It was a morning of Christmas cheer, music, joy, giving and goodwill on Tuesday at the 29th annual Christmas Wish Breakfast.
Known as one of Canada’s largest toy drives, the breakfast at the Pan Pacific Hotel is always one of the highlights of the Vancouver holiday season.
Thousands of people from across B.C. lined up in the lobby of the hotel with their unwrapped toys, clothing or cash donation. Some attendees told Global News they make sure they come to the event every year and have made it a part of their family tradition.
The Squares Barbershop Quartet join Christmas Wish Breakfast fun:
Community groups, dancers, choirs and even a ukulele group provided the entertainment for the three-hour event.
Premier Christy Clark stopped by to donate cash and toys:
This year’s event was even more successful than last year. Global News along with the Pan Pacific Hotel and Rock 101 raised $21,000, 42,000 pounds of toys, and 1,000 bicycles.
The Pan Pacific Vancouver provided everyone with a free breakfast. Eighty thousand eggs were scrambled and 12,000 sausages were cooked to feed everyone!
Vancouver police and firefighters were also on scene to help unload truck after truck of donations.
“People by nature are generous,” said Vancouver Police Chief Adam Palmer. “We think about our own lives and some of us are lucky enough to be more fortunate than others and it’s a chance to give back to people who may not be so fortunate.”
Vancouver Police Pipe Band serenade Christmas Wish gift parade:
For those who did not get a chance to donate in person, the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau is still accepting donations.