November 20, 2015

a t n a S

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S P O

uswap h S e h T 2015

Meet the Exclusive line of Cake Boss bakeware and servingware

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Canadian Tire 1151 10th Ave. SW • The Mall at Piccadilly, Salmon Arm Store hours: Monday to Friday 8am-9pm • Sat. 9am-6pm to Sun. 9am-5pm

250-832-9600 • Locally Owned & Operated

Santa Shops the Shuswap 2015 • 3

Gifts for HER

KitchenAid Classic Stand Mixer

The 4.5-quart stainless steel mixing bowl with 10 speeds easily mixes, kneads and whips your favorite ingredients.

Available at Canadian Tire

Unique Furniture Make a fashion statement with this modern high heel shoe chair!

Available at The Brick

Designer Clothing

Beautiful clothes for the special woman in your life Available at Victorian Impressions

Festive Finds Make holiday entertaining easy with a gourmet food basket like Hickory Farms.

Available at Pharmasave

Flowers

Choose from a wide variety of potted plants and fresh cut bouquets Available at Askew’s Uptown

Shapeez™ Help her look her most fabulous with the right undergarments that eliminates bra lines and bulges.

Available at Victorian Impressions

Santa brought your Christmas list early

Need inspira

tion?

Come in and see our grea t variety of g ift ideas!

270 Hudson Avenue 250-832-2111

www.pharmasavesalmonarm.com

4 • Santa Shops the Shuswap 2015

Bring old-fashioned Christmas caroling to your neighborhood Christmas carols help set the mood for the holiday season.

Such songs are played in stores to create festive atmospheres for shoppers, and many families play seasonal music as they decorate their homes for the holidays.

Carols were first sung in Europe thousands of years ago during Winter Solstice celebrations. When Christian holidays replaced many of the pagan celebrations, Christian holiday carols replaced the earlier songs.

Before Christmas carols were sung by the general public, they were enjoyed during church services, when they sometimes were performed by official carol singers. However, new carols became popular during the Victorian era, when many ordinary people took to the streets to share holiday joy with others through the gift of song. Wassail, a thick, hot and spiced beverage, often kept carolers warm, and soon wassailing and caroling became intertwined.

Although carols and other

songs are still popular forms of entertainment at school concerts and some religious group events, the classic tradition of

carolers going door-to-door has largely fallen by the wayside. But those who want to bring back this once beloved

Looking for something special?

Come in & check out our great gift ideas!

Corner of Hudson & Alexander

250-804-4755

tradition can take the following steps to do just that.

• Find a caroling group leader. It helps to have someone who has a sense of musicality and pitch to lead the caroling.

Carols are usually sung a capella, so you’ll need a strong singer to guide others and keep them in tune. Recruit a theater or music student or even a member of your church choir. Fill out the rest of the carolers with volunteers who have moderate to strong singing abilities. Of course, you can accept anyone, as it’s more about sharing the joy rather than having a pitchperfect group.

• Choose a neighborhood to visit. Select an established neighborhood where there are likely to be many families and even seniors who will be most receptive to carolers. Place fliers in the mailboxes alerting residents of your caroling plans for those who want to be home to enjoy the free show.

• Promote your plans if you want a larger crowd. If you want to make the caroling a big event, promote your plans

in the local newspaper or in a community bulletin. This way everyone in the community can take in the caroling show.

• Choose a handful of wellknown songs to sing. Your audience will appreciate easily recognizable songs they can sing along with if they choose.

• Print lyric sheets. Although the lyrics to popular songs are widely known, it helps to have them handy if carolers forget verses. Keep extra copies on hand in case others want to join the caroling group.

• Get a sponsor. If you live in a rural area and caroling doorto-door is impractical, see if a local retailer will let you carol outside of his or her store or business. Doing so can set the holiday mood and may generate free advertising and increased business for sponsors.

