Funny Picture

Hiding in plain sight stands a short little Santa Claus beside a major city highway. The plastic Christmas figure might be working a security guard job during the off season.

Unlike most homeowners who tend to keep Christmas decorations year round, #Toronto has started to shed some of the trees and other trappings of the jolly season. In Yonge-Dundas Square the Holiday Tree of Balls was dismantled and the bears put away for another year.

The Eaton Centre's modern version of the Christmas tree was dismantled a little while ago - only the giant reindeer remain.

Merry Christmas and good shopping on Boxing Day. Remember that New Years Day brings the Polar Bear Dips in #Toronto.

Happy pre-Christmas! The day before Christmas means all the kids are stirring in hyperdrive as they find it almost impossible to wait for the arrival of Santa Claus and all the presents they have been asking for. Santa's reindeers - Donner and Blitzen, were at Yonge-Dundas Square getting to know the city so that the upcoming nighttime delivery will run smooth as silk. The flying deer were part of the recent Mobilicity Winter Wonderland promotion.

The jolly, happy couple brought the festive season to the Distillery_TO during the continuing Lowe's Christmas Market. On Sunday the rain tried to keep away visitors but the warm fires and free booze samples brought them back - Ho Ho Ho! I was totally fooled by the cutie at top - that's not Santa, that's a dog in a Santa suit. Here is the real Santa.

Improv in #Toronto worked their magic again with the Gifts for Strangers which is a global event with over 30 plus cities joining in around the world. Toronto Improv's Creative Director Cole Banning says "I truly believe that together, our small acts of kindness, can have a HUGE impact.Our little acts can inspire others to act, and change the very way people see the world". It was a surprise for many and some of the people offered gifts refused the carefully wrapped gifts.

She definitely wasn't naughty, she is an angel after all, and spent her time meeting visitors to the #Toronto Christmas Market in the Historic Distillery District.
The lovely blond angel was just some of the excitement going on during the Lowes sponsored Christmas fun at the pedestrian friendly brick neighbourhood. 

Posted by Joe Hamilton.

1000 Balsam Fir Trees were on sale at the 6th annual BT and Home Depot Tree Sale in #Toronto. Breakfast Television was broadcasting live from Yonge-Dundas Square as hosts Kevin Frankish, Dina Pugliese (abover), Jennifer Valentyne and Frank Ferragine put on their show and were well on their way to sell out all the trees to raise money for the Daily Bread Food Bank.
Minimum donations of $10 got you a six to eight foot Christmas tree, perfect for the home or office, while you could watch the CityTV BT hosts, listen to music from the Panache Community Steel-Band and get some free hot chocolate or coffee. The official event is on Friday, December 14, 2012 from 5:30 am to 10:30 am but they intend to stay on site until all the trees are sold. The biggest lineup was for the chance to win prizes. I watched Kevin and Dina start a countdown for two contestants in a tree trimming contest and the decorations were flying.

This reminds me of the Two Broke Girls episode where they dress up as cupcakes. In #Toronto you dress up as a Christmas candy cane girl. The large ornament on her head tells you that something special is up and it's a $10,000 give away by the stores of 10 Dundas East. The ballots can be popped into the large, bright red ornaments hanging on tree displays found at every level.