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Merry Christmas Day

December 25th, 2011 · 13 Comments

As I sit waiting for my shallots for the cranberry sauce to roast, Christmas wishes to all of you, including my non-Christian friends hunting for open Chinese restaurants today.

It’s funny how, even when you’re half a century from being a child, you still wake up on Christmas morning feeling excited, transported to a special place that looks the same but feels different.

Okay, enough sentiment. On to practicalities: A special helpful tip for those of you who, like me, didn’t quite finish by deadline at 6 p.m. yesterday. There are at least two liquor stores open in Vancouver today (the one at Granville and Broadway and the specialty wine store next to Whole Foods/Capers on Fourth), both of which have very giveable, high-end products.

As well, as I noticed last Christmas, anyone wishing to purchase a polyester dress bedecked with ruffles and artifical lace, they are to be had in Chinatown somewhere.

Lonely souls reading this blog on Christmas Day can feel free to post other open spots where it’s still possible to spend money today. I personally would be interested in hearing about a store where I can buy currants.

Finally, if it’s on today, make sure to watch It’s a Wonderful Life — the motivational film of the 99 per cent, if ever there was one. I couldn’t help wondering, though, as I was weeping through it last night, whether George Bailey would be revered in our city — or just reviled as another evil developer by people unable to distinguish the difference between him and Potter. He was responsible for the single-family sprawl of Bailey Park, after all.

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  • Julia

    Price Smart on Ackroyd in Richmond is open today.

    The liquor store you mention on Broadway and Granville is closer to being between 10th & 11th Ave.

  • Julia

    ps… I am not a lonely soul 🙂 I am in a lull between celebrations and waiting for my rum sauce to finish cooking for my gingerbread cake. Smells amazing.

  • Silly Season

    ‘A toast to my big brother George: The richest man in town!’ Harry Bailey

    George built those pretty little houses at cost—that’s much better than even he cost of social housing in this city! He would have been bounced from the Big Developers club here for such a showing of largesse.

    I have all Christmas cartoons and movies on CD/DVD’s. I weep for at least two weeks. Very cathartic.

    I have dried currents, if you still need some (I saw fresh ones at Gran Island market yesterday).

    A Merry Christmas to you and yours, Frances, and a Fabula New Year!

    And to all commenters, the same. And a Happy Hanukkah, too!

  • Silly Season

    PS. I use my currents in chicken liver pate, with brandy, and butter, butter, butter. it’s a huge hit, even with those who think they don’t like livuh.

    My bird is in the oven, sizzling away, even as I write this…

  • IdleWild

    Super Value at Commercial and 1st !never! closes.
    Sad sigh for the workers. Sigh of relief for those in need of one last thing…

  • Bill Lee

    Much of Fraser street is open on Xmas day, and a private booze purveyor at 45th and Fraser. Also vegetable markets, and many many Chinese restaurants.
    Explore the heart of the old Municipality of South Vancouver (their city hall was where John Olive High School is now at Wilson (41st Ave.) and Fraser street.

    “It’s a wonderful life” got an uplift when someone forgot to renew copyright and so every TV station could show it free. And they did.
    from the Wikipedia text
    “Despite initially being considered a box office flop due to high production costs and stiff competition at the time of its release, the film has come to be regarded as a classic and a staple of Christmas television around the world. Theatrically, the film’s break-even point was actually $6.3 million, approximately twice the production cost, a figure it never came close to achieving in its initial release.”
    “A clerical error at [Republic successor firm ] prevented the copyright from being renewed properly in 1974”
    …. “The film’s elevation to the status of a beloved classic came decades after its initial release, when it became a television staple in the 1970s and 1980s Christmas seasons”
    I remember seeing it as a re-dubbed short with a be-quiet-eat-our-popcorn shill at the great Harvard Exit cinema in Seattle.

  • Bobbie Bees

    The infidels are destroying Xmas!!!!!!

  • Julia

    If you ever have the opportunity, the Arts Club Theatre does a fabulous production of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life.

    Nice to see my old Fraser Street neighbourhood rising out of the ashes. Huge kudo’s to the Business Association that is working their tail off with very little money.

  • Bill Lee

    Part of the BIA promotion is the socio-cultureal study mentioned as “Inside stories” in
    http://www.vancouversun.com/news/canada-in-afghanistan/Nettie+Wild+explores+soul+East+Vancouver+neighbourhood+South+Hill/5647276/story.html

    And do stop and park (if you don’t bicycle or take the every 10 minute Number 8 or Night 8 bus) at 6204 Fraser (48th) east side and experience the easement beside the CIBC Bank. Your mind will be blown if not your eyeballs.
    Not on Google street-view and only set up last month to a shock to residents.

  • Julia

    Bill, I saw it before the holiday. Is it finished yet? It’s great when private property owners step up and allow spaces to be transformed like that.

    Heading that way today – will make sure I get another look.

  • Michael Geller

    Do you recycle Christmas Cards? I do. Merry Christmas http://www.gellersworldtravel.blogspot.com/2011/12/christmas-day-2011.html

  • Julia

    Love your cards Michael!

  • MB

    Back after my winter vacation.

    Sadly, I discovered last year that flying on a domestic flight on Christmas Day is an absolute bargain, and the planes are only half full. I had to fly out of the province to attend to a very ill Dad, and the date was not negotiable.

    The travel bargain discovery was good and I’ll keep it in mind for future reference, but the reason why I made the discovery wasn’t.