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by Rebecca BollwittDisclosure: Sponsored Post — Sponsored by Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives Please review the Policy & Disclosure section for further information.
Each year, the Richmond Christmas Fund helps brighten the holidays for nearly 3,000 of their neighbours in need. You can support their efforts, while even doing a little gift shopping of your own, with the third annual Richmond Christmas Fund Online Auction.
The auction compliments the return of the Not So Silent Night Gala Reception, live and in-person December 7, 2022 at the new Porsche Centre Richmond, in the Richmond Auto Mall.
If you’re not available on December 7th – even if you’re not in Richmond – you can still bid in the silent auction anywhere, anytime. After creating an account, you can bid from the comfort of your home, or anywhere else. The silent auction winners will be notified by email, and given details on when and where to pick up their items.
Net proceeds will benefit the Richmond Christmas Fund, which, this year, is marking its 90th anniversary. Operated by Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives, the Christmas Fund helps brighten the holidays for neighbours in need, providing them with grocery vouchers, toys, and gift cards, so they can enjoy a festive celebration.
About the Richmond Christmas Fund
Each year, the Christmas Fund distributes grocery vouchers to individuals and families in need. Children 11 and under also receive toys, books, and sports equipment, while youth aged 12 to 17 are given gift cards. The program is supported by nearly 100 volunteers, who contribute well over 1,400 hours annually. Hundreds of other Richmond residents, businesses, and community groups donate cash and toys.
This online auction is an excellent opportunity to do some holiday shopping, and maybe purchase a gift (or two or three) for yourself. Either way, you’re very likely to get an amazing deal, and 100% certain to make a meaningful, immediate difference in your community.
Experience the magic of the season at Heritage Christmas at Burnaby Village. It’s such an idyllic holiday destination that it’s been the star of almost a dozen Hallmark Christmas movies! Affordable, fun for the whole family, and teeming with holly jolly cheer. You won’t want to miss out this season.
Photo submitted – Burnaby Village
Heritage Christmas at Burnaby Village
When:
November 26, 2022 to December 18, 2022
Monday to Friday, 1:00pm to 5:30pm
Saturday & Sunday 1:00pm to 9:00pm
December 5 from 1:00pm to 4:30pm
December 19, 2022 to January 2, 2023 (closed December 24 & 25)
Tickets: Admission is FREE no advanced booking is required but please plan your visit in advance as entry may be limited based on site capacity. Parking may be sparse, so visitors are encouraged to consider alternate means of transport to the museum.
Stroll through the 1920’s village and enjoy spectacular lights and vintage-themed displays. Stop by the Burnaby Lake General Store to browse the Christmas light display and learn about popular store purchases back in the day.
Visit the Jesse Love Farmhouse to experience a historic family home lovingly decorated for the holidays, and chat with the teacher at Seaforth School to learn about schooling in early Burnaby. There will also be live entertainment with jugglers, carolers, story tellers and roving characters as well as Father Christmas.
Photo submitted – Burnaby Village
Enjoy the special atmosphere of festive lights and the traditional decorations. Wander the museum’s 10 acre venue and take in all the seasonal entertainment, demonstrations and activities. Take part in the bird-themed scavenger hunt including a menagerie of adorned larger-than life eco-sculptures. Enjoy a meal or a treat at the Ice Cream Parlour or other offerings from Cravings Kettle Corn.
Bright in Burnaby
Saturday, December 3, 2022, 5:00pm to 9:00pm
Join Mayor Hurley and presenting partner Concord Pacific at 6:00pm for a special tree lighting ceremony to celebrate Bright in Burnaby, the official kick-off event for Heritage Christmas.
Plan your visit to Burnaby Village Museum and follow on Facebook for information about this event and more throughout the year.
Miss604 is a proud media sponsor of Heritage Christmas at Burnaby Village 2022
Follow Miss604Holidays this season for the latest arts and culture activities, attraction and event news »
The Vancouver Christmas Market has returned to Jack Poole Plaza in Downtown Vancouver, lighting up the holiday season with a festive six-week schedule from now until to December 24.
