Toronto’s mayor is encouraging residents to join in on a worldwide cheer for front-line workers set to occur on Christmas Eve.
The global “Christmas Eve Jingle” has been widely promoted on social media over the last few weeks, with people from all around the world committing to the 6 p.m. tribute.
The event asks residents to go outside for two minutes and cheer, clap or ring a bell, “with the added option of carols to sing after.”
The organizer of the global initiative told CTV News the idea came from the holiday movie "Elf." At the end of the film, the cast gathers to sing a song to help Santa Claus' sleigh, which runs on Christmas spirit, fly.
"For two minutes, you know nobody is going to feel alone," Mary Beggs-Reid said.
Speaking to reporters during Wednesday’s COVID-19 briefing, Mayor John Tory asked people to take part.
“The city is encouraging all residents to stand outside their front door or on their balcony or on wherever they can tomorrow night, Christmas Eve, at six o'clock in the evening and to ring bells, or bang pots and pans in a pinch,” he said.
“This is a tribute that is part of a worldwide Christmas Eve jingle in honour of front-line workers of all kinds, so please think about doing that and make sure Toronto sends that message loud and clear, just to our own community but also around the world in thanks to front-line workers.”
The mayor added that residents should also honour front-line workers by following public health advice, adding a last-ditch attempt at encouraging people not to gather with family and friends this holiday season.
“I hope everyone ringing bells for these workers also pays tribute to them by following public health advice, because that's meant in part to protect them as well as to protect each other over the holidays."
"A principal element of that public health advice is, of course, to stay home as much as possible.”
Health officials in Toronto and across the province have been urging residents to celebrate Christmas within their own households only, with exceptions made for those who live alone, as the city grapples with the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Both Tory and the city’s medical officer of health have said that residents should call out friends and family who are insisting on breaking those rules.
On Wednesday, Tory added the city’s death toll to the mix and asked residents to think of the people suffering from COVID-19 when deciding to gather with others.
“To those who have not been following public health advice, please think for a moment about the so far, and I hate to say that but so far the 1,801 Torontonians we have lost this year, who have lost their lives due to COVID-19. Think about their Christmas or the Christmas of their families, without their loved ones,” he said.
“Think of the 85 Torontonians who are just admitted to hospital 52 of them with breathing tubes and they'll probably have those breathing tubes in on Christmas Day. Think about the people who will get sick, just so that you might attend some sort of a party or gathering or go somewhere that you've been asked not to go.”
Toronto has been under a lockdown order since mid-November and is expected to remain in lockdown until at least Jan. 22 as part of a province-wide mandate for southern Ontario.
