ONTARIO, Canada — "Santa Claus is coming to town... you better watch out..." or so the popular Yuletide song goes.
Last Sunday, November 26, was a real magical experience. About a million people came not only from the Ontario community in Canada but from other parts of North America to witness the “coming out” of hundreds of clowns, elves, reindeers, and mythical toy makers to support Santa — and Mrs. Santa — in this annual parade.
So far, this is the largest entertainment event in this part of Canada. Everyone anticipates partaking of novel souvenirs and surprise packages that Santa Claus himself — and the missus — hand over to individuals and communities along the way.
Other parts of Canada also have their own gimmicks to usher in the Christmas season. In Montreal, Quebec, they have the Cicerone Tours that take tourists to the tradition of season's past in the Holiday Alley, Merry Montreal, and the Christmas Village of Mont Royal. Winter Festival of Lights at the Niagara, while in Ottawa and in Vancouver, they have the famed Christmas Market comparative to the our Night Market or tiangge.
The Original Santa Claus Parade of Toronto debuted in 1905 for children to lure their parent-shoppers as a promotional event conceptualized by Eaton's Department Store chain by T. Eaton Company Limited. The original Eaton's eventually closed shop 1999. This is not to be mistaken as today's Eaton Center managed by Cadillac Fairview.
From the year 2000, local businesses, partners and volunteers did not hesitate and went on with the tradition held around 30 days before Christmas.
A Secret Visit
The drama is that the parade is Santa's "secret visit" to the city of Toronto.
"We can't wait to meet everyone on Parade day!" said Santa in a CTV News announcement. "Our elves are working hard to bring the magic of the season to life. Ho Ho Ho!"
Clay Charters, president of the parade, expressed optimism that "this celebrates hope, family and love, and brings together people of all ages and backgrounds."
The highly-anticipated three-hour parade took off at exactly 1230 p.m. at Christie Pits on Bloor Street to Spadina Avenue, Harbord St and Hoskin to Queens Park and University Av onwards, finishing at St. Lawrence Market.
There were a couple of lively bands, hundreds of spirited marchers and at least 30 well-decorated floats, including Mrs. Santa's brand new one and the animated reindeers for Santa's reconstructed sleigh.
It truly was an embodiment of contagious and energetic joy manifested in a harmony of colors! Festive as it were, no one got hungry as there was food sampling in every nook and unlimited beverages one just can't get too much of.
Christmas In The Air
Already, Christmas mood is set for the season even with a temperature from -2 in the early morn of Sunday as the crowd began to gather to 4 degrees Celsius and a slight drizzle when the parade started at high noon. Brrrrr!
There was no stopping the influx of people to witness Santa Claus in action and to partake of goodies distributed. Mine was Santa's Cabin in a six-inch-tall glass snowball.
To fund the parade are proceeds from the 5-kilometer Holly Jolly Fun Run held at 1145 a.m. and participated in by more than 2,000 registered corporate sprinters. The starting line was at west Bloor St, ending at the Maple Leaf Square on Bremner Blvd.
Now then, officially, Canada has "accessed" the Yuletide Season with the 119th edition of the Original Santa Claus Parade in Toronto.
The password? "AVERYMERRYCHRISTMASTOALL!" (In all caps.)
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