Festival of Lights at VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver.Raymond Chan
It's a magical time of the year, with festive fun for every taste – so get in the spirit with these 25 amazing events.
Vancouver Christmas Market
Pick up unique gifts from alpaca scarves to handmade jewellery, then refuel with bratwurst, poffertjes, lager and more at the outdoor German-themed Vancouver Christmas Market (until Dec. 24, vancouverchristmasmarket.com).
Peak of Christmas
Ice skate on a mountaintop rink, meet real reindeer, listen to carols by a choir, take a sleigh ride through the alpine forest and have breakfast with Santa at Grouse Mountain's Peak of Christmas (until Jan. 4, grousemountain.com).
Prefer your Salchows at sea level? Try out the ice rink at Robson Square (robsonsquare.com).
Karaoke Christmas Lights trolley tour
Travel from Bright Nights in Stanley Park to the Festival of Lights at VanDusen while belting out your favourite holiday carols on this popular trolley tour. Make sure to book ahead (until Dec. 30, vancouvertrolley.com).
CP Holiday Train
Catch live performances by Jim Cuddy, Devon Cuddy, Kira Isabella, Doc Walker and more as the festively lit CP Holiday Train rolls across B.C., gathering food and donations for local food banks as they go (Dec. 13-19, cpr.ca).
Snowshoe Tour
Head up to snowy Cypress Mountain and enjoy a guided snowshoe tour, then warm up with hot chocolate and chocolate fondue. Never tried the sport? Not to worry: They say if you can walk you can snowshoe (cypressmountain.com/snowshoe-tours).
Caravan Farm Theatre
Hop aboard a horse-drawn sleigh and enjoy theatre in the snowy wilds of Armstrong at the always magical Caravan Farm Theatre. This year's winter show is Bedstefader, about a mother who brings strangers in from the cold (Dec. 9-Jan. 3, caravanfarmtheatre.com).
Hansel and Gretel: An East Van Panto
The classic fairy tale Hansel and Gretel gets a locally sourced makeover in the wildly popular, family-friendly East Van Panto, written by Charles Demers with music by Veda Hille (at the York until Jan. 3, thecultch.com).
Winter Solstice Lantern Festival
Fill the darkest day with light at the Winter Solstice Lantern Festival, which features lantern processions, a stunning candlelit labyrinth, live music and more across Vancouver (Dec. 21, secretlantern.org).
Then catch The Shortest Day 2015, a free day of amazing film shorts at the Cinematheque (Dec. 20, thecinematheque.ca).
The Nutcracker
Enter a dream of sugar plum fairies, toy soldiers and dancing mice at Alberta Ballet's enchanting The Nutcracker (in Victoria to Dec. 6, rmts.bc.ca; in Vancouver Dec. 29-31, balletbc.com). And don't miss Goh Ballet's spin on the famous work (Dec. 17-22, gohnutcracker.com).
Ugly Sweater Christmas Party
Break out your worst, most cringe-worthy sweater, and take in live music – as well as milk, cookies and candy canes – at this favourite Commodore event. Proceeds to the Children's Wish Foundation (Dec. 18, nowthatsugly.com).
Speaking of Commodore fundraisers, don't miss the 30th annual Blues for Christmas (Dec. 20, bluesforchristmas.com).
Make It! The Handmade Revolution
Shop for stylish fashions, accessories, home decor, baby items, jewellery and more – all of it handmade – from more than 250 vendors at Make It! (at the PNE until Dec. 6, makeitproductions.com).
Bah! Humbug!
Scrooge is a sushi-loving, iPhone-wielding pawn-shop owner in Bah! Humbug!, a Downtown Eastside reimagining of A Christmas Carol that features inimitable bluesman Jim Byrnes as Scrooge (at SFU Woodward's Dec. 10-19, sfu.ca).
Rogers Santa Claus Parade
Join more than 300,000 revellers as they line the streets of downtown Vancouver to watch festive floats, marching bands, dancers, choirs and community groups, and catch a glimpse of the jolly old elf himself (Dec. 6, rogerssantaclausparade.com).
It's a Wonderful Life
Head back to Bedford Falls and meet George Bailey, who falls on hard times then meets a newbie guardian angel in the Arts Club's It's a Wonderful Life (until Dec. 26). There's also the family-friendly A Christmas Story at the Stanley (until Dec. 27, artclub.com).
Bright Nights in Stanley Park
Take in more than three million twinkling lights and ride a holiday train at Bright Nights, a perennial favourite event that has raised millions for burn survivors (until Jan. 2, vancouver.ca). Then head into the West End for the Lumière Festival, which comes with trolley tours, horse-drawn carriage rides and more (Dec. 11-12, westendbia.com).
Festival of Lights
Speaking of lights, be wowed by millions more at VanDusen Botanical Garden, where they've added five new acres of stunning displays. Plenty of music, tasty treats, storytelling and more to brighten the night, too (until Dec. 31, vandusengarden.org).
Canyon Lights
Want holiday displays with serious vertical? Don't miss Canyon Lights at the naturally breathtaking Capilano Suspension Bridge, where you can sing carols, decorate cookies and see the world's tallest living Christmas tree (until Jan. 3, capbridge.com).
Vancouver Chamber Choir
Treat yourself to beautiful carols and readings by Bard on the Beach's Russell Roberts at the Vancouver Chamber Choir's A Dylan Thomas Christmas (Dec. 18). Then join Snoopy, Linus, Lucy and the gang at a concert performance of A Charlie Brown Christmas (Dec. 19, vancouverchamberchoir.com).
Vancouver Farmers Market: Holiday Market
Stock up on artisan foods, handmade gifts and tasty craft beer and wine at Vancouver Farmers Markets' Holiday Market (at the Croatian Cultural Centre Dec. 12, eatlocal.org).
For more 100-mile gifts, don't miss Shiny Fuzzy Muddy (shinyfuzzymuddy.com) and Got Craft? (gotcraft.com, Dec. 12-13).
Christmas with Chor Leoni
A new carol by Terre Roche, music by Eriks Esenvalds and Biebl's beloved Ave Maria are just a few of the works you'll hear at this unforgettable yearly holiday concert by beloved Vancouver men's choir Chor Leoni (Dec. 18 and 19, chorleoni.org).
Butchart Gardens
Sip hot chocolate, ride a carousel, take in a brass band and carolers and admire twinkling lights at Butchart's Magic of Christmas in Victoria (until Jan. 6, butchartgardens.com). While you're there, catch the lighted ship parade (Dec. 5, tourismvictoria.com).
Vancouver Winter Wonderland
Step in from the rainy drear and experience a winter wonderland at the largest indoor Christmas fest in Canada, which comes with more than 100 vendors, food trucks, pictures with Santa and a three-storey snow globe (at the PNE, Dec. 11-20, vancouverwinterwonderland.com).
Christmas movies
Hop in the car and watch classic holiday flicks including How the Grinch Stole Christmas, A Christmas Story and The Polar Express at a special River District Drive-in (Dec. 11-12, riverdistrict.ca). Victoria-bound? Bundle up and catch great holiday movies under the stars at the Delta Ocean Pointe (deltahotels.com).
Christmas with the Bach Choir
Hear the power and beauty of more than 400 voices as the Bach Choir performs Christmas favourites and seasonal works (Dec. 6, vancouverbachchoir.com). And don't miss the VSO's A Traditional Christmas (until Dec. 20, vancouversymphony.ca).
Christmas at Canada Place
Get into the spirit with decked out Woodward's windows, arts and crafts, an avenue of trees and a Christmas-themed FlyOver Canada at this free favourite holiday event (until Dec. 30, canadaplace.ca).