• Involve youth groups. Kids love the holiday, so including them in your caroling efforts can bring smiles to many faces.

Speak with local youth groups to determine if their members may want to join in your efforts to spread holiday cheer.

Did you know?

Leaving cookies and milk for Santa Claus is a Christmas Eve tradition. Children regularly place a dish of cookies and a glass of milk by the tree on Christmas Eve so that Santa has enough energy to complete all of his gift-giving before kids wake up on Christmas morning. The tradition of leaving cookies out on Christmas Eve may trace its origins to Saint Nicholas. On the feast of St. Nicholas on December 6, children would leave food and drink for the saint and any attendants.

The treats would be exchanged for gifts. While that’s one theory behind the tradition, others think it is linked to the history of the Christmas tree and the edible decorations that adorn it.

Santa would snack on the ornaments. Even after edible decorations gave way to inedible ornaments, the tradition of leaving a snack for Santa remained. Whatever the origins behind the tradition, millions of children dutifully leave milk and cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve.

Santa Shops the Shuswap 2015 • 5

Gifts for EVERYONE The gift of safety Winter tires help keep your loved ones safe during winter driving conditions.

Available at Fountain Tire

Deli Trays Delicious trays are available in many varieties.

Available at Askew’s Foods

Gift Cards Often a go-to gift when other options just do not seem to suffice, gift cards remove the worry about whether or not the item will fit or if it’s the right color or model. Available at Pharmasave

Pies & Baking Great selection of pies for your holiday entertaining Available at DeMilles

Denim Buy their favourite jeans, Wranglers for men and women.

Available at Buckerfields

Interior Decor Unique decor & furniture for homes Available at The Brick

Daniel Chocolates Premium quality chocolates are enjoyed and appreciated by just about everyone. Sweeten someones holiday with gourmet goodies.

Available at Askew’s Uptown

s

a m t s i r h C e f Have a sa ires

inter t w e l b a i l e r With

Seasonal tire storage*

* fee applies

With a good set of tires under your car, you’ll have a safer, more reliable trip and peace of mind every time you’re on the road.

Enjoy maximum performance and security with one of Fountain Tire’s excellent lines of new tires for your car, truck, minivan, SUV, or CUV.

1371A 10 AVENUE S.W. • SALMON ARM (250) 832-1123 Over 140 locations across Canada to serve you! • wwwfountaintire.com

6 • Santa Shops the Shuswap 2015

Christmas Events in the Shuswap m r A n o m l a S Downtown

Mall Events

8, 1 pm Saturday Nov. 2 ve ri D y o /T ee y Matin ional Free Famil at rn te In b u H • ol A Christmas Car 17 rolers. ember 3, 10 & ec D n w o T e gift wrapping, ca s, th n aw o dr y e a iz d pr rs , • Thu Salmon Arm m ng in downtown pi op sh t gh ni e 5 & 12, 11-4 p Lat er b em ec D y a p Saturd Gallery Elves Worksho e th in n o Arm Public Art o n on lm Sa e • After th at crafting for kids Holiday themed am ember 12, 8-11 ec D y a rd tu a S h Santa • Breakfast wit

Piccadilly Mall

• Sat. Dec. 5 @ 11 am Sant Join us for sleighrides

• Sat. Dec. 19, 11 am - 3pm Old Fashioned Family C hristmas Day outdoor sleigh rid

es, strolling carolers, musical entertainment, wrea th making and child ren will enjoy the library story time and old-fashion ed craft making.

urant

ta Bradbury’s Res

0 pm ember 16, @7:3 ec D y a d n o M y Train nment • CPR HolidaLordco Parking Lot. Family entertai rive Located at the & Foodbank D y o /T ee n ti a M ily rance Free Fam istmas • Lakeside Insu pm Arthur’s Chr 1 , 1 2 er b em Monday Dec nth

a Arrives

and Christmas craft s.

