There’s no sense in denying it any longer. The holidays are coming at us like nobody’s business. I usually try to ignore the first signs of the impending season, turning a blind eye to the Christmas trees that appear in shop windows the day after Hallowe’en. I just don’t want to overdose on holiday spirit (or shortbread, or mulled wine, or Andy Williams tunes) before the actual day is upon us. It just ruins everything.
But yes, the madness has begun. I came to terms with this when I stepped into Metrotown Mall in Burnaby on Saturday and was practically flattened by shoppers, carols, and garlands. The season is upon us like stripes on candy canes.
My reason for venturing into Metrotown on a Saturday had nothing to do with Christmas shopping, though. I’d been invited to read and sign books at the Grand Opening of IndigoKids, the revamped children’s section you’ll find in Chapters stores across the country. And let me say, the staff at Chapters Metrotown know how to throw a grand opening party. When I arrived, throngs of kids were test-driving child-sized cars, lounging on bean bag reading chairs, and having their faces painted. The tireless staff, dressed as superheroes (!!), had an entire day of activities planned, including scavenger hunts and cookie decorating.
For my part, I had great fun chatting with all the pirate-loving kids and listening to their thoughts on what would make the best pirate treasure (my favourite answer being, “A credit card!”). So I’m sending out big thanks to Travis and all the other Chapters superheroes who made the day possible. If you’re in Metrotown, you should go say hi. They’re good people.
And since we’re on the topic of holiday shopping, here’s an idea for the book lover on your list. Puffin (UK) has released some limited editions of beautiful children’s classics like Treasure Island and The Secret Garden. So if you’ve got, say, £100 to spare, place your order asap. The Secret Garden’s already sold out!
