded to 2020’s unique challenges in one of two ways: they’ve cancelled or they’re going ahead with strict COVID-safe protocols. But a third way has also popped up this year––and it’s a great opportunity to fire-up your holiday spirit without even leaving home.
Invite the JUNO-nominated voices of Chor Leoni into your home this holiday season with Christmas with Chor Leoni, a free digital concert featuring past Christmas concerts and magical new content.
Festive Dining
While brunch is always the loveliest of meals, it becomes especially so with the celebratory mood of the holidays. Brunch’s bringing together of sweet, savoury, and bubbly (hello, mimosas!) make it the ultimate seasonal dining treat.
Whether it’s dining in a restaurant or feasting on a takeout spread at home, you can enjoy turkey and all the fixings without any of the stress of slaving in the kitchen. And during these difficult times, a relaxing Christmas meal definitely sounds much needed.
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