Holidays

Justin Eveline and his wife, Amy Bracken. The couple, known for their generosity, redirected GoFundMe donations given to Eveline after he broke his leg to fund a Christmas dinner for the homeless in Salmon Arm. (Contributed)

After breaking leg, B.C. man to pay kindness forward to people in greater need

Justin Eveline to host Christmas Eve dinner for those living rough

Justin Eveline and his wife, Amy Bracken. The couple, known for their generosity, redirected GoFundMe donations given to Eveline after he broke his leg to fund a Christmas dinner for the homeless in Salmon Arm. (Contributed)
This photo shows certified dog behavior consultant Gabrielle Johnson with her dogs on Oct. 11 in Richmond, Va. Johnson said a little preparation goes a long way for people bringing their pets along on holiday home stays with loved ones. (Josh Mark Rickey via AP)

Bringing a dog along for a holiday stay? Make sure to plan

Tensions can be dialed way down with a little preparation

This photo shows certified dog behavior consultant Gabrielle Johnson with her dogs on Oct. 11 in Richmond, Va. Johnson said a little preparation goes a long way for people bringing their pets along on holiday home stays with loved ones. (Josh Mark Rickey via AP)
Sunta Sem, seen in an undated handout photo, is a Toronto private chef and caterer who sells meals through the Cookin app. Sem will swap sweet potatoes for other root vegetables like parsnips or when preparing food with greens, opt for Boston lettuce, which she says hasn’t risen in price too much. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Cookin

Hosting a holiday dinner? Here are some cost-saving tips

‘It’s crazy, like you need a mortgage to go to the grocery store right now’

Sunta Sem, seen in an undated handout photo, is a Toronto private chef and caterer who sells meals through the Cookin app. Sem will swap sweet potatoes for other root vegetables like parsnips or when preparing food with greens, opt for Boston lettuce, which she says hasn’t risen in price too much. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Cookin
Employees and their guests attend the holiday dinner and karaoke party for Ajinomoto Health and Nutrition North America employees Friday, Dec. 9, 2022, in Schaumburg, Ill. Say goodbye to virtual wine tasting, and practice your karaoke. Company holiday parties are making a comeback. After more than two years of working in pajama bottoms and clinking glasses over Zoom, many office workers are yearning for a bit of glamour, or at least a sense of normalcy. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Company holiday parties are back — but with some restraint

After two years of Zoom, many workers seem to be yearning for a bit of glamour

Employees and their guests attend the holiday dinner and karaoke party for Ajinomoto Health and Nutrition North America employees Friday, Dec. 9, 2022, in Schaumburg, Ill. Say goodbye to virtual wine tasting, and practice your karaoke. Company holiday parties are making a comeback. After more than two years of working in pajama bottoms and clinking glasses over Zoom, many office workers are yearning for a bit of glamour, or at least a sense of normalcy. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
The Better Business Bureau is warning shoppers of a scam involving barcodes being swapped on gift cards. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Gift card scam catching B.C. holiday shoppers off guard

Better Business Bureau issues warning after barcodes swapped on cards

The Better Business Bureau is warning shoppers of a scam involving barcodes being swapped on gift cards. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
VicPD, Colwood and Saanich have been awarded a candy cane award from the Grumpy Taxpayer$ of Greater Victoria. (Photo Courtesy of Unsplash)

Annual candy cane awards recognize VicPD for exemplary service

Grumpy Taxpayer$ of Greater Victoria also have praise for Colwood and Saanich

VicPD, Colwood and Saanich have been awarded a candy cane award from the Grumpy Taxpayer$ of Greater Victoria. (Photo Courtesy of Unsplash)
Salvation Army Christmas Assistance Program volunteers Santiago Velasco and Tia-Rose Huber show off part of what will be transformed into a toy shop for parents participating in the program, where they will get to choose some toys for their children. (Courtesy of David Hickman)

Skyrocketing demand means Salvation Army needs more Christmas donations

Cash and toy donations are needed in order to serve 400 families

Salvation Army Christmas Assistance Program volunteers Santiago Velasco and Tia-Rose Huber show off part of what will be transformed into a toy shop for parents participating in the program, where they will get to choose some toys for their children. (Courtesy of David Hickman)
Hundreds of spectators young and old lined the intersection of Goldstream Avenue and Veterans Memorial Parkway to watch as the 24th annual IEOA Truck Light Convoy and Food Drive made its way through Langford Saturday (Dec. 3). (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)

PHOTOS: IEOA Truck Light Convoy and Food Drive brings cheer to Greater Victoria for 24th year

The convoy passed through Langford as the Langford Light Up event took place

Hundreds of spectators young and old lined the intersection of Goldstream Avenue and Veterans Memorial Parkway to watch as the 24th annual IEOA Truck Light Convoy and Food Drive made its way through Langford Saturday (Dec. 3). (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)
The giant sequoia tree at the intersection of Goldstream Avenue and Veterans Memorial Parkway was lit up for the holidays Saturday (Dec. 3) during the first Langford Light Up event since 2019. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)

PHOTOS: Langford lights up for first time since 2019

The annual Langford Light Up event saw hundreds visit a festively decorated Veterans Memorial Park

The giant sequoia tree at the intersection of Goldstream Avenue and Veterans Memorial Parkway was lit up for the holidays Saturday (Dec. 3) during the first Langford Light Up event since 2019. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)
The Better Business Bureau is warning shoppers about delivery scams. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Better Business Bureau offers tips to avoid delivery scams

