11 Christmas Things To Do | A Holly Jolly Shuswap List!
These are my kids in our driveway in Blind bay!
“ A Christmas Surprise” | Photos with Santa by Pam, her contact information is below
December is here and excitement is in the air! Happy Holidays Everyone!
One of my favorite things about living in the Shuswap is the amazing and unique community events we get to do here! Nowhere else, that I have lived, gifts SO many wonderful and heartwarming family and community events, gatherings, shows, light-ups, community dinners, parades, and festive parties than our little communities in the Shuswap!
I was feeling a tad-sad when everything slowly started getting canceled and I wondered what will we do this holiday season! I don’t mean just for the kids, it’s for us adults too, who love Christmas and want to feel like a kid again! The excitement and laughter, the fun, and the memories! That Christmas spirit!
I want fun, festive, adventurous, and exhilarating things to do outside, in the great outdoors, with my family!
And since everything is on hold this year I think we have to get very creative, be responsible and safe, get excited, and shake up that snow globe with some new traditions and ideas!
Bring On Holiday Adventures!
Here are my top 11 Christmas Adventure Ideas, that we can do safely as a family this year:
My Christmas Tree! Blind Bay, B.C.
Shuswap Adventure Girl
1 | Indulge In A Festive Hot Cocoa Trail!
Hot chocolate, the winter-loving drink! The kids and I are having such a fun time indulging in our own hot chocolate trail this December in the Shuswap! After school, we pick a small, locally-owned cafe or restaurant for a sampling of their best hot chocolate. I bring a few cozy blankets, get it to-go and we pick a spot to have our special treat. Sometimes it is a tailgate party, or sometimes it is a beach picnic! The kids are having so much fun ranking their favorite hot chocolates! I believe that we have a new Christmas tradition in our books!
2| Hike Under The Stars!
It is a winter wonderland out there in the Shuswap! The evenings are clear and crisp, and there are stars upon stars in the sky! The lake is cold and calm, reflecting the oh-so-dark night. The mountains are in their majestic winter glory. Why not take in the magic of winter and head to your favorite local trail for a night hike! Grab the snowshoes, ice cleats, or hiking boots, the headlights, and head to the local trails! Anyone can enjoy the magic of the forest after nightfall. But safety and preparation are key.
Read my top 10 tips to hiking safely at night and plan your next magical adventure!
Click Here!
3| See The Sparkle!
This holiday season, local residents are excited about the Shuswap Holiday Twinkle Trail which is an interactive Christmas lights map featuring homes and businesses lit up to help fill our festive buckets!
“Sharing the joy of the season even when we can't be physically together, is just another way our beautiful community shows they care”. Blind Bay residents Rebecca and Thomas really show they care by creating this map for all to enjoy!
For full details and the map Click Here!
Christmas Display | The Shuswap Holiday Twinkle Trail
Shuswap Adventure Girl
4| Light Our Hearts!
The traditional community Christmas tree light-ups in town squares and gathering places are such a warming and joyful thing to participate in. Those are not happening this year but you can still feel the joy in the Christmas trees of downtown! Decorated Christmas trees sponsored by local businesses are adorning the streets of Salmon Arm! Many offer a special treat or gift and are interactive. Shop windows, historic landmarks, and charming lamp posts are decorated in festive trimmings and bows! Take a stroll, while shopping local, in our enchanting little downtown!
5| Skate The Shuswap!
One of our most loved winter activities is packing up the skates and the kids and enjoying a winter’s day rink side! We are so lucky, here in the Shuswap to have a great selection of maintained outdoor rinks, each one offering a new and timeless experience. At this point, outdoor ice rinks and ski hills are allowed to remain open!
Farrells Field | Celista
A beautiful, community rink that offers a heated skate shack, floodlights and twinkle lights for night skating, and a sound system for music. Skates, helmets, skate assists, hockey nets, and sticks are provided if you need them (and if allowed this year). There is also a communal fire pit, and bringing firewood to contribute is very much appreciated!
Sorrento Blind Bay Park | Sorrento
This great little neighborhood ice rink provides a fun weeknight outing! The rink is lit at night and is easy to get to. I was told by a representative of CSRD that this year, the Sorrento rink is under a new maintenance contract. We are looking forward to the weather getting colder and this close-to-home rink to open!
Silver Creek Community Park | Silver Creek
We have yet to visit the Silver Creek outdoor skating rink! Mainly because I have just recently learned about it. But I plan to bundle the family and lace the skates for a day of fun at this community rink during the Christmas holiday!
6| Search For Santa!
Are you looking for a way for your kids to engage and interact with Santa this year? Me too! On an average year, my kids get to party with Santa at least 5-7 times at different community events and Christmas gatherings! So this year, while Santa is in hiding at the North Pole, I went in search of new ways to be merry & bright with St. Nick!
Get Photos With Santa!
Head to the mall and get your picture taken with Santa Claus! Well, not quite, but this year Picadilly Mall is offering us a full range of Santa’s typical photo set for you to go and take your own pictures! And, the absolutely LOVABLE Christmas train is set up at Santa’s workshop! The classic Lego display is ready to go. They have really decked the halls at our sweet local mall! Over-dressed, super festive, and they are proud of it! Decorations are everywhere! There are 3 “selfie stations” set up throughout the mall for public use. Or even take your hand at editing your own Santa photos……
Pam’s Pictures!
My good friend Pam, here in Blind Bay has been working her magic and creating special keepsakes for us. Her pictures are both whimsical and adorable, and the kid’s eyes light up when looking at them! She may even take your order if you get an email sent to her soon.
Here is Pam’s email: pamela_pikula@hotmail.com
Travel With Santa!
