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What's happening in New West this weekend? Top picks for Dec. 21 to 23

1. Grab a coffee and a hot chocolate and take a walk around the city to check out this year’s Christmas lights displays.
Christmas lights
Product Care Recycling has a program in place that allows Christmas lights of all types to be recycled in New Westminster,

1. Grab a coffee and a hot chocolate and take a walk around the city to check out this year’s Christmas lights displays. While residents throughout the city have gone all out this year with their light displays, Queen’s Park, Glenbrook North and Quayside are among our favourite places to enjoy a stroll. (Two must-see homes are at 609 Robson St. – just off Sixth Street – where Adrian Fehr and his family have once again gone all out, and 117 Seventh Ave. – where “the Santa house” seems to be even more merry than usual.)

2. Step into a winter wonderland at the Winter Celebrations at Anvil Centre, featuring music, festivities like a labyrinth, interactive arts, concerts and more. Running until Dec. 29 (except Dec. 24, 25 and 26 when Anvil Centre is closed), Winter Celebrations take place from 1 to 7 p.m. (with everything wrapping up at 9 p.m.) at 777 Columbia St. For a list of all events (including some performances requiring tickets), go to anvilcentre.com.

3. Check out Unity of Spirits: Surprising Screens, the latest exhibition in the Community Art Space on the third floor of Anvil Centre, 777 Columbia St. The exhibition, featuring colourful, screen-printed images by artists who are associated with the Union Gospel Mission, is on until Feb. 9. Anvil Centre is normally open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but has later hours this week because of Winter Celebrations.

4. Pick up some tasty treats for the holidays at the Christmas bake sale at Holy Eucharist Church hall, where you’ll find delicious Ukrainian traditional breads (kolachi), fresh pies, frozen perogies and cabbage rolls, and Ukrainian sausage. It’s on Saturday, Dec. 22 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 501 Fourth Ave.

5. Enjoy a night of song at Christmas Reprise XVI, the Vancouver Cantata Singers’ holiday performance featuring traditional and contemporary music in celebration of the season. It’s on Saturday, Dec. 22 at 7:30 p.m. at Queens Avenue United Church, 529 Queens Ave. Tickets are $35 regular, $15 for students and $10 for youth (under 18), and are available at christmasreprisenewwest.eventbrite.com.

Email your Top 5 ideas to [email protected] or [email protected]. You can also check out our full arts and events calendar listings on our website's homepage at www.newwestrecord.ca.