Vancouver Christmas Market 2022
When: November 12 to 25, 2022 open 4:00pm to 9:30pm (10:00pm Fri/Sat)
November 26 to December 23 open 11:30am to 9:30pm (10:00pm Fri/Sat)
December 24 open 11:30am to 6:00pm
Where: Location: Jack Poole Plaza at the Olympic Cauldron (1055 Canada Place, Vancouver)
Advance bookings from $17.99 (same day from $19.99)
Season Passes include unlimited access & priority entry all season long for $35.99
Deals: Tuesdays in November are two-for-one adult admission Date Nights, Wednesdays in November from 4:00pm to 6:00pm enjoy a free cider for Jolly Hour, and Thursdays in November students get half off admission with promo code STUDENT50.
Now in its 12th year, the German-inspired Market offers some traditional favourites with some new flavours and flare. Market visitors wander through the Tannenbaum Terrace to try German and European tasty eats and treats, sit together in the Alpen Haus, shop for hand crafted gifts in the Kaufmannsgasse (Merchant Alley), or grab a drink with friends at the Christmas Pyramid. There are additional vendors this year including local, handmade goods.
A favourite Market tradition, the HolidayLife Carousel presented by Interac, is back this year and is again free to ride. Visitors have the option to donate using Interac®️ Debit contactless payments to Make-A-Wish® Canada and Interac will match 100% of donations up to $50,000.
Photo ops abound! Take in the holiday atmosphere with a visit to the Walk-In Christmas Tree, experiencing 36,000 twinkling lights, check out the new Schwibbogen, Lovers’ Lane, the Winterdeck, or the Sky Curtain of Lights.
So grab some dumplings from Knedla, Bon Macaron treats, waffles, bratwurst, schnitzel, some fried squid, pirogies, gulasch, Swiss raclette, chimney cakes, hurricane potatoes and enjoy the feast of flavours available all in one place.
There will also be live entertainment nightly include a very special guest performance from Fefe Dobson on December 2nd. Follow the along on Facebook and Instagram for the latest promotions and happenings.
Follow Miss604Holidays this season for the latest arts and culture activities, attraction and event news »
This contest has become an annual tradition, and with the amazing cause behind the social enterprise, and the joy the giveaway brings my readers, I’m pleased to present the 6th annual Aunt Leah’s Christmas Tree Lots wreath giveaway! But first, some important details:
Photo submitted by Aunt Leah’s
Aunt Leah’s Christmas Tree Lots 2022
All profits go towards preventing children in foster care from becoming homeless, and mothers in need from losing custody of their children.
Aunt Leah’s Tree Lots will open in Vancouver on November 24th, and in Burnaby, and Coquitlam on November 25th. The tree lots offer a selection of fresh-cut trees, potted trees, and wreaths.
Vancouver: St. Stephen’s United Church 7025 Granville St, Vancouver
Youth make up the fastest-growing population of homeless people in Canada. As they try to transition into adulthood, their needs are more diverse and ever-changing, requiring deeper, more customized support. The Aunt Leah’s tree sales are a major source of revenue for the housing and programs Aunt Leah’s provides for vulnerable foster youth and young moms and babies.
Aunt Leah’s started selling Christmas trees in the 1990s when government funding was cut. The Christmas tree sales have increased every year and the Tree Lots have become Aunt Leah’s most successful fundraiser raising over $800,000 with 100% of the profits from tree sales going to support its programs. For many Metro Vancouver families buying an Aunt Leah’s Christmas tree is a cherished part of their holiday tradition.
Follow Miss604Holidays this season for the latest arts and culture activities, attraction and event news »
Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week (VIFW) returns for its third edition, with the goal of rekindling joy in the face of grief. New collections from 32 Indigenous fashion designers from across Turtle Island (North America) will be worn down the runway by models of First Nation, Métis, and Inuit descent.
Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week co-producers Joleen Mitton and Pam Baker have over 50 years of experience in the fashion industry combined. Photo credit: Brian Nguyen
Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week
When: November 28 to December 2, 2022
Where: Queen Elizabeth Theatre (630 Hamilton St, Vancouver)
In between shows, guests can shop for gifts from Indigenous vendors and enjoy musical performances by The Wolfpack, Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Soul Shakers, DJ O Show, DJ Kookum, and more. Full program and tickets are available on Nov. 7 at
“For the Indigenous community, the last two years has been marked by grief. We lost many cherished elders and the gruesome legacy of residential schools saturated everything, so we decided to focus this year’s VIFW on joy and celebration,” said Joleen Mitton, founder and co-producer of VIFW and All My Relations Indigenous Society, the nonprofit organization behind the event. “We hope that everyone who attends will feel festive to be in community, and see us triumphant. We’ve been here since time immemorial, and we’re still here.”
Program Highlights
Red Dress November 28, 2022 at 8:00pm | Get tickets As in previous editions, VIFW launches its opening night with the Red Dress Event, hosted by Lorelei Williams, founder of Butterflies in Spirit. Guests are encouraged to wear red in honour of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQ+ community.
All My Relations November 29, 2022 at 7:00pm | Get tickets For the second evening, designers from across Turtle Island show up and show out. Traditional practices mix with contemporary aesthetics in the magnificent pieces from emerging and established Indigenous designers.
Indigenous Future November 30, 2022 at 7:00pm | Get tickets Indigenous Futurism advocates for Indigenous sovereignty. At the intersection of Indigenous artistic practice, contemporary storytelling, and pop culture, shaping a future of that centres Indigenous ways of being and knowing, and Indigenous joy.
Spirit of the West Coast December 1, 2022 at 7:00pm | Get tickets The final night of VIFW, where designs with a signature West Coast spirit are celebrated. Be filled with the spirit of the West Coast as you celebrate the uniqueness of this land through incredible designs.
Van Vogue Jam Supernatural Kiki Ball December 2, 2022 at 6:00pm | Get tickets Van Vogue Jam, hosted by Indigenous leader Khelsilem Tl’aḵwasiḵ̓an Sxwchálten, closes VIFW with a vogue ball, featuring drag and catwalk battles for trophies, prizes, and glory.
Artisan Market & More
From its inception in 2017, VIFW has proudly showcased contemporary Indigenous regalia that highlights awe-inspiring works of Indigenous artists and designers in the traditional Coast Salish territory. VIFW will feature a robust artisan market with 40 vendors with jewelry, clothing, beauty products and other handcrafted goods, in time for the holiday gift-giving season.
“Promoting cultural appreciation and uplifting Indigenous designers on a global stage is at the heart of what motivates us at VIFW. It’s our duty to share our teachings to honour our ancestors, where we create a path towards understanding the designers. Our ways and art will not be lost,” said Himikalas, Pam Baker, Squamish / Musgamagw Dzawada’enuxw fashion designer and co-producer of VIFW.
VIFW established the Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week Mentorship Program, which provides 16 Indigenous youth and young adults a path to meaningful, fulfilling employment in event production, over the course of eight weeks. Now in its second year, this employment training program enables mentees to connect with Indigenous culture and ceremony through fashion, in a way that breaks intergenerational trauma and cycles of disconnection, child welfare, internalized racism and loss of culture.
“Mentorship is important in our culture. I am so grateful that my mentor, Pam Baker, has joined me as co-producer this year. I am benefitting from her 30+ years of experience in the fashion industry, and in turn, I am honoured to continue paying-it-forward by formalizing our long-standing Mentorship Program,” said Mitton, who is of Plains Cree, French, and Scottish heritage. “Fashion is a particularly powerful way for young Indigenous people to connect and reconnect with their heritage. It’s healing for Indigenous youth and young adults to be part of creating something that is meaningful to them, while having the opportunity to build marketable job and life skills.”
This year, VIFW also formed the Wisdom Circle to support the development and maintenance of a culturally safe, respectful, and responsible planning process and event that centers equity by honouring Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh protocols. The Wisdom Circle is made up of Indigenous leaders from the three Nations. Members include Pam Baker; Alexis McDonald; Charlene Alec; Debra Sparrow; Kris Achie; Ruthe Alfred; and Maynard Johnny Jr, among others.
