Registration to attend Calgary’s first Syrian Children’s Christmas Party filled up quickly with newcomers excited to meet Santa for their first Christmas in Canada.
A few hundred people attended the holiday event organized by volunteers from the Syrian Refugee Support Group in Calgary (SRSG) at the Marlborough Park Community Centre Sunday.
Gifts were collected through a successful toy drive put on by Musicians for Refugees and private donors.
Calgarians and hotels donated five trees and many other Christmas decorations for the festivities with Santa and children’s entertainers donated their time as Disney characters.
Superstore gift cards and hockey tickets were also given to each family.
The idea for the Christmas party started when the SRSG visited a Syrian newcomer’s house. A young Syrian girl asked them if Papa Noel was going to bring presents for her this year, since she didn’t get any presents the last few years while living in Jordan.
Comments