Centenoka Mall

• Sat., Nov. 28 @ 10

am

Santa Arrives Children’s Village M arket and Fair 10:00 - 4:00 Kiki the Eco Elf 10:0 0 - 2:00

e mo

ughout th o r Th ss e n lf E ndom Acts of

• Fri. Dec. 4 - Sat. Dec. 5 Christmas Craft Fair 9:30 am - 5: 30

Ra

pm

For all the four legged friends... dq.ca

Give Something Cool, Get Something Sweet

We also have gifts for gardners, wranglers, ropers, riders & mom’s too.

• Lotions • Boots • Wrangler Jeans • Toys • Paint by number.

Come check us out

...on Santa’s Christmas list!

Pet Photo’s with Santa Satu Decem rday 10 am ber 28 - 3 pm Proceed s to a local ch arity

Treat your family, friends, or coworkers to DQ® Gift Cards • Ice cream cakes • Full meals, salads, hot sandwiches • Boxed novelties • Kids meals & more

SALMON ARM STORE 1121 25th Street NE, Salmon Arm 250-832-4246

1771 10th Avenue SW, Salmon Arm

250-832-8424

Store Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8:30 am-5:30 pm • Sat. 9 am-5 pm • Sun. 10 am-4 pm

Santa Shops the Shuswap 2015 • 7

Gifts for KIDS Imaginative Play Classes & Activites Don’t forget that gifts that provide experiences are much appreciated too. Music lessons, gymnastics and art classes are all possibilities.

Classic Melissa and Doug toys provide hours of play time.

Available at Pharmasave

Gingerbread kits

Start a new holiday tradition with these fun themed gingerbread house kits.

Available at Save On Foods

Fun for Everyone Make sure the furry kids have fun this holiday season. Pet toys for your four legged friends Available at Buckerfields

Lego

Special Treats Don’t forget to take a break during the holiday rush and enjoy a treat with your family. Teenagers will apreciate gift cards to their favourite restaurants.

Available at Dairy Queen

From self-serve...

...to full service!

m a e T s a stm

i r h C r u

Yo

The Mall at Piccadilly

These building blocks stimulate creativity and imagination.

Available at Canadian Tire

www.saveonfoods.com • weekly specials • food • nutrition • more rewards • recipes

250 832-2278

8 • Santa Shops the Shuswap 2015

Save energy with holiday decorations

The holiday season allows people to transform their homes into wonderlands of lights, garlands and poinsettias. Each family has its own holiday traditions, and decorations are a part of many of those traditions.

Decorations might be awe-inspiring, but those that include lights often lead to substantially higher energy bills. Fortunately, there are ways for homeowners, whether they prefer subtle displays or more over-the-top arrangements, to save money and still celebrate the holiday season in style.

• Switch to more efficient lights. A great way to ensure holiday displays consume less energy is to change the bulbs being strung. Incandescent lights can use 80 to 90 percent more energy than LED lights.

Gradually replace older light strands with newer, energy-efficient LEDs. Not only do LEDs require less energy, but they also can last longer than incandescent bulbs, meaning you won’t have to replace them as frequently as more traditional bulbs.

Furthermore, lower wattage usage means you can attach more strands of lights together safely.

• Use timers. Timers can be set to turn lights on and off at specific times, ensuring lights aren’t turning on during the daytime or being left on into the night by Alright Claus is ! Mrs. g LOVE t onna his!

forgetful homeowners. Timers also are a good safety precaution. A dark house that is normally lit up can advertise to thieves that no one is home. When lights turn on with a timer, it will create the illusion that it is business as usual in your residence.

• Use homemade decorations. You also can save energy and money by recycling materials into holiday décor. Trim branches from trees and use them in vases for an instant wintry look. Prune an evergreen on your property and make your own wreath with some wire and twine.

Shop yard sales for gently used decorations that still have years of utility left.

Sew ornaments from scraps of fabric or clothing that no longer fits. Each of these ideas reduces reliance on manufactured decorations that consume energy during production and fuel while being transported from factories to store shelves.

