Creating Christmas Magic

• When: Sunday, December 8, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Where: Richelieu-Vanier Community Centre and Vanier Sugar Shack (300 des Pères-Blancs Ave.)
• Admission: donation of any kind (toys, gift cards, money)

A community gathering celebrating the joy of giving

It’s in a festive atmosphere of goodwill that the people of the community will be able to hand out their new toys. They’ll enter the workshop of Santa’s elves, who are already busy preparing magical moments for Vanier families. Here, young and old alike will discover lots of different stations, from gift sorting to wrapping and Christmas card making, all while being wrapped up in holiday music.

New this year: the Christmas story time will be presented by Lire et faire lire Ontario, an organization whose mission is to promote and support intergenerational reading activities by volunteers aged 50+ for children in Ontario’s Francophone and Francophile communities.

The Vanier Sugar Shack will once again welcome Santa Claus, and children will be able to meet him, have their photo taken with him, all while sharing some Christmas gift ideas. Free hot chocolate and coffee will be served at the sugar shack, courtesy of Starbucks.

The event will close on a festive note, as we will welcome Franco-Ontarian singer-songwriter (and proud Vanier native) Céleste Lévis for a free musical performance featuring several songs from her Christmas album. Do not miss it: it starts at 1 p.m. in the Kiwanis Hall of the Richelieu-Vanier Community Centre. This will be followed by the unveiling of donations collected by event partners around 1:45 p.m.

Several boxes to collect your donations

Those who are unable to attend this community celebration, but would still like to take part in Creating Christmas Magic, can make a monetary donation online (by clicking the button in the column on the right of this page) or by dropping off new, unwrapped toys in donation boxes at the following locations:

• Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est Head Office(4000 Labelle Street, Ottawa, ON K1J 1A1)
• Centre Pauline-Charron(164 Jeanne Mance Street, Ottawa, ON K1L 6M3)
• Maison de la Francophonie(2720 Richmond Road, Ottawa, ON K2B 8M3)
• Vanier Museopark(2nd floor of 300 des Pères-Blancs Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1L 7L5)

All donations are accepted, and we’re so grateful because every child should be able to celebrate Christmas!

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