Holiday Season of Lights

Once Victoria’s signature flower baskets come down from the city’s lampposts in the fall, it is not long until they are replaced with Christmas decorations and lights. The season of winter rarely brings snow to Victoria, but it does bring Christmas and holiday charm. Take a horse-drawn trolley ride along Victoria’s streets to experience the light displays and festivities around every corner.

A visit to Victoria’s world-famous Butchart Gardens at Christmastime is an annual tradition for many. Beautiful in any season, the gardens supply more than just poinsettias in December as they become a lavish display of lights and magic. Butchart Gardens staff prepare all year for Christmas. Hundreds of hours are spent making decorations such as cedar swags, decorative balls, ribbons and more. In October, the installation of more than one hundred thousand coloured lights begins. Sixty percent of the lights are the kind you can buy in stores, the rest are either custom-made at the gardens or specially-made by the manufacturer. The Butchart Gardens’ feature attraction is the “Twelve Days of Christmas”. Every year, another “day” is added and brought to life in lights; the result is truly magical.

Victoria’s Legislature Buildings are illuminated all year long by 3,333 white lights, but during the first week of December, residents and visitors gather in the Inner Harbour as the landmark’s major cupola (or dome) is officially lit with red and green for the Christmas season. The 750 lights are changed by a single person harnessed in a “cherry-picker” sling who repels down the exterior of the building from the top of the cupola. The Legislature Buildings’ official light-up also includes 1,000 coloured lights on the California sequoia which stands tall on the front lawn.   

Every December, Victoria’s sea-faring history is highlighted, as selected warships at Her Majesty’s Canadian Dockyard, CFB Esquimalt, are also decorated with festive lights for the Annual Ships’ Christmas Lighting Contest. Admission to the dockyard is by donation to a local food bank and visitors can vote for their favourite ship. 

The historic Fairmont Empress Hotel hosts the annual Festival of Trees. Fifty-five trees are raised throughout the grand hotel and decorated by local businesses and organizations competing for the title of best tree. Stroll the lobbies and main hallways of the hotel throughout the month of December to view the wealth of creativity. A twoonie ($2 CDN coin) allows you to vote for your favourite tree and all funds raised are donated to charity.