Recreating a childhood memory has been a long-time coming for Liv Butow.
Butow, the founder of Christmas on the Peninsula, says she’s getting closer to achieving her goal.
“I would like to tell the Christmas story,” Butow told Peace Arch News Thursday as the reason for her creating the event in 2009, which has been held in White Rock on the last Saturday of every November since.
“I wanted to have an old fashioned European Christmas the way that I was used to it in Norway when I grew up. We had carrollers, lots of candles, decorations everywhere. It looked absolutely beautiful. I wanted to recreate that.”
“I’m hoping one day it will develop into that.”
Butow admitted that it’s been “quite a while” since she’s been in Norway during Christmas time, but the number of decorations inside the White Rock Community Centre brings her home.
“It definitely feels like Norway and more like what I’m used to.”
There are more than 30 activities scheduled for the day-long event, which takes place at dozens of locations in uptown White Rock and at Miramar Village Plaza and inside the White Rock Community Centre, which is to feature a Christmas market.
Asked which event is of particular interest to Butow, she said “there’s just so many,” but eventually named the children’s stage in the White Rock Community Centre studio and the parade.
The performing arts area gives youth a place to practice skits, play instruments and offer games for children.
The activities begin with ‘Breakfast in Bethlehem’ at White Rock First United Church, 8:30 to 11 a.m. The parade begins at 4 p.m. on Russell Avenue, which then tours south on Johnston Road.
Mayor Wayne Baldwin will be participating in the Christmas tree lighting ceremony at Miramar Village Plaza after the parade. The evening is complete with carols and a candlelight sing-along at St. John’s Presbyterian Church.
A list of activities can be found here.
