Vancouver, do something nice this December

Three easy ways to spread the wealth a little this holiday season

Christmas is all around us in Vancouver, from the lights, to the office parties, to the stores trying to get us to spend our hard-earned cash. December is as good a month as any to party, but it’s also a popular time to give back to the community. Here are three easy ways you can help others this festive season:Covenant House’s Christmas backpacks: This 54-bed shelter helps over 1,500 young people in Vancouver each year. During the holiday season, Covenant House’s Christmas Backpack program provides young people with a backpack full of basic essentials. You can help out by purchasing a full backpack ($100) or picking up a few items from this checklist and dropping them off at the shelter.The Soup Solution’s soup drive: The Quest Food Exchange program provides low-income families with access to affordable healthy food. This year, they have teamed up with local company The Soup Solution to gift soup to families in need. It’s not difficult: for every five litres of soup you buy for yourself, the food bank will receive one litre for a family in need. Easy.Stanley Park’s Bright Nights: The Christmas Train has become such a family tradition that it’s often hard to get tickets, which will definitely be the case again this year with portions of ticket sales going to the B.C. Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund.