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Celebrate “The Magic of the Season” with this year’s Aberdeen Centre Christmas display.

Photo courtesy Aberdeen Centre

McArthurGlen is anticipating more holiday shoppers this year.

Photo courtesy McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Vancouver Airport

Santa Chris is visiting Richmond kids at Lansdowne Centre this year.

Photo courtesy Lansdowne Centre

Gear up for holiday shopping and visit Santa at local malls

By Hannah Scott

Published 12:09 PST, Tue November 22, 2022

Last Updated: 5:35 PST, Tue November 22, 2022

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Aberdeen Centre’s stage is filled with decorations, ready for an anticipated busy Christmas shopping season.

“We are pretty confident—looking back from the summertime we’ve seen a lot of tourists from Alberta, the east coast of Canada, as well as (the United States)—the numbers are getting higher,” says Tiffany Ho, senior vice-president and senior general manager of Fairchild Developments, the mall operator. “During this Christmas season, we expect there will be a huge jump (in shopper numbers) compared to last year.”

The theme of this year’s decorations is “The Magic of the Season.” The stage, located by the fountain inside Aberdeen Centre, will feature multiple Christmas trees including one over seven metres (24 feet) tall. A big air balloon with a Christmas basket will be another highlight. For more information, visit Aberdeen’s website.

McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Vancouver Airport is offering extended holiday shopping hours for Black Friday weekend: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Nov. 25 and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Nov. 26 and 27. The mall’s other holiday shopping hours can be found online.

“With the holiday season around the corner, we are anticipating a 30 per cent increase in visitors compared to 2021,” says Ally Day, senior marketing manager at McArthurGlen. “We’re very excited to showcase new brands such as Furla, Pandora, and Browns Shoes, as well as our holiday programming, to kick off the festive season."

Several malls are offering an opportunity for kids to share their gift wish lists with Santa.

At CF Richmond Centre, visits with Santa are available by appointment until Dec. 24. The cost is $10, with proceeds going to local charities. Visits can be booked online.

“In addition to our signature Santa cabin, CF Richmond Centre will be adorned with our iconic holiday décor including seasonal lights, artful ornaments, and beautiful oversized sculptures,” says Richmond Centre general manager Julia Dow. “We also have our live Music at CF performances taking place three times a week in the Dining Terrace until Dec. 23.”

Santa Chris is visiting Lansdowne Centre, with openings from Wednesdays to Sundays until Dec. 24. Photo packages start at $25, and visits can be booked online.

“Lansdowne Centre is getting dressed up for the holidays with beautiful large gold decorations,” says marketing manager Bronwyn Bailey. “Walk through the giant glitter gift box, and pause under the mistletoe arch with a special someone. Also check out our two special holiday Instagram sets, perfect for your holiday selfies.”

Lansdowne also has a holiday train and carousel, and the mall is hosting a number of local children’s concerts between Dec. 9 and 18. Shoppers can look out for a new loyalty app, which will be launching soon.