gifts art food & cheer
The December sky holds the same stars we've looked up at for our entire lives. Our island has sat in the same spot for many lifetimes. Like that sky, like our island, our traditions reassure us that some things will always be the same.
Pulling out a family recipe (and buying those ingredients in Snug Cove) can take us back to a time when we were with the same people we are with now, but at a time when we barely reached the kitchen counter. That recipe becomes a thing that reassures us.
On a different island doing the same work selling advertising, I once stepped into a kitchen shop and found myself telling the owner my mom once bought a pink garbage pail at her shop and gave it as a Christmas gift to my grandmother. My grandmother loved pink so much she painted her kitchen walls pink and even painted her broom handle pink. The shop owner said, 'Oh god. I remember your mother and I remember how excited she was when I told her we had a pink pail!' My mom had passed years before but there she was alive with me again in that shop.
This is all to say that when we hear that familiar refrain about shopping locally it's so much more than that. My mom once called me when she was about my age now and told me it's the simple things in life that mean something. I thought it was kinda funny at the time. Now I know it's true and it's those simple things that seem to be the things that will always be the same.
Happy holidays and shop local! from all of us at the Undercurrent
Holiday Events on Bowen
NOVEMBER 26 TO DECEMBER 31
Art Market @the Hearth Daily from 11 to 5 pm (closed Tuesdays) and Fridays till 8 pm hearth.ca
NOVEMBER 26
Little Red Church Christmas Craft Fair local crafters and treats. 10am 2pm.Collins Hall
NOVEMBER 27
Christmas Craft Fair at the Legion Local crafts, gift basket raffle, Pet Photos with Santa fundraiser for CAWES 12 4 pm
DECEMBER 2
Ladies Madrigal Singers present 'Sounds of Christmas' Cates Hill Chapel 7 pm Tickets at door
DECEMBER 3
Camp Bow Isle Craft Fair 871 Green Rd More info at 604 947 2500
DECEMBER 3
LIGHT UP BOWEN 6 pm Lantern parade, lCove light up, and visits with Santa at the Hearth! See page 33 for details.
DECEMBER 4
CSA Christmas Craft Fair An Island Tradition since 1984! 10 3 pm The Youth Craft is back this year upstairs 10 Noon BICS GYM
DECEMBER 9 10 and 11
The Magic of Christmas at Endswell Farm Lights, Santa and Mrs Clause marshmellow roasting and more. See page 11 for details.
DECEMBER 10
Bowen Island Community Choir annual 'Christmas Concert' Cates Hill Chapel 2 pm and 7 pm Tickets at door and Cates Pharmacy
DECEMBER 10
Martinis with Santa at Doc Morgan's live music 7 pm til late.
DECEMBER 10
Family Style Christmas Dinner Danish roast pork dinner with all the trimmings 6 10 pm at Bowen Cider House Details & tickets online at www bowenciderhouse ca
DECEMBER 11
Breakfast and photos with Santa at Bowen Island Community School 10 12 pm A fundraiser for BICS PAC Watch for poster on ticket details
DECEMBER 11
The Knick Knack Nook Children’s Shopping Day 12 to 2pm An event for children ages 3 12 to choose gifts for their families More info at knicknackknook org
DECEMBER 11
A Christmas Carol.. The 24th annual dramatic reading of Charles Dickens' classic Christmas tale, 7:30pm at Collins Hall, with Scrooge, Tiny Tim, lots of ghosts, Tina Nielsen, Martin Clarke, Kat Stephens, Graham Ritchie and Marc Gawthrop. Music, hot drinks and munchies. Tickets $25 at Cates Pharmacy
Holiday Events on Bowen
DECEMBER 11
DANISH BRUNCH & CRAFT FAIR 11 am to 5 pm
Crafts, Music, Christmas Market and Traditional Holiday Fare including Æbleskiver at Meadbrook Market and Bowen Cider House www bowenciderhouse ca
DECEMBER 11
Rivendell Retreat Centre Open House Enjoy silence during the hectic holiday season rivendellretreat.org
DECEMBER 16
SKÅL COCKTAIL PARTY Friday December 16th 6 8 pm Bowen Cider House festive cocktails with tasty treats from Meadowbrook Market Details & tickets online at www bowenciderhouse ca
DECEMBER 17 and 18
Theatre on the Isle presents BRIEFS II This selection of short scenes, comedy, poetry, music, t more will cap off your holiday season in true local Bowen style! At the Legion 19yrs+ Tickets at the Hearth and eventbrite.ca
DECEMBER 21
A Child's Christmas in Wales read by Martin Clarke with music by Bob Ducet at the Snug 6:3O pm Please bring a donation for the food bank
the holidays at Bowen Rec
Dec 2 Midwinter Murder Mystery Ages 19+ 6:30 10pm Dec 4 Midwinter Murder Mystery Ages 15-18 4:30 7pm Dec 8 Holiday Wine Tasting 6:30 9pm Dec 15 Holiday Cookie Exchange 4:30-6:30pm Dec 20 Holiday Camp: King Tut Exhibition 9-4pm Dec 21 Holiday Camp: Makers & Baker 9 4p Dec 22 Holiday Camp: West Van Swimming Pool 9 3pm
Christmas Church Services
CATES HILL CHAPEL
Saturday December 24th 6:00 pm Cates Hill Chapel Candle Light Christmas Eve Service everyone welcome!