• Rely on extension cords. You can extend the length of displays without using more lights by spacing out light strands with extension cords. Intersperse spotlights to add attention to key elements of your display as well.

• Turn off interior lights. If a Christmas tree is illuminating a front window, turn off the lights in your home, as the tree may provide enough light to make a living room or den extra cozy. hese LOVE t big t grea TVs!!

Prepare your home for new gifts Are you ready for the boxes and packages that are set to arrive under the tree? If your home annually bursts with everything from children’s toys to electronics to clothing, it may be time to take inventory and prepare for the gifts that have yet to find their way into your home.

Before the first strand of garland goes up and before you begin thinking about holiday wish lists, set a plan in motion to reduce what you already have in the house.

This project can include the entire family and tie into holiday volunteerism that highlights this season of giving.

There’s a very good chance that your closets are brimming with items that are collecting dust or haven’t seen the light of day in some time. Make these the fist things to go. If something hasn’t been used in a year or more, add it to the donation pile.

Kids’ rooms and play areas may be some of the areas most overrun with belongings.

Children are likely to get many new toys and other gifts throughout the year, so fo-

cus most of your energy on these spaces, cutting kids some slack if they don’t want to part with certain items.

If children are reluctant to part with some of their belongings, stress the point that donating helps others who are less fortunate. Involve kids in the donation process, letting them see where their unused clothes and other supplies will go. This can make giving away older toys less traumatic and more personal.

Adults also should pay attention to any belongings they can spare. Take advantage of holiday donation trucks in the area to clear your home of bulky sweaters, linens, older furniture, or kitchen supplies. These trucks service some well-known charities and associations, and items will be appreciated and put to great use.

Use the weeks prior to the holiday rush to create space for any gifts that might be arriving under your tree before Christmas Day. A little cleaning and decluttering can go a long way toward helping the less fortunate in your community.

Did you know?

…all for you at The Brick!

Locally Owned & Operated! SAVING YOU MORE 1701 10 Ave SW, Salmon Arm • (250) 832-5333

What would Christmas gift-giving be without a tree under which to place the presents?

Tree shoppers have plenty of variety to choose from when selecting that ideal tree. Approximately 21,000 Christmas tree farms exist in the United States, and these farms sell between 30 and 35 million real trees each year. Those who prefer artificial trees can shop for everything from trees that appear to be natural to pastel-hued boughs. The first printed reference to a Christmas tree was made in 1531 in Germany. Since then, Christmas trees have grown in popularity through the centuries.

Santa Shops the Shuswap 2015 • 9

Gifts for HIM

Chair Wine accessories

Get him a comfy place to relax.

Available at The Brick

A wine aerator or new glasses make a unique gift.

Available at Pharmasave

Husqvarna Snowblowers

We know snow!

Available at Woodsman Equipment & Rentals

Snacks

Work Clothes Gift Cards Get him a gift card for a useful store or service.

Available at Save On Foods

Wide selection of rugged clothes, gloves & boots to choose from Available at Woodsman Equipment & Rentals

Get him some of his favourite foods, don’t forget healthy choices like fruit. For a great selection of Mandarin oranges visit DeMilles

s insaw ers a h C • w wblo • Sno ers w • Blo

• Safety C lothin & workbo g • Carhartt ots Clothing

Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

Corner of 30th & Hwy 1 West • 250-832-4045

Mon.-Fri. 8 AM to 5:30 PM Sat. 8 AM to noon www.woodsmanequipment.com

10 • Santa Shops the Shuswap 2015

5 reasons to donate to the food bank this holiday

(NC) Many of us are getting in the giving spirit. One of the most impactful ways people can help their community is by making a donation to the food bank. Here are five reasons why: 1. Food banks help Canada’s most vulnerable populations.

