I love christmas, especially around the area I live in downtown. Vancouver can be really depressing this time of year, and it seems like we’ve had nothing but downpours for the last 2 weeks.  The rain we’ve gotten isn’t breaking records, but it is above normal. Since the weather today was so fabulous (thank you sun for coming out today!!!) I decided to venture out shopping on Robson, and realized how awesome the christmas lights are. Down town they’re everywhere!  The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver’s copper roof is completely lit up with classic white lights. In the low cloud it tends to create a really beautiful foggy glow.

As I went down Robson Street, the whole road was lit up with really white lights in the trees, with ornaments celebrating christmas.

A couple of years ago this was a more common site around Vancouver, with construction cranes everywhere lit up for the holidays. Most of them included signs advertising for construction companies along with their holiday lights, proudly advertising their projects. Unfortunately, times were better then, and construction hasn’t been quite the same in the last 2 years. Few companies are willing to pay the added electrical costs associated with lighting up the cranes and brightening up the city during the dreary wet holidays in Vancouver. But at least this company did. This is the crane for The Patina condominium, under construction by Concert Properties.

Some of the hotels have gotten involved for their visitors, including the Sutton Place Hotel, wishing everyone Season’s Greetings.

The Sheraton Wall Centre lit up its courtyards trees for its visitors, getting into the spirit of the season.

My favorite lights by far in Vancouver are lit up every year as a fundraiser for St. Paul’s Hospital on Burrard Street. The Lights of Hope display are put up every year by firefighters who donate their time to mount the intensive display that includes major scaffolding donated by major fundraisers to the project. The large boards on the side of St. Paul’s says:

Thanks to the generosity of the community, the Lights of Hope fundraising campaign has raised more than $12 million for St. Paul’s Hospital since 1998.  The fundraising campaign helps to support enhanced patient care, research and teaching throughout the hospital.

I love how magical this display is. It takes a lot of effort to put it on every year, and a lot of funds and this year, I’ve heard that the lights will continue beyond christmas and into the Olympics. I think its such a fantastic idea, though I hope that it doesn’t get dwarfed by the Olympics lighting display.

If you want to donate to the Lights of Hope for St. Paul’s, and for more information on the hospital, please click here.