Christmas Activities at Home
November 23, 2020
Celebrate the holiday season with fun activities, classic Christmas stories and more!
Christmas Storytimes
Join us as we read our favourite holiday stories.
- Christmas for the Snowmen written by Wolfram Hanel and illustrated by Uli Waas.
- Missing Mitten Mystery written and illustrated by Steven Kellogg.
- Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer written by Robert May and illustrated by Burnaby’s own Denver Gillen. Denver lived in Burnaby in the 1920s and 1930s and attended Kingsway West School.
Winter Wonder at Burnaby Village Museum
Join our museum interpreters as they take you on an educational journey through the Burnaby Village Museum at Christmas. Learn about the holiday traditions that would take place in a traditional family home, the local schoolhouse, and a Chinese herbalist shop.
Heritage Activities from the Village
Re-create an old-fashioned Christmas by making your own version of our 1920s decorations at home.
- Cornucopia [PDF - 559 KB]
- Vintage ornaments [PDF - 102 KB]
- Crepe paper New Year’s craft [PDF - 885 KB]
Christmas Activities
Here are some fun crafts to make at home.
- Make your own Gift Bag (reindeer [PDF - 100 KB] and snowman [PDF - 77 KB])
- Paper Gingerbread House [PDF - 152 KB]
- Winter Sky Card [PDF - 77 KB]
Traditional Christmas Recipes
‘Tis the season to bake sweets and treats. Try your hand at these classic Christmas recipes.
Gingerbread Sparkle Cookies [PDF - 111 KB]
In the early 1800’s the Brothers Grimm published the story Hansel and Gretel. This story features a witch who lives in a house made of gingerbread. The tradition of making gingerbread houses didn’t really gain popularity until 100 years later, when candies like jelly beans and jujubes became widely available.
Shortbread Cookies [PDF - 253 KB]
Different versions of shortbread have been baked in Scotland since the 12th century. Get your taste of history this season!
Mincemeat is traditionally made with dried fruit, spices, suet, and beef or venison. It is believed to have come to Europe with Crusaders returning home from the Middle East in the 13th century.