HRISTMAS SPECIAL EDITOR CHANTELLE DEACON THE VOICE, FRIDAY, DEC. 2, 2016 7 = Hav ela ‘lt yatrolley'C = pate a i ES ristmas SUBMITTED photo The Vancouver Trolley Company has a trolley just for the month of December that caters to Christmas while guests sing Karaoke to Christmas carols. Tourists and Vancouver locals can now ride and sing along for the month of December By CHERYL WHITING hristmas karaoke while riding a holiday trolley is just one of many things that Vancouverites can do this season to get in the holiday spirit. The attraction allows participants to sing group Christmas carols while en- joying a ride through numerous Christ- mas light displays around Vancouver, including Stanley Park and VanDusen Botanical Gardens Festival of Lights. Meghan Neale, the marketing direc- tor of the Vancouver Trolley Company, said most people really enjoy the Christmas carol singing. “We don’t single out anybody to sing like a regular karaoke bar it’s the group singing together. Some of them have tambourines and noise makers and stuff they hand out as well,” she said. Neale said that unlike the company’s other tours, it’s mostly locals that at- tend the Christmas karaoke event. “Tt’s something to do when your fam- ilies are in town. I think for the locals it’s just an easy way to be able to get to all these places without having to drive, or worry about parking.” Pat Campbell has driven the trolley since 2010 and did the Christmas route last year. “My favourite for the Christmas ka- raoke is all the enthusiasm of the peo- ple on the bus singing Christmas carols driving around the city,” he said. Phil Ness, from Washington State, holidays regularly in Vancouver. He said he has never taken the trolley and wouldn’t pay to go on the tour. “T don’t mind light shows, karaoke doesn’t impress me at all. My deal is I wouldn’t spend the $40 to do something like that because we enjoy walking around the city,” he said. “It’s [Vancou- ver] a marvellous town to visit, but not for something like that.” Sheila Brechin, a long-time Vancou- ver resident, said years ago she hired a 66 limo with friends to go around to see ? the Christmas lights. We don't “It’s lots of fun to do things like that. sing le out And you don’t have to find parking,” anybody she said. “Quite possibly [I will go], IfI . f can get my husband to do it, that’s al- to sing like ways the problem.” a regular Neale said in the future additional light shows might be added to the tour, karaoke including the new Enchant Christmas bar Light Maze and Market near Olympic Village. “If Enchant is here next year and the year after as well for sure,” she said. “We'll see how they do.” MEGHAN NEALE MARKETING DIRECTOR KRISTYN ANTHONY photo (Top) Holiday beverage made by Glowbal Restaurant Group. (Bot- tom) mistletoe on B.C. made vodka. . Holiday flavours for you to savour Mixoligists across Van- couver are busy creating many new cocktails for the trendy Vancouver social By KRISTYN ANTHONY Christmas or not, the one thing most people can agree on is that it’s the one time of year when it’s com- pletely acceptable to get into the booze. It is no secret that Van- couver’s craft cocktail scene is booming. With craft distilleries pop- ping up all over the province, cocktails, both classic and mod- ern, are back in a big way. At the Vancouver Christmas Market, Ra- chel von Hahn was pour- ing samples from the award- winning Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery. “We have everything | from fruit liqueurs to fruit brandies, as well as vodka and gin,” von Hahn said. “People normally like fruit liqueurs the most, they’re fruity and really easy to drink so it’s just I does not matter if you’re into something that a lot of people can en- joy.” For those who want to try their hand bartending at home, von Hahn sug- gests pre-made cocktail kits for clas- sics like Kir oyals or Moscow Mules. “People really like that,” she said. “It comes with a little tag that shows you how to make them so they’re perfect stocking stuffers.” At Glowbal Restaurant Group down- town, bar manager Matteo Caniglia is gearing up for a busy holiday season. “People like classic cocktails around the holidays,” Cani- glia said. “Anything rye- based, or warmer cock- tails, with an espresso base.” With a daily cocktail hour, and prime loca- tion for Christmas shoppers and tourists, a fireside seat inside or on the patio is the per- fect place to sip one of Glowbal’s signature drinks. The popularity of cocktails in Vancouver is clear be- cause of many restau- rants specializing in mixed drinks. Pop-up res- - taurants like, Reflections: _— The Garden Terrace, are de- signing new Christmas cock- tails. KRISTYN ANTHONY photo Matteo Caniglia mixing holiday beverages at Glowbal Restaurant Group in Vancouver, B.C.