Saturday | December 12 | 2020 | 6pm
The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train is one of our favourite annual Christmas traditions. Sadly this year, we won’t be celebrating its arrival and dancing and singing the night away but we can still enjoy the excitement! This saturday night, the CP Holiday Train is going LIVE on your big screen in your own living room! Tune in, this weekend for all of the festive vibes and Santas big appearance!
Talk to Santa!
Sunday | December 20 |2020
The kids may not get to sit on Santas lap and express their deepest wishes this year but they can talk to him! I remember, one year, I was on a snooze cruise (driving country roads and letting the baby nap in the truck) in Notch Hill and Santa came on the CBC radio! He did an hour long segment, answering kids phone calls. It was the sweetest thing! And I learned a lot about jolly old St. Nicholas! This year, on ‘Cross Country Check Up’ on CBC, Santa is at it again. You can ask Santa Claus anything you want! (parents- you have to prep though, fill out the form first and Santa may call your child). Nonetheless, it is a great broadcast to listen to on our Canadian classic and I loved it!
Here’s the link: Click Here!
7| Imagine The Past!
Perhaps not the ghosts of Christmas past but of the architecture and history of Salmon Arms past! The R.J. Haney Heritage Village and Museum have released a walking tour map showing how Salmon Arm was nearly 100 years ago. There are a total of 38 landmarks on the map with historical information on each of the buildings in relation to the map. I truly believe that this should become a walking, guided tour! I have learned SO much on the adventure and I loved it! Grab a coffee and enjoy a cold-weather winter learning experience in beautiful Salmon Arm!
The full map and information sheet is available on the Salmon Arm museum’s website.
Click Here
Photo Sourced from: Salmon Arm Museum
8 | Celebrate Winter Solstice!
December 21 | 2020
The enchantment of the winter solstice may mean something different to everyone. It marks the beginning of the astronomical winter and is the shortest day and longest night of the year. Traditionally, fire and light help warm the comforts of joy during this celebration!
Whatever it means to you, be sure to look up! For this is a particularly special year. Jupiter and Saturn are getting very close to one another and will look like a double planet on the date of the winter solstice. This is a rare phenomenon known as a “Christmas star.” Wow!
9| Have An Old Fashioned Family Day
What Christmas vacation list would be complete without classic ice fishing, snowmobiling, sliding, and skating on a frozen lake! White lake and Skimikin Lake are among our top winter destinations in the South Shuswap to spend a day delighting in these timeless winter traditions!
10| Walking In A Winter WonderLand!
The Shuswap is full of amazing hiking trails, but what about a simple family or romantic stroll on a light-hearted pathway? A magical forest, a frozen waterfall, expansive lake views, and even some wildlife viewing! Here are a few of my favorite family festive walks in the Shuswap!
The Raven Trail and Christmas Island | Salmon Arm
One of Salmon Arms’ best waterfront, wildlife viewing trails!
Margaret Falls | Sunnybrae
A South Shuswaps magical forest must-do!
Quaaout Lodge Grounds | Little Shuswap Lake
Explore more on the beautiful and traditional grounds!
Syphon Falls | Gleneden Salmon Arm
A short and interesting walk to beautiful waterfalls tucked in the forest.
See more great family hikes and walks here! My Top Five Family Hikes in the Shuswap.
Click Here
A beautiful snowfall walk through the forest
Shuswap Adventure Girl
11| Experience The Nordic Trails!
The winter landscape of the sky, frosted mountains, evergreen forests, and lakes can enliven your spirits! Explore with your family on one of the many marked and safe Nordic trails that the Shuswap has to offer! Snowshoeing is a great beginner’s sport because it takes very little experience and is easy to learn! Pick a gentle trail for the little ones and beginners or a more challenging trail to get an excellent workout! Here is a great selection of snowshoe and X-country skiing trails in the Shuswap!
Skimikin Lake | Tappen Valley
Explore the beauty of the Tappen Valley! Snowshoe or cross-country ski on one of the many short looped Nordic trails near the lake
Farrell's Field | Celista
Enjoy a cheerful family day of outdoor skating and snowshoeing! There is a short but sweet series of nature trail loops in the forest beside the outdoor skating rink.
Skmana Lake Trails | Loakin-Bear Creek Road
There is approximately 18 km of winter Nordic trails around the forest and lake, plus a cute little warming hut to cozy up in and take a break! The snowshoe and cross country ski trails are well marked and user friendly
Balmoral Trails | Blind Bay
If there is enough snow, this trail system offers a beautiful forested canopy and some great viewpoints! Ice cleats can be useful on this trail system in the winter months when the snow is icy and packed down.
Mt. Baldy | Sorrento
I have yet to snowshoe on Mt.Baldy but I have hiked it more times than I know and it remains one of my favorite trails in the Shuswap. I also know that the locals love it in the wintertime! This loved trail offers a great workout on snowshoes and the two spectacular viewpoints are worthy of the sweat!
Tsútswecw Provincial Park | Squilax-Anglemont Highway
An all-time love in the North Shuswap. For a perfect snowfall snowshoe along the Adams River, try the easy Island loop and the lower trail system. This trail system is well marked, easily navigated, and provides light routes to enjoy the beautiful scenery amongst the forest setting
Larch Hills | Near Salmon Arm
Last but not least, the winter wonderland of Larch Hills! With over 170 km of cross-country ski trails and 17 km of snowshoe tracks, Larch Hills is a Nordic dream and there is something for everyone here! Including warming huts on the trail, a heated chalet at the parking lot, and even a dedicated dog trail!
Check out the Shuswap Trail Alliance for specific details and directions to these trails and more!
Click here
Winter in the South Shuswap | Skimikin Lake | Tappen Valley
Shuswap Adventure KIDS
