Ring in the Christmas spirit - on the first day of December - at holiday celebrations in Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam.
Revellers can spread the light and warmth of the season at A Lantern Affair, a free annual event on Saturday hosted by Place des Arts, Mackin House Museum and Gare de Fraser Mills Station Museum at Carré Heritage Square (1120 Brunette Ave.) from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Make a multicultural lantern, join in the arts and crafts workshops and stock up on Christmas swag at Place des Arts. Mackin House is offering hot apple cider, gingerbread decorating and storytelling, among other things, while Gare will have a reading of The Night Before Christmas by Father Christmas himself.
The event is sponsored in part by The Tri-City News. For more information, visit www.placedesarts.ca.
Also on Dec. 1, Port Coquitlam's Leigh Square Community Arts Village will kick off the festive month with the fifth annual winter artisans fair in The Outlet from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (it also runs Dec. 2 from noon to 4 p.m.).
This year's goodies up for grabs include paintings and photo prints, artisanal coffee beans, handmade knitwear, retro aprons, pottery, children's books, jewellery and organic soaps and skin products.
Young attendees can decorate cookies, have photos taken with Santa Claus and hear a seasonal story while adults can sip hot cider and listen to the entertainment from the bandshell, which starts at 4:15 p.m.
And at 4:30 p.m., there will be the annual lighting ceremony in the square. For more information, call 604-92707935.
