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Will Toronto wear a white mantle to greet Christmas?
Meteorologists said that a weather system coming from the west brought 5 to 10 cm of snow to the Toronto region.
Christmas in Toronto / Prabhjot Singh
Festival revellers have every reason to feel cheerful as Toronto and its surrounding areas received a fresh whiff of snowfall enveloping the Greater Toronto Area in a soothing white mantle.
Meteorologists said that a weather system coming from the west brought 5 to 10 cm of snow to the Toronto region, the business capital has enough snow accumulated to welcome a white Christmas.
Weather plays a crucial role in shaping Christmas plans across Canada. Tax holidays announced by the Federal government coupled with matching support from the provincial Government of Ontario have so far evoked mixed responses from shoppers.
Toronto Pearson International Airport said in a social media post on Monday that 127,000 travellers are expected to pass through the airport that day. The airport expects the heaviest part of Monday’s snowfall to happen in the evening. “Our surface maintenance team is prepared to clear the runways by ploughing, sweeping, and blowing snow to ensure safe arrivals and departures,” Toronto Pearson said.
Environment Canada has also cautioned road users against snowfall and hazardous driving conditions in various parts of Ontario
As the year draws to a close, not many Canadians feel that the holiday season is not going to be particularly rosy.
When holiday revellers were asked about their plans for celebrations, nearly half of them said that they expect it to be more fun than stressful while the number of those finding it “stressful than fun” has shown an increase over the number of previous years.
Christmas in Toronto. / Prabhjot SinghInflation, unemployment, housing, drugs and growing incidence of crime have made people sceptical and unsure of their plans
The usual gaiety and anxiety that marks Christmas shopping is missing this time. Political uncertainty at the federal level is being viewed as a major contributing factor to “missing enthusiasm among Christmas revellers.
Shopping malls, streets, people's homes are all decked up for the celebrations. Missing are shoppers.
“Sales are picking up,” is what you hear at the Malls and shopping centres. They hope that after a slow start, things are picking up.
They hold that after the Covid pandemic, it is the first holiday season that has got off to a slow start. After the Santa parade early this month, celebrations have been to slow pickup face.
The number of homeless people has been on the rise. And those who turn up at foodbanks, too, are many more than any of the previous years, including the Pandemic times.
Eateries and restaurants are expecting good business, thanks to the two-month tax holiday.
A social media group came out with some interesting findings. It says that there is no significant change in the way people feel about the staples of the season. Turkey remains the overwhelming favourite, with 85 per cent of Canadians saying they like it. Generation X remains unconvinced—perhaps slightly traumatized—about concoctions that feature fruits, nuts and spices. Fruit cake, mince pies and plum pudding are enjoyed by 58 per cent.
Finally, when asked Canadians about Santa Claus, more than half said they learned “the truth” at age 9 or younger.
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