BOWEN ISLAND UNITED CHURCH
Saturday December 24 1122 Miller Road Christmas Eve, no regular morning Service at 10:30am Two services Christmas Eve; 5pm children and families, and 9pm
SAINT GERARD'S CATHOLIC CHURCH
Christmas Mass 9:30 December 25
Pet photos with Santa
A fundraiser for CAWES
Bowen Island Legion craft fair
SUNDAY NOV 27 NOON - 4 PM
17 tables of locally produced crafts, gift basket raffle, pet photos with Santa and lunch offered by BIFC as a fundraiser
Holiday Bakers
Natasha's Chewy Chocolate macaroons (dairy & gluten free)
2 cups un sweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup Coconut milk
1/4 cup Maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup (6 ounces) dark chocolate
1/4 tsp Sea salt
Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl, whisk together coconut and salt. In a small bowl, mix together coconut milk, maple syrup and extract. In the microwave or a double broiler, melt the chocolate mixing frequently, until chocolate is melted. Stir the chocolate and coconut milk mixtures into the shredded coconut. Scoop the batter in tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheet. Make sure each tablespoonful is tightly packed. They will not spread on the baking sheet so they may be placed close together. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the tops of macaroons are dry. Enjoy!
Natasha Currah, of Sweat Technique Bowen Island
We love these Norwegian cookies because they are so yummy and you can fill them with whatever you want "
Piper Ema and Harper
IPS Students
Holiday Bakers
Marie's Holiday Cherry Cheesecake Cupcakes
24- paper muffin cups
1 package round vanilla wafers
1 C Sugar
3 x 8 oz pks cream cheese
4 eggs
2t lemon juice
1 can cherry pie filling
Preheat oven to 350Degrees. Mix sugar, cheese, eggs & lemon juice until smooth.
Line muffin tins with muffin cups. Add a vanilla wafer to each.
Spoon cream cheese mix over wafers and fill ¾ full. Bake for 20 minutes
When cool top with cherry pie filling. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Note: for a more festive touch add some cooked cranberries to the cherry. Cheers ….Marie
Marie Neys, Bowen artist and art instructorThis is my favourite cookie recipe, I make these every holiday and they are unbelievably popular I am always asked for the recipe! My mother used to make large cookies but I make small hearts and bears so you can eat a few (or more). The secret is to roll the the dough to the right thickness too thin and they burn and too thick and they are gooey. The egg wash and sugar/cinnamon make them crispy and the almond keeps them from puffing. They are SO good and we will have them at Meadowbrook this season!
Langmann, Bowen Cider House
Fabulous Finds on Bowen
Bowen Beer and Wine Store Ruddy Potato
Doc Morgan's Pub & Restaurant Caboose Guest House
Sangre De Fruta Botanical
Out of the Blue
The Magic of Christmas at Endswell
Community Choir
CSA Craft Fair at BICS Sweat Technique Branch
Bowen Island Fishing Charters
Bowen Building Centre
Morning Star Woollen Bowen Christmas Hamper
Shed at Home
The Real Rapunzel
Riley's Cidery Snug and Artisan Eats
Bowen Island Neighbourhood Pub Bowen Island Neighbourhood Pub
Lenny Gagnon, artist & seamstress
Bowen Sushi Kathy Clarke, jewelry
Arts Pacific Gallery
Christie Grace, jeweler musician
Die Goldschmiede, jeweler
Shana Richmond, Realtor
Marie Neys Fine Arts
Cocoa West Chocolatier
Artisan Suites Hotel
Bowen Island Tattoo Shop Movement Global Design Shed at Bowen Golf
Hearth Gallery
Alderwood Specialty Shop
Hearth Gallery
Phoenix Books Toys Gifts Catching Stars Gallery Neat Knick Knack Nook Legion Craft Fair Island Pacific School First Credit Union Island Pacific School
on Bowen Light Up Bowen Mary Lynn Machado, Realtor Bowen Cider House & Meadow Brook Market