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Museum celebrates old-fashioned Christmas

NANAIMO: Museum invites the public to enjoy an old-fashioned family Christmas Dec. 15 from noon to 4 p.m.

Nanaimo Museum invites the public to celebrate the spirit of the Christmas season throughout December.

The month-long event features a schedule of family Christmas activities, donations to the food bank and Christmas shopping to support a good cause.

Families with children will enjoy making do it yourself Christmas crafts in the lobby from noon to 5 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays from Dec. 1-22.

“The Christmas crafts on Friday and Saturday afternoons are a great addition to a museum visit or after Christmas shopping downtown,” said Aimee Greenaway, museum program and volunteer coordinator.

Parents and grandparents can bring children to the museum for an old-fashioned family Christmas experience Dec. 15 from noon to 4 p.m.

“The tradition of generations of families reading Christmas stories together will have a new twist,” said Greenaway.

Storyteller Margaret Murphy shares a classic fairy tale and Christmas story from 1-1:40 p.m.

Children and the young at heart will enjoy playing with toys that were popular 100 years ago, creating a Christmas tree ornament craft and decorating traditional Christmas sugar cookies for a holiday treat.

Admission to the museum in December is free with a monetary donation to the Loaves and Fishes Community Food Bank.

“Collecting cash donations for the food bank allows them to buy what they need,” said Debbie Trueman, museum manager.

Christmas shoppers also have the added bonus of supporting the museum while buying presents and stocking stuffers.

“All proceeds from gift shop sales go directly back into the museum’s education programs and exhibits,” said Trueman. “Our shop is a great place to find gifts that are uniquely Nanaimo like tea towels with the original recipe for the world famous Nanaimo Bar.”

A wide selection of books, jewelry, decorative arts and traditional toys are also available.  The museum and gift shop are easily accessible from Commercial Street, next to Serious Coffee.

For more information please go to www.nanaimomuseum.ca or call 250-753-1821.