Who doesn’t love a ghost story? Best known for high tea and its landmark position in Victoria’s inner harbour, it seems the Grand Lady herself, the Fairmont Empress Hotel, has a resident ghost or two.
Well, I for one love a spooky tale, even at Christmas, so while taking part in local historian John Adams’ Discover Christmas tour, I had to ask about the untimely death of the hotel’s chambermaid, Lizzie McGrath.
Adams says Lizzie fell to her death in 1909 after stepping out of her sixth-storey room to stand on the fire escape, which she didn’t realize had been removed for construction. The history buff added many an employee of the hotel says Lizzie likes to roam the sixth floor.
The tour is not all ghosts and goblins though. Adams’ 90-minute stroll through the Royal B.C. Museum’s Old Town exhibit weaves through festive streets while offering true stories of the season, including stories of Emily Carr’s Christmases as a little girl.
We arrived in Victoria on a clear, crisp evening that saw the capital aglow with brightly coloured lights. With the Parliament Building and every business and hotel along the waterfront sparkling with light, I couldn’t think of a better place to get into the holiday spirit. There’s a lot to do while enjoying Christmas in Victoria, but the following are some of my favourites.
Skating at the Empress Hotel
There’s something almost magical about skating on the lawn of the Empress facing the iconic harbour. Although not the steadiest on skates, I did lace up to experience the hotel’s new rink. I stepped onto the covered ice filled with happy children, parents and young lovers holding hands as they skated around and around and, as the music played, attempted to smoothly glide across the ice without falling. Open now until mid-January 2015.
Butchart Gardens
The magic of Christmas is everywhere in this horticultural wonderland and the thousands of lights and decorations on display in the Edwardian-style, 55-acre gardens are enough to make even Scrooge himself smile.
The night of our visit was chilly but clear as we wandered through the gardens, becoming somewhat competitive as we tried to be the first to spot the life-size Twelve Days of Christmas exhibits. One of my fellow travel writers began singing the lyrics to the famous carol as we passed by two turtle doves in a gilded cage; three French hens cavorting under the Eiffel Tower and eight lovely maids a-milking.
We then strolled to the Dining Room Restaurant in the original Butchart family residence where we were instantly warmed by a roaring fire in the heritage home’s lobby. Decorated in its Christmas finest, we were seated in the stately Tango Room — with our host for the evening Graham Bell, who heads up the gardens’ public relations. I started my culinary journey with sea scallops, followed by wild B.C. salmon and sides of winter kale, corn and red potato hash. The award-winning cuisine was only outshined by the historic surroundings of the elegant residence. The Magic of Christmas runs now through Jan. 6.
Gingerbread festival
The next day we walked to the Inn at Laurel Point to visit the sixth annual Great Gingerbread Showcase, benefiting Habitat for Humanity Victoria.
From the simplest designs to mind-blowing works of pastry art, these gingerbread creations are worth checking out. I marvelled at the intricacies of the fairytale characters, aliens and pirates inspired by the imagination of a little boy; the picturesque Mexican village and a replica of the Ewok’s and Forest Moon of Endor of Star Wars. On now through Jan. 1.
Getting there
The easiest, fastest and most scenic way to get to Victoria is by Harbour Air Seaplanes, departing from Richmond and Vancouver. harbour-air.com.
