Christmas 2014

Eight books by Vernon and area authors to put under the tree this year

VERNON - For die-hard book worms, there’s no greater Christmas gift than a good read. A book, especially one with a personal inscription, makes a thoughtful gift for the book lover in your life. If you’re on the hunt for local titles, we’ve got a few suggestions.  For the fiction lover %%Image1%% Turtle Valley by...

MAP: Where to see the best Christmas lights in Kamloops

KAMLOOPS - Nothing quite says Christmas like thousands of little twinkling lights, and every year our neighbours race to beat the inevitable cold snap to get their displays up and ready for the first snowfall. All right, let’s be honest, some neighbours keep up their lights year-round. But they are not usually the ones who...

IN PHOTOS: It’s not Christmas in Kamloops until you see these things

KAMLOOPS - Christmas is many things to many people but there are a few sights that almost everyone will recognize as symbolic of the holidays. For three weeks every year the B.C. Wildlife Park opens the doors in the evenings so families can take in the tens of thousands of little sparkling lights that make...

22 books from local authors to gift for Christmas

KAMLOOPS - Trends may come and go, but you can almost never go wrong when you give someone special a book for Christmas. Choosing the right book for the right person can be a challenge. But if you'd like to make your gift unique, consider choosing a local author. Whether the person you're shopping for...

Locally-made spirits to get you through the holiday

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - There’s no faster way to get into the spirit of Christmas than with Christmas spirits, and the Thompson-Okanagan has two award-winning local craft distilleries to help with last minute gifts or to keep guests from noticing that overcooked turkey. Urban Distilleries in Kelowna’s north end focuses on vodka, gin and whiskey, and they...

Feast on Thompson-Okanagan fare at the Christmas dinner table

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Our region is a food producing mecca, and with Christmas on the way, what better time to take a look at what we can buy locally to put on the table? We took a look at the region and came up with five opportunities to make that big Christmas meal tasty, healthy, and...

Local handmade holiday gift ideas

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - If you’re hoping to go a less commercial route this holiday season, look no further than the Thompson-Okanagan, a region that boasts numerous handcrafted gifts. From ceramics to sweet treats, there’s surely a gift to be found for every boy and girl — one that keeps you out of box-store lineups to boot....

How Kelowna police saved Christmas for a Salmon Arm family

KELOWNA – A Salmon Arm couple was overwhelmed by the generosity and kindness demonstrated by officers with the Kelowna RCMP detachment. The couple were in Kelowna to spend Christmas with family when their car was broken into Thursday night. Const. Kris Clark says unfortunately the couple had left all their Christmas gifts in their vehicle...

Where to toss your Christmas tree in Vernon

VERNON - The presents are unwrapped and the ornaments packed up. It’s time for the Christmas tree to go. If you’re ready to part with this year’s Christmas tree, here’s the low-down. Trees will not be picked up with residential refuse, but Vernon, Coldstream and BX residents are invited to dispose of them in the...

Regional District offering free Christmas tree chipping

KELOWNA – Disposing of your real Christmas tree certainly isn’t the best part of the holidays, but the Regional District of the Central Okanagan has several locations in Kelowna and West Kelowna offering free tree chipping this year. From Dec. 26 until Jan. 31, drop off spots will be available at the Glenmore Landfill as...

Where to toss your tree after Christmas

KAMLOOPS - Your tree was neatly decorated, the stockings were hung, and the presents were all perfectly wrapped and placed under the tree. Now the presents have been torn open, the stockings sit discarded in the corner and your tree is losing needles every time you turn around. It’s time to clean up after the...