More than 37 per cent of people helped by food banks are children and nearly half of the households helped have children. Some of the primary reasons people turn to food banks include sudden illness of family members, job loss and family breakup. People with physical or mental health issues, indigenous peoples, immigrants and refugees are especially vulnerable to food insecurity.

2. Donations make us feel good.

The benefits of charitable giving are well documented. Psychological benefits include a sense of moral satisfaction, improved self-esteem and a greater sense of human connection, but donating to charity may also have health benefits.

Charitable giving has been linked to decreased blood pressure, reduced stress and increased life expectancy.

3. The majority of food bank support comes from people like you.

Donations of food and funds go a long way to ensuring people in need don’t go hungry. “We are so grateful for the generosity of people across the coun-

try,” says Katharine Schmidt, executive director, Food Banks Canada. “While finding solutions to hunger is a complex undertaking, the support of community food banks is a huge step in ensuring we can relieve hunger today.”

4. Donations have a measurable benefit on communities.

Donations are critical to ensuring food banks are able to keep their doors open and lights on, put gas in the trucks to pick up donations and run essential programs that help individuals and families become more self-sufficient.

More than half of all food banks operate food-focused programs like community kitchens, gardens and nutrition training, and almost 40 per cent of food banks direct clients to other support like employment, housing and healthcare.

5. Making a donation is simple.

“People can easily make a food or financial donation at any Loblaws or Your Independent Grocer.” says Peggy Hornell, senior director of Community Investment. “If everyone in Canada donated just two items at their local store, we could meet the monthly demand on food banks for months to come.” While cash donations give the food bank flexibility to purchase the items they need the most, food donations are also important. More information can be found at foodbankscanada.ca.

Where Santa stops to pick up all his Christmas Fixin’s!

Top items to donate to

• Meals in a can (ste w, chili, soup) • Tuna and canned meat • Peanut butter • Canned foods with pop-top lids

Food Banks

• Low-sugar cereals • 100% fruit juices in single serving boxes • Canned fruit pack ed in juice • Canned vegetables (low salt)

Donations Accep

Second Harvest

360 Alexander St NE, Salmon Arm (250) 833-4011

Join with the Sa

ted at

Salvation Army

441 3 St SW Salm on Arm (250) 832-9194

lmon Arm Obse

rver

Help out the lo

cal Food Banks

How it works:

• From Novem ber 18th to December 11th bring a full ba g (or 2) of non-p erishable, curr en t food items to th e Salmon Arm Observer at 17 1 Shuswap Stre et.

No out-of-date items please!

• Pick a numb ered card from our Christmas Tre e and receive th e corresponding gift or gift cert ificate (Minimum $2 0) • All gifts and gift certificates are donated by loca l merchants

How

does San

ews, s & entertainment? n l a c o l t ta get informed abou a rt sports, IFT

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BC Organic* Christmas Trees

* Not certified yet

THEY LOVE S IS CHRISTMA

TH

Order your fresh or frozen turkey!

3710 Trans-Canada Highway West, Salmon Arm • 1-250-832-7550

Open 8 am-6:30 pm Daily www.demilles.ca

Grandpa’s Mandarins arriving soon!

Only grower direct citrus in town

Apples... of Course

Call 250.832.2131 to set up a gift subscription now!

171 Shuswap St. Salmon Arm Only $44.50 per year www.saobserver.net

Santa Shops the Shuswap 2015 • 11

The benefi ts to buying local this holiday season Holiday shopping dominates many people’s free time between the day after Thanksgiving and the final days before Christmas. While many people may shop ‘til they drop on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, those days still account for a relatively small amount of the hundreds of billions of dollars that are spent each holiday season.

Shoppers now have a bevy of options at their disposal as they embark on holiday shopping season. Traditional in-store retailers are still around, and online shopping continues to grow in popularity with each holiday season. But many holiday shoppers are looking to buy local this holiday season, and such a decision can pay a host of dividends for both shoppers and the communities they call home.

