December must be the busiest one on the calendar. There are oodles family-friendly events to check out plus family gatherings, parties with friends, concerts at school, and shopping (endless shopping…and this mom is not a fan of shopping). But don’t let all of your grown-up commitments and responsibilities consume all your waking hours. December is jam-packed with so many family-friendly events. Enjoy! And if you have a moment, let us know which events you experienced with your family.
Tis the season to say “hello” to the jolly old elf! If you need to know where you can chat with Santa and have your picture taken, then take a gander at our list of Places to Visit Santa. Santa is already visiting most malls across Metro Vancouver but don’t forget Santa has to return to the North Pole on December 24th.
Do you get a real tree every year? If so you’ll want to look at our Complete Guide to Christmas Tree Farms. A few farms are closed this year as they need their stock to grow a bit more before harvesting. So if you have a a favourite farm you always visit please make sure it is actually open this year.
The hilarious English panto tradition returns for the 7th year to East Vancouver. You don’t want to miss out seeing the East Van Panto: Pinocchio (Nov 20 – Jan 5). Perfect for families with kids aged 6+. Get ready to laugh your socks off!
We love attending the Festival of Lights at VanDusen Garden (Nov 19 – Jan 5). 2019 marks the 35th edition of this holiday favourite. Enjoy the twinkling lights and light show, take a stroll down Candy Cane Lane, hear the sweet sounds of carolling, and get in to the spirit of the season.
The holiday craft fairs started in November and are still running strong through December. Check out our ever expanding list here. And if we missed one off our list please let us know (vancouver@familyfuncanada.com).
Experience a TON of winter magic for FREE at the Children’s Museum of Skagit Valley’s Winter Wonderland. Snow, reindeer, sleigh rides, Santa, indoor & outdoor activities…and yup, it’s all FREE! (Dec 6 – 8)
All you need is faith, trust and a little bit of pixie dust as well as tickets to see Carousel Theatre for Young People’s production of Peter Pan (Nov 23 – Jan 5). Sword fighting, swashbuckling, and riotous good fun are all part of the holiday-season production from Bad Hats Theatre and Carousel Theatre for Young People. Word of warning, the Carousel Theatre productions are always popular, especially the holiday show. Our recommendation, get your tickets now!
My kids get ridiculously excited when we discover a house dripping in holiday lights. Every year we spend at least one night driving around, standing in awe in front of people’s homes dazzled by their lights & creativity. Every year we build our Christmas Light Display Listing from scratch – we ask readers to submit addresses and we update our list as fast as possible. If you know of an address we’ve missed, please send us an email (vancouver@familyfunvancouver.com)
Every year a number of arenas around Metro Vancouver host holiday-themed Christmas skates. Sometimes the price is reduced, sometimes it is the same, usually there are holiday activities (and a visit from Santa) planned for the duration of the event. Check out our Christmas Skates guide for all the details.
And in case that lengthy list of events wasn’t enough for you, have a peak at our Ultimate Guide to Christmas Events in Metro Vancouver. This list keeps growing and growing! And if we’ve missed your favourite event, PLEASE let us know (vancouver@familyfunvancouver.com) and we will get it added ASAP!
To wrap up December, there are always a ton of family-friendly New Year’s Eve events. How do you like to celebrate the new year with your kids?
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Family Fun Vancouver
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