Are you still turning on your Christmas lights? Canadians are being asked to keep them on a little longer to help get through the tough times experienced during the rise in COVID-19 cases and lockdown measures currently in place.
Kitchener, Ontario mayor Berry Vrbanovic tweeted the idea on December 29 and soon after Guelph, Waterloo and other towns joined in. Even Bracebridge, where Santa’s Village is located, are participating.
BREAKING: Spread the word, @CityKitchener! It's official – we're asking you to keep your festive lights on until end of January to brighten up our neighbourhoods during @ONgov shutdown! For more info on this & virtual #NYE & #NewYearsLevee plans, visit: https://t.co/hoburhz2lP pic.twitter.com/4W9JHSEWXB
— Berry Vrbanovic (@berryonline) December 29, 2020
The movement has spread as far as Fredericton, New Brunswick where residents are keeping their lights on until early February.
Speaking on CTV news, Dr. Tina C. Montreuil, an associate member of the Department of Psychiatry at McGill University, said the lights can really bring a boost to morale during trying times.
“Hope is an essential ingredient of resilience,” she said. “One of the only really true ways that we can sustain the ongoing restrictions is to holding onto some level of hope.
Will you be keeping your lights on longer?