Back in 2017, I had one of those perfect Toronto days that stays with you long after the cold fingers and crowded sidewalks are forgotten. That was the year I took my daughter and my granddaughter to the Toronto Santa Claus Parade—a simple family outing that turned into one of my favourite memories.
We bundled up early, the kind of cold November morning where you can see your breath before you’ve even sipped your coffee. My granddaughter, barely tall enough to peek over the curb, showed up in the most festive winter hat I’ve ever seen—green, knit, covered in bright little pom-poms, and shaped like a Christmas tree. You couldn’t miss her in the crowd even if you tried.
As we settled into our spot along the parade route, she watched everything with wide, curious eyes. Every drumbeat, every float, every costumed character made her whole face light up. At one point she reached up to her mom—my daughter—and they played a little mitten game to keep warm. Moments like that make you realize how fast time moves, and how important it is to capture these little seconds of joy.
My daughter had that classic parade-day stance: one part keeping-warm, one part keeping-track-of-a-toddler, and one part enjoying the whole thing herself. I snapped a photo of her in her winter hat and sunglasses, wind blowing her hair around. She looked like a cool Toronto mom who could handle anything the parade crowd threw at her.
And then came the star of the show—Santa Claus himself, waving from his big red sleigh, surrounded by gifts and glitter. My granddaughter froze for a second, stunned, and then gave the biggest wave of the day, like Santa had come down the street just for her. Watching her excitement made the whole crowd feel warmer, even if the temperature didn’t change a degree.
I had my camera with me, of course, snapping moments from the sidelines—not just the floats, but these real family moments. The kind of photos that remind you that even in a busy city, even in the middle of noise and crowds and cold air, you can still find the heart of the holiday season right in front of you.
When the parade wrapped up and the crowds started drifting away, the three of us walked together down the street—still cold, still bundled up, but smiling. That 2017 parade wasn’t just about Santa or floats or music.
It was about family.
It was about seeing the city through a child’s eyes again.
And it was one of the best family days we’ve had.
Sometimes the best memories aren’t big events—they’re simply being together, on a chilly Toronto morning, waiting for Santa to arrive.
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