Do your holiday shopping in Pemberton

St. David’s annual Christmas Bazaar is a great place to shop local. As a matter of fact, so are all of the shops around town.

Actually, I’ll bet if you really thought about it, you could buy gifts for everyone on your list right here in Pemberton. But then again, it doesn’t even really take that much thinking.

Right here in Pemberton, you can buy clothes, kitchen wares, hardware, crafts, fancy foods, footwear, sporting goods, certificates for services and plenty more — beats the heck out of heading south to wrangle for bargains.

I hope that while you get into the spirit of supporting local businesses, you’ll also take the time to support our local food bank, a service that has fed nearly 2,000 local adults and children in the last four months. Read on for details on this and other great Pemberton events.

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St. David’s United Church annual Christmas Craft Bazaar takes place Saturday (Dec. 3) at the Meadows Community Centre from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It’s always a great place to buy cool local crafts, hang out with friends and get primed for Christmas in Pemberton.

Need refreshment? St. David’s will be selling lunch, coffee, juice and desserts in the room across the hall from the gym, which is of course where the main event will take place. Items for sale will include pottery, hand-knitted items and jewelry — but that’s just a small sampling.

If you are coming to Pemberton from points south, turn left at the traffic lights when you arrive in Pemberton on Highway 99. Follow this road (Portage) into town. At the roundabout, drive part way around the circle, cross the railway tracks and continue straight ahead to the three-way stop. Turn right and continue on for three or four minutes and you will see the community centre on the left.

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Another opportunity to shop local is at the Crafty By Nature artisan fair on Sunday (Dec. 4) from 1 to 6 p.m. at the Cottonwood Community Centre. The event features live music, a kids craft table and snacks in addition to the handmade works of 12 local artisans.

Jewelry, clothing, hats and art are among the unique treasures to be found at Crafty By Nature. Admission is free.

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Also on Sunday, you can support the grads of 2012 by attending Santa’s breakfast at Pemberton Secondary School from 8:30 to 11 a.m. The cost is $4 per child and $6 per adult. And of course, photos with Santa will be available.

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Never mind decking out the kids. On Sunday it’s time to deck out Fifi, Fido, or any other pets that delight your household for photos with Santa at the Pemberton Fire Hall, 1350 Aster Street.

From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Jolly Old Elf himself will be on hand to pose for pictures with pets by photographer Gabi Moeller. Join Santa and the folks from PAWS (Pemberton Animal Wellbeing Society) for hot dogs and hot chocolate. A minimum $10 donation is requested. And while we know that each and every dog out there is the best dog in the world, please leash him or her, just in case.

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Sea to Sky Community Services warmly welcomes Pemberton, Whistler and the surrounding communities to drop by its Holiday Open House on Wednesday (Dec. 7) from noon to 6 p.m. at 1357 Aster Street in Pemberton.

Bring your children for photos with Santa from noon to 2 p.m. (photos by Gabi Moeller), plus Christmas crafts, festive tunes by B. Daddy and the Coconut, plus hot chocolate and treats sponsored by The Pony.

Stop by to get into the Christmas spirit and learn more about the services and programs that Sea to Sky has to offer for all ages. This registered charity, founded in 1978, provides services to more than 4,000 families in the Sea to Sky corridor each year.

Donations to the Pemberton Food Bank, which is operated by the society, will be gratefully accepted throughout the day. For more information on SSCS programs and services, email community@sscs.ca, call 604-894-6101, or visit www.sscs.ca.

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The Pemberton Food Bank is gratefully accepting donations. Your gift to the food bank can make a difference to families in need right here in Pemberton. Please consider dropping off non-perishable food items or making a tax-deductible cash donation that the food bank can use where it’s needed most.

The Food Bank is located at 1366 Aster Street. It is open from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. every second Monday. If you would like to make a donation, you can call 604-698-5521 to arrange drop-off or pick-up, or call the Pemberton office of Sea to Sky Community Services at 604-894-6101.