Calgary’s mayor reminded city residents to find unique and joyful ways to celebrate the Christmas season, while being mindful of the COVID-19 health restrictions in place in the province.
Naheed Nenshi acknowledged the 2020 holiday season is going to be a tough one, but encouraged people to rise to the challenge.
“This is the time of year we want to get together with our friends, our family. We want to share food and hugs. We want to celebrate together,” he said.
“But of course this year, the safest, kindest and most legal way of celebrating Christmas is with people who live in your home.”
Nenshi also reminded anyone travelling to and from Calgary to keep the city’s travel restrictions top of mind, adding much fewer people are on the move than usual in the last week before Christmas.
“If you’re going away, follow the restrictions to keep yourself safe as though you were here, and certainly follow the restrictions in the place where you’re going,” the mayor said.
“When you come home, make sure you strictly follow the protocols in terms of getting tested at the airport, isolating for a few days until your results are there, and then having another test on day 6 or day 7.
“For those of you who are coming to Calgary: welcome, but we do have strict rules and make sure that you are following those rules to a T because we love having you here, we don’t love having your illness.”
The mayor also took the opportunity to share his wishes for the New Year, as COVID-19 means the city won’t be having its traditional New Year’s Eve celebration, where he would normally give his address.
“My biggest wish is I hope that we never forget 2020,” he said. “We never forget the tough things, the hard times, the difficult decisions, the impossible choices that we’ve all been asked to make.
“But I hope we also don’t forget what 2020 taught us. Because remember, all the things we’ve been asked to do, all the sacrifices we’ve been asked to make, are for the benefit of others.”