Carols and Their Shady Past The origin of Christmas car- ols with a performance by Gerald van Wyck and the Pacific Spirit Quartet Dec. 11, 10:30am, Silk Purse Arts Centre, West Van _~ lickets $10/8, for more information call 604.925.7292 A Christmas Gift The Richmond Chorus pres- ents its traditional concert of Christmas music and readings Dec. 13, 8pm and Dec. 14, 3pm, Gilmore Park United Church Tickets $15/12/6, for more information call 604.276.2747 The Snow Queen Langley Players present a Christmas family show based on the Hans Christian Anderson story To Dec. 14, Shadbolt Centre for the Arts For more information call 604.534.7469 Christmas at the Act The Maple Ridge Choral Society presents an afternoon concert Dec. 14, 2:30pm, Maple Ridge Arts Centre and Theatre Tickets $12/10, for more information call 604.465.8038 Christmas Concert Maillardville’s francophone choir, Les Echos du Pacifique, celebrates its 30th anniversary with a Christmas concert Dec. 14, 7pm, Notre-Dame- de-Lourdes Church, Coquitlam Tickets $5, for more informa- tion call 604.218.8248 Alleuluia! A Gallery Singers Christmas The Gallery Singers present a range of 15th-century Spanish Christmas music, modern carols, and new arrangements of familiar melodies Dec. 14, 3pm, Holy Trinity Anglican Church Tickets $15/10, for more information call 604.588.6934 Share the Light! Ronald McDonald House presents a ceremonial tree lighting with members of the Vancouver Chamber Choir. Proceeds from the sale of lights ($12 each) will benefit families with children fighting cancer or other life-threaten- ing illness Dec. 16, 6pm, Ronald McDonald House For more information visit The Christmas Spirit Vagabond Players presents Elwoodettes Marionettes in a puppet musical Dec. 17-19, 22-23 at 7pm, Dec. 20-21, 26-31 at 2pm, Bernie Legge Theatre, New Westminster Tickets $9/6, for more infor- mation call 604.521.0412 Frosty the Snowman Theatrix Youtheatre Society presents a Christmas tale fea- turing Frosty, Charlie Brown, and Santa Dec. 17—20, 7pm, Dec. 20-21, 1pm, Terry Fox Theatre, Port Coquitlam Tickets $10/5, for more information call 604.939.6992 Your Unwanted Tattoo Can Help the Needy this Christmas Tattoo removal service with half of all proceeds going to the Union Gospel Mission Until Dec. 20, Reviva Medical Laser Clinic, Richmond For more information call 604.233.0878 Hip Hop 4 Hunger Christmas banquet with live entertainment and DJs. Please bring any donation or nonperishable food items Dec. 20, 3-10pm (Dinner), 11pm (Dance), Don Bosco Youth Centre, Surrey Free admission, for more information call 604.585.0722 Sing Along Messiah Bruce Pullan directs the choir, audience, and Vancouver Symphony in a performance of Handel’s Messiah Dec. 21, 2:30pm, Orpheum Theatre Tickets $25 (plus service charges and fees) at Ticketmaster, 604.280.3311 If We All Sing One Song The Vancouver Children’s Choir presents a UNICEF winter solstice event Dec. 22, 8pm, Chan Centre for the Performing Arts Admission $20 (plus service charges and fees) at Ticketmaster, 604.280.3311 For more information call 604.682.6363 December 10, 2003 Nature Comes to Light Christmas fantasy light show with 150,000 lights To Dec. 30 (closed Dec. 24-25), 5:30—9:30pm, Richmond Nature Park Minimum donation $2, for more information call 604.718.6188 Festival of Lights Seasonal light display and fes- tivities including a charity candle shrine, Santa’s work- shop, and choral music from local choirs To Dec. 31 (closed Dec. 25), 5—9pm, VanDusen Botanical Garden Admission $3.25—6.50, for more information visit It’s Snowing on Saltspring The Arts Club Theatre pres- ents Nicola Cavendish’s holi- day classic, starring Patti Allan, Jennifer Clement, Bob Frazer, Stephen E. Miller, and Suzi Payne To Dec. 31, Arts Club Theatre For more information call 604.687.1644 Heritage Christmas 2003 Experience a traditional Burnaby Christmas with fes- tive lights and traditional ornaments, vaudeville come- dy, crafts, stories, baking, music, and exhibits To Jan. 3, Burnaby Village Museum & Carousel For more information call 6040.293.6500 or visit < www.city.burnaby.be.ca/> Bright Nights in Stanley Park The Vancouver park board and the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund present its annual train ride To Jan. 3 (closed Dec. 25), 3-10pm, Stanley Park Tickets at Ticketmaster, 604.280.4444, for more infor- mation visit The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Pacific Theatre presents a 20h anniversary production of C.S. Lewis’s children’s classic about a magical world at the back of a wardrobe To Jan. 4, Norman Rothestein Theatre For more information call 604.731.5518 Clothing Drive The Canadian Coast Guard presents its annual clothing drive. Clothes and blankets needed. Items may be dropped off in the red bin at the front gate or given to crewmembers To Jan. 15, open 24 hours a day, Kitsilano Coast Guard Station For more information call 604.666.1840 Amanda Aikman Culture Editor S (This Week In History... December 11, 1976: KISS guitarist Ace Frehley is nearly electrocuted during a con- cert in Florida when he touches a short-circuited light. He is car- ried from the stage but returns ten minutes later to finish the show. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—screw firefighters, rock stars are the real heroes. Sales Page 10 « http://www.otherpress.ca little December 13, 1985: Phil Collins makes his US televi- sion acting debut, playing a drug dealer on Miami Vice. 1 imagine it must have been a lucrative field for him, I mean who wouldn’t need to get high with that creepy pseudio”ing around in a pastel sports jacket. man “Pseu-pseu- December 14, 1972: Alexander’s department store in New York stays open especially late so Alice Cooper, wearing sil- ver pants and a “Paul Lives” but- ton, can do his Christmas shop- ping. Alice Cooper already has silver pants and a “Paul Lives” button? Well, it’s a good thing I kept the receipt, I swear, he gets harder and harder to shop for every year. ~ a