Spending Christmas with Families During Toronto's Worst Ice Storm

Toronto has just experienced one of the worst ice storms in years.

 Our family celebrated Christmas on the evening of December 22 at my brother's condo. We had a great time seeing family members whom we don't normally see and had a fantastic potluck dinner together. This is our annual big family get together. It is a tradition that has been going on for more than thirty years. Everyone from our family, including the young people studying and working elsewhere in North America, always tries his/her best to make it for this big family dinner.

Some people might be inconvenient, but the scenery was beautiful during the ice storm as all the tree branches sparkled 

We had a great time eating, catching up, meeting the latest new family members and just hanging out together. After all the food, it was our family tradition time - the Christmas Gift Stealing game. Instead of everybody buying a gift for everyone, each person only requires to bring one gift for the gift exchange game. Each of the fifteen cousins takes turn to be responsible for making the rules and leading the game. This year, Jordon was responsible for the game and there was some very interesting gift items.

It was very fortunate that the power outage did not take place until we all got home and were ready for bed!
Those of us living in North York of Toronto were the hardest hit. We lost power on the night of Dec. 22 and did not get the power back until the late morning of December of 24.

We had to stay at Jonathan's apartment for the second night of the power outage. By the third night we were expecting Er. coming home for Christmas and therefore made contingency plan to stay at Dave's guest suites. Staying at Dave's gave us an opportunity to spend sometime with Dave and his family. Since Er. missed the big family dinner, it also allowed him to see some of the family members. He even went to the Christmas Eve's mass with Susan and Mickela! We went to the Untied Church service on Bathurst and Bloor, but were surprised that the church was not even full for the Christmas service.

However, we were glad that we could spend time attending a church service together as a family.
Next year, we will plan better so that our whole family will go together to a church service on Christmas Eve to celebrate God's best gift to mankind!

While many Torontonians spent their Christmas without power, we were fortunate that we live in one of the most orderly and civilized compassionate cities in the world.

Every branch of each tree was encrested with ice during the ice storm

Though at the height of the ice storm, some 600,000 people lost power and for many living in high rises and were without power for more than a few days while some lost power up to seven days, we were proud to know that there were no looting, no vandalism or any disorderly or unruly incidents.

We live in a highly civilized, respectful and peaceful society

Neighbours were helping neighbours and strangers were helping each other. Many warming centres were open up across the city to provide food, water and beds for those who needed them. We did not hear of anyone suffering too much in Toronto's worst ice storm.

We thank God we live in Toronto and we are proud to be a part of this great city!

R.T.
Toronto
December, 2013