Connecting people to make memories.
Meet two people connected through a long-standing Christmas tradition in Vancouver; Scenic Carpenter Isaac, and Heather, who has a personal link to the Woodward’s Window displays featured during Christmas at Canada Place.
The seasons are changing and, at this time of year, many of us are turning our thoughts towards Christmas and all the wonderful traditions it brings. For Isaac and Heather one such tradition is the arrival of the Woodward’s Windows displays for Christmas at Canada Place. Originally displayed in the Woodward’s department store in downtown Vancouver, the windows feature classic holiday scenes with animated characters and elaborate décor. Canada Place took over the windows in 1993, saving them from storage after the store closed.
Isaac, who’s been putting together some of these beautiful window scenes for 20 years, is still very much an advocate for this piece of Vancouver’s heritage. To him, the work he does has a magical appeal. “Each year, as it gets closer to the time when we get to set up the displays, I feel a sense of nostalgia and excitement,” he says before adding: “I feel it’s my connection to the past.”
Someone who also has strong personal ties to the original displays at Woodwards is Heather, whose father worked for Woodward’s in the carpentry shop, working on the kinds of pieces that Isaac restores and reworks today. The Christmas scenes at Canada Place are hugely significant for Heather. “They’re a real trip down memory lane,” she says, as she is transported back to her childhood when she would travel into downtown Vancouver with her mother and sister to meet her father.
“We would walk along the window displays and my sister and I would admire it as my dad would explain what he built. It was fascinating… As a child, I would have loved to have gone into the displays and play with all the different creations,” she says warmly. So, we decided to bring Isaac and Heather together to share their excitement over the window displays at Canada Place, and help bring back some of those fond memories of the holiday season.
Keeping this Christmas tradition alive for all of Vancouver to enjoy is something we’re incredibly proud to be a part of, and it’s just one of the ways we’re connecting your world.
Come and see the Woodward’s Windows by joining us at Christmas at Canada Place December 7, 2018 – January 3, 2019.
About Canada Place
Canada Place at the Port of Vancouver is an internationally-recognized landmark and venue for world-class events and inspirationally Canadian experiences. For more than 30 years Canada Place has served as a hub for national celebrations, including Canada Day at Canada Place and Christmas at Canada Place.
The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority oversees the Port of Vancouver and is the owner and operator of Canada Place. Canada Place houses Vancouver Convention Centre East, Pan Pacific Hotel, FlyOver Canada, World Trade Centre and WestPark. It serves as the largest cruise ship terminal in Canada and has been the homeport to the Vancouver-Alaska cruises for more than 30 years.
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