- Ring in the new year in traditional Japanese style at the Nikkei Centre this Saturday, Jan. 2. Oshougatsu is on from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at 6688 Southoaks Cres. There will be two types of zouni, one from Tokyo and another from Kyoto, prepared by a professional chef. Zouni is a traditional Japanese soup eaten on New Year’s Day. There will also be calligraphy, Japanese games, kites and a taiko drum performance. Tickets at the door are $12 for adults, $10 for children, or $30 for a family of four. Info/tickets: 604-777-7000 or www.centre.nikkeiplace.org.
- Take the family ice skating on Friday, Jan. 1 at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. There will be ice skating, face painting and crafts. Admission is $5.09 for adults, $3 for children up to 12, and $4.05 for teens. Children three and under get in for free. Skate rentals are $2.95.
- Check out the Sudanese Culture Show on all weekend at the Burnaby Hall at 7837 Canada Way. Lubna Abdelrahman, of the Bitmakaly Women Organization, is organizing the event as a fundraiser to start a Sudanese cultural centre, possibly in Burnaby. The event starts Friday evening at 6 p.m. and includes a visit from a Sudanese ambassador from Ottawa, and local politicians are expected to attend. There will be a concert from 9 p.m. to midnight. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for students, and $40 for a family of four. On Saturday, Jan. 2, the event runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and features a cultural show, henna, Sudanese movies, dancing, a raffle and more. For tickets, call Abdelrahman at 778-788-5735.
- Are you decluttering your home for the new year? Maybe you received gifts you really don’t need, and now you have three pepper grinders in your kitchen? Put those items aside for Burnaby Community Services, because the local organization that runs the Christmas Bureau is now collecting hamper items for Syrian refugees expected to arrive in Burnaby. The organization is looking for the following household and cleaning items, preferably new: laundry soap, dish soap, sponges/scrubbers, dish towels, all-purpose cleaners, scrub brushes, toilet paper, toilet scrub brushes, paper towels, napkins, buckets, table cloths, all sizes of towels, shower curtains with rings, bath mats, clothes hangers, shampoo, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, hairbrushes, backpacks with school supplies, clocks, light bulbs, new socks and underwear, dish racks, cutlery organizers, laundry baskets and shoe racks. Gift cards for Superstore and Walmart are also appreciated. Burnaby Community Services is closed on the weekend, but keep those items in a bag by the door and drop them off Monday to Friday, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. at 2055 Rosser Ave. Info: 604-299-5778.
- Prep your Christmas tree for greener pastures this weekend. Start by removing all the ornaments and tinsel. Don’t put your tree in a bag, and if it’s taller than five feet, you must saw it in half, otherwise it won’t fit in the city’s trucks. For curbside pickup, leave your tree outside before 7 a.m. on the curb, at least one metre from your garbage can. For single family homes, the pickup date will be sometime during the week of Jan. 11 for people living north of highway 1. For those on the south side, pickup takes place the week of Jan. 18. If you don’t want to wait till then, you can drop your tree off at the city’s Eco-Centre at 4855 Still Creek Dr. on the weekend, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The centre will be closed on Friday, Jan. 1, however. Drop-off is free for Burnaby residents, and there’s no need to chop your tree in half if you are taking it to the Eco-Centre.
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