So we've been in Vancouver for almost 6 months and next week it'll be our first Christmas here! It's just me and my hubby and the first time we haven't spent Christmas with extended family. I'm actually looking forward to it, but I think it will be a bit strange!

I'm just curious what other people did their first Christmas here? Are there particular traditions you discovered? Any tips for a Canadian Xmas to remember?

My mum came over from England and the in-laws from Montreal for our first, then just the in-laws the next couple of times so other than being in Canada it wasn't hugely different. And snowy of course.

My Canadian family did present giving on xmas eve and no special meal as such. We've mixed things up a bit now...a bit of theirs and a bit of mine.

Take a walk or drive around your neighbourhood when it's dark and enjoy looking at the decorated houses. Some overdo it, but it's just nice to see glowing lights.

Ice Fishing on boxing morning to get rid of the excesses of xmas day.

If its not raining its a good day to walk around the city as most everything is closed so less traffic and people out and about.

If its raining, stay inside and stay dry.

For a number of years I used to go to Denny's on Christmas for breakfast, usually an interesting collection of people at Denny's.

I find, in our part of the country, that the main differences are the choices at a Christmas dinner. Canadians are big fans of mashed potato, corn and dinner rolls. They tend to call stuffing dressing too. As we always have Christmas dinner with our friends who are Canadians we tend to have a hybrid meal which means we cover EVERYTHING.
We have two meats, including a ham, pigs in blankets, mashed and roast potato, corn and typically British veg, stuffing,fresh homemade cranberyy sauce and gravy (not made with Bisto) but I draw the absolute line at dinner rolls. What a waste of space in ones tummy!

Could be a hard sell, but that's what I like.

Maybe where you are, but in my 40+ years in Canada it was roast potatoes and stuffing. I've only ever heard "dressing" from Americans. I can't ever remember corn or dinner rolls with a Christmas meal. Actually, I don't think I've ever had dinner rolls with any meal.

The pubs close early on Christmas eve.

If I am being totally honest, our first Christmas here was the most depressing Christmas we have ever had. We were all suffering from home sickness and the kids were really missing their grand parents. I think we all sat around the Christmas tree crying our eyes out once we had face timed the UK. That first Christmas was tough.

This year we are all getting stoned Christmas Day, and drunk on Boxing day. You have to mix it up a bit.

No laughing gas?

We spent our 1st Christmas with Canadian friends, roast turkey ( she pulled the legs off and threw them away) mash potatoes peas and salad, no dressing/stuffing, with dinner rolls and ice cream for pud. We have since always done our own dinners lol. As for Canada being the most Christmassy country, it isn't where I am, even the Filipinos think it's bland.

Everyone I know and virtually all the Christmas meals I've had at Canadian's homes they have had mashed potato only - in fact the only ones that even knew what a roast potato was were the ones who have British parents or grandparents! Corn featured heavily, as did that monstrosity of green beans or sweet potato with marshmallow on top and broccoli or macaroni casserole and such abominations.. and yes they have called stuffing 'dressing' - and it's never stuffed into the turkey, always as a side dish.. and yes, dinner rolls were served too.

When they come to me it's a full traditional Christmas Dinner - but sadly this year there won't be a christmas pud nor sausage rolls or sherry trifle.. (but we do have christmas crackers complete with silly jokes and paper hats courtesy of Walmart )

First Christmas here my son and I sat on the deck in folding chairs drinking 'camping coffee' (that's coffee laced with a little something, i.e. brandy or whisky), my son smoked a cigar while we watched the snow falling around us

I have only been to a handful of Christmas dinners, but the ones I have gone to always had corn, mashed potatoes, dinner rolls, and such, only time I ever hear dressing used for stuffing is from older people, my MIL calls it that and my grandmother did, but by and large people call it stuffing or just stove top since that seems to be the preferred brand.