Calgarians turned out by the hundreds to spread holiday cheer and indulge in their sweet tooth at a record-breaking annual holiday cookie sale on Thursday.
“It was our busiest year ever: the most cookies, the most chefs and the most customers,” Leslie Horton said.
In total, $55,596 was raised for the Magic of Christmas from the sale of boxes of bakers’ dozens of cookies and cash donations in support of Global Calgary’s Morning of Giving.
“This year, we had a ton of chefs reach out to tell us they had FOMO and that they wanted to be involved,” Horton said.
More than 1,000 boxes went out the door at the Blue Flame Kitchen at Atco Park. Hundreds of Calgarians showed up to get the creatively baked holiday goodies from 57 chefs from around the city.
“It was an explosion of Christmas spirit,” Horton said, noting it was another sell-out. “It’s a morning of really good feelings and smells.”
Funds raised Thursday morning will be used by the Magic of Christmas to deliver gifts, gift certificates and food hampers on Christmas Eve via City of Calgary buses.
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Founded in 1983, the Magic of Christmas is a non-profit charity that works with various local social services, teachers, health-care workers, the City of Calgary and first responders to help families in need enjoy some Christmas cheer.
“We see the need grow every year. More and more people need help and need help bringing that cheer to their families,” said Scott Perley, president of the Magic of Christmas.
Calgarians will have another chance to support the Magic of Christmas at the Morning of Giving at the Core Shopping Centre on Dec. 13. The eighth annual Morning of Giving runs from 6 to 9 a.m. at 324 Eighth Avenue Southwest, just off the CTrain line that runs through downtown.
To donate directly to Morning of Giving in support of The Magic of Christmas click here.
The great morning show bake off
The Global News Morning crew tried their hand at baking cookies, to be judged by a panel of celebrity judges.
Perennial favourite Dallas Flexhaug’s iced lemon stars faced off against Tiffany Lizee’s chocolate-dipped orange shortbread topped with smoked sea salt, Blake Lough’s outrageous Oreo cookies, Michael King’s gingerbread cookie sandwich, and Horton’s “charcut-ookie”: a savoury cookie topped with pickled asparagus and cheese.
King, a rookie to the contest, took the top prize, which included a ceremonial plate and a croquembouche donated by a chef at the cookie sale.
“(My cookie) was a whoopie pie, a family recipe. I’m glad the judges enjoyed it,” King said.
“He came to play and he deserves that win this year,” Flexhaug said.
“That was a ton of fun,” Lough, the runner-up, said. “That was the third cookie I’ve ever baked in my life. I’m pretty proud of it.”
Bringing the Morning of Giving to the Core
The eighth annual Morning of Giving will have a new location: the Core Shopping Centre.
In previous years, the donation drive to collect new and unwrapped gifts for all ages, or cash donations, was hosted at the Global Calgary studio.
“It’s going to be a new experience,” Horton said.
But the same giving spirit is expected as volunteers collect new and unwrapped donations of gifts, gift cards or cash for the Magic of Christmas.
Visitors to the Morning of Giving at the Core will be treated to Christmas-themed entertainment, a Calgary Stampede pancake breakfast, and lots of holiday cheer.
The Morning of Giving at the Core will be broadcast live on Dec. 13 from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. The Core Shopping Centre is located at 324 Eighth Avenue Southwest, just off the CTrain line that runs through downtown.
To donate directly to Morning of Giving in support of The Magic of Christmas click here.
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