The BBB recommends keeping an eye out for phishing messages this holiday season

The Better Business Bureau is warning shoppers about delivery scams. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Santa and Mrs. Claus wave to onlookers as they make their way up Government Street during the 2021 Peninsula Co-Op Santa Light Parade. (Black Press Media file photo)

Event Roundup: Seasonal magic returns to Greater Victoria

Greater Victoria gears up for the holiday season with family-friendly festivities

Santa and Mrs. Claus wave to onlookers as they make their way up Government Street during the 2021 Peninsula Co-Op Santa Light Parade. (Black Press Media file photo)
Scientists say cooking food helped fuel our evolution, give us bigger brains — and later down the line, would become the centerpiece of the feasting rituals that brought communities together.

How cooking food and gathering for feasts made us human

‘The story of human evolution has appeared to be the story of what we eat’

Scientists say cooking food helped fuel our evolution, give us bigger brains — and later down the line, would become the centerpiece of the feasting rituals that brought communities together.
CATSA employees perform security checks of passengers and their carry on at a security screening area at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, B.C., Monday, Feb. 6, 2017. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward)

Unions say turnover rate high for airport security officers as holiday season looms

Just 1/3 of those hired under one union in last few months have stayed on

CATSA employees perform security checks of passengers and their carry on at a security screening area at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, B.C., Monday, Feb. 6, 2017. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward)
Tools used for “papel picado”, the traditional manufacture of tissue paper cut-out decorations, long used in altars for the Day of the Dead, lay on top of a stencil in a workshop in Xochimilco, a borough of Mexico City, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022. Begun in the 1800s, experts say using tissue paper is probably a continuation of a far older pre-Hispanic tradition of painting ceremonial figures on paper made of fig-bark sheets. Mexican artisans adopted imported tissue paper because it was cheap and thin enough so that, with sharp tools, extreme care and a lot of skill, dozens of sheets can be cut at the same time. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

In Mexico, Day of the Dead is actually a celebration of life

Holiday rooted in agriculture-related beliefs from Mexico’s pre-Hispanic era

Tools used for “papel picado”, the traditional manufacture of tissue paper cut-out decorations, long used in altars for the Day of the Dead, lay on top of a stencil in a workshop in Xochimilco, a borough of Mexico City, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022. Begun in the 1800s, experts say using tissue paper is probably a continuation of a far older pre-Hispanic tradition of painting ceremonial figures on paper made of fig-bark sheets. Mexican artisans adopted imported tissue paper because it was cheap and thin enough so that, with sharp tools, extreme care and a lot of skill, dozens of sheets can be cut at the same time. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
People pass a large Christmas tree as they go shopping on Christmas Eve at a mall in Ottawa on Dec. 24, 2020. A new report from Deloitte Canada says holiday spending in Canada is expected to drop this year as inflation shrinks consumer buying power and economic uncertainty looms over household finances. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

VIDEO: Holiday spending expected to slump amid inflation

Canadian households forecast to spend an average of $1,520 this year

People pass a large Christmas tree as they go shopping on Christmas Eve at a mall in Ottawa on Dec. 24, 2020. A new report from Deloitte Canada says holiday spending in Canada is expected to drop this year as inflation shrinks consumer buying power and economic uncertainty looms over household finances. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
A Thanksgiving turkey dinner is shown in Toronto on Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2012. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

VIDEO: Thanksgiving dinner will come with a hefty price tag this year

Homemade turkey dinner now more than $200 for a family of four

A Thanksgiving turkey dinner is shown in Toronto on Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2012. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visits 10 Downing Street to meet with British Prime Minister Liz Truss in London on Sunday, September 18, 2022. Trudeau met with his British counterpart Sunday as world leaders converged on London for Queen Elizabeth’s funeral.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Monday will be a federal holiday to mark Queen’s state funeral: What does this mean?

Day off only for federal workers in some parts of the country

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visits 10 Downing Street to meet with British Prime Minister Liz Truss in London on Sunday, September 18, 2022. Trudeau met with his British counterpart Sunday as world leaders converged on London for Queen Elizabeth’s funeral.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Tourists stand outside of Westminster Place in London, Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022. Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest reigning monarch, will lay in state at Westminster Palace from Wednesday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Markus Schreiber

Schools, Crown Corps. to close as Horgan declares Sept. 19 a holiday to mourn the queen

Businesses scramble to set their own paths, Ontario and Quebec not recognizing federal holiday

Tourists stand outside of Westminster Place in London, Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022. Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest reigning monarch, will lay in state at Westminster Palace from Wednesday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Markus Schreiber
Queen Elizabeth II passed away Sept. 8 at the age of 96. (Jonathan Brady/Pool Photo via AP)

Prime Minister says Monday will be federal holiday to mark Queen’s state funeral

Sept. 19 will be a holiday for federal workers, provinces other authorities to decide for the rest

Queen Elizabeth II passed away Sept. 8 at the age of 96. (Jonathan Brady/Pool Photo via AP)
Do you know where the Granny Smith apple originated? (Pixabay.com)

QUIZ: How much do you know about grandparents?

The second Sunday of September is National Grandparents Day in Canada

Do you know where the Granny Smith apple originated? (Pixabay.com)