• Buying local benefits your local economy. Studies from Civic Economics, an economics and strategics planning firm, found that independent, locally-owned retailers return a far greater percentage of their revenue into their local economies than national chain stores. One such study examined the disparity between revenue recirculation among independent, locallyowned businesses in Raleigh, North Carolina, versus four major national chains in the city. The former recirculated 51.1

percent of revenue into the local economy, while the latter recirculated less than 14 percent. Similar results were discovered in many cities, indicating that buying local not only benefits local business owners, but also the communities those owners and their customers call home.

• Buying local creates jobs in your community. One of the biggest ways local business owners in Raleigh recirculated their revenue in the local economy was job

Santa reflects on the past!

Merry Christmas We will be closed Dec. 25 - 27 & Jan. 1 - 3, 2016. ◆ Darts ◆ Shuffleboard ◆ Pool – Anytime! ◆ Meat Draws Saturdays at 2 pm ◆ Members & bonafide guests welcome OPEN 11:00 A.M. • www.legion62.ca

Royal Canadian Legion

Branch #62 ~ 141 Hudson St. NW, Salmon Arm ~ 832-3687

creation. While national chains also create jobs, such jobs only benefit your community if the chains are located within your community. If your local mall is a considerable drive away, chances are the chains within that mall are not employing many of your fellow community members. Local businesses in your community are more likely to employ residents of your town.

• Shopping local may provide access

to more unique gifts. In addition to the economic benefits of buying local, shoppers may find merchandise made by local craftsmen is more unique than massproduced items found on the shelves of national retailers. Recipients may cherish more unique items that they cannot find on their own, and that appreciation may even spur them to visit more local retailers after the holiday season has come and gone, benefiting their own communities in so doing.

• Local business may provide a more personal touch. Buying from national chains has its advantages, but customer service is not always one of them. Should your loved ones encounter problems with their gift that requires assistance, they might be forced to wait on the phone for extended periods of time as they and thousands of others wait for customer service representatives to answer their calls.

Local businesses do not deal with nearly the volume of customers as national retailers and, therefore, are capable of addressing concerns more quickly and personally than large chains.

Buying local not only benefits small business owners, but it also pays dividends for their customers and the communities they call home.

Activities for your kids to do over winter break

(NC) When kids are home for the holidays, keeping them entertained while cooking, and preparing your house for guests can be a difficult task. Instead of plopping them in front of the television for hours on end, plan some activities that will not only keep them busy but will also help make a difference in the community and the world around them: Have your child help plan a family meal: Let them write the list and come shopping with you to make them feel a part of the holiday planning process. If they’re creatively inclined, have them decorate the table or write up menus.

Let them help other kids: Talk with your children about kids who have less than they do. Brainstorm ways they can earn money to help those in need.

For fun ways to help other kids look at sites like worldvision.ca/gifts, which has donations like soccer balls, feeding a hungry Canadian family and school supplies for children in need overseas.

Write cards to teachers: Take part of an afternoon for your children to write special cards for their teacher. Encourage them to thank their teacher for two or three specific things this year.

Share stories together: Look for tales which reinforce the message you’re trying to give, like The Gift of the Magi in which two young people give up their most treasured possessions for one another.

Askew’s has everything Santa needs for holiday entertaining!

• Large selection of imported & domestic cheese • Gift baskets available • Exclusive retailer of Daniel’s Premium Chocolates • Party trays • Festive fresh cut flowers, bouquets & arrangements

Quality & Service Since 1929 Salmon Arm Downtown • 832-2064 8 am to 7 pm Sat to Thurs 8 am to 9 pm Fri

Salmon Arm Uptown • 832-7622

Armstrong • 546-3039

Sicamous • 836-4899

8 am to 10 pm 7 days a week

8 am to 7 pm daily 8 am to 9 pm Thurs & Fri

8 am to 9 pm 7 days a week