Festive Fun at Our Cake Workshop with Open Pantry

We hosted a festive cake workshop in Vancouver with Open Pantry, where guests learned beginner-friendly decorating techniques, enjoyed cozy holiday vibes, and connected over creativity, community, and cake.

There’s nothing quite like the energy of Christmas colours, buttercream swirls, and a table full of people ready to create something sweet together. For our first festive-themed Social House event, we teamed up with Patrice from Open Pantry to host A Very Merry Cake Workshop - a cozy, joy-filled cake workshop in Vancouver where guests decorated their very own festive 4-inch cake.

Patrice, the heart behind Open Pantry, brought not only her expertise but her warmth. A self-taught baker turned small-business owner, she’s been sharing her love for creativity since her teen days selling baked goods to friends and local cafés to save for college. Her story, along her mother’s influence, shaped the welcoming, encouraging spirit of Open Pantry. It’s a place built for community, creativity, and celebrating the little things (like perfectly piped buttercream shells!).

For this workshop, we leaned into classic holiday colours, shades of red and deep greens, and Patrice guided everyone through foundational techniques like piping wreaths, shells, ribbons, trees, and charming floral accents. None of the 15 attendees had prior experience, but you wouldn’t have guessed it. With Patrice’s calm, joyful teaching style, everyone found their groove, and the room quickly filled with memories, Christmas tunes, and proud “Look at mine!” moments.

Our venue, Fresh Press Coffee Bar on Cook Road, was the cherry on top. Their cozy space set the perfect holiday mood, and Jimmy kept the energy high by crafting lattes almost too pretty to drink- think Christmas trees, cats, and more latte art surprises. As if that wasn’t enough, Raymond from Fresh Press filled the room with live piano music, playing Christmas classics that made the evening feel truly magical.

As with all Social House gatherings, Cynthia brought her signature personal touch with customized name buttons for every guest. During registration, attendees were asked to share their favourite Christmas activity - and Cynthia hand-designed each button based on their answers. From Anna’s love of listening to Christmas music to Zahra’s joy of cooking with friends, each button became a tiny window into someone’s holiday traditions. It was a simple detail that helped everyone feel welcomed and connected.

By the end of the night, each guest walked away with a beautifully decorated mini cake, new skills, and new friends - but more importantly, they left with that warm holiday feeling you can’t quite describe, only experience.

It was truly a night to remember, and another reminder of why we love hosting creative, heart-warming gatherings in this city.

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