Christmas Cheer Breakfast sold out in-person, but plenty of goodies for virtual attendees

Corporate table virtual tickets for the Christmas Cheer Breakfast come with a gift basket to be enjoyed during the event. (Peter Szperling/CTV News Ottawa)

OTTAWA — It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and an annual fundraising event, which many see as the unofficial start to the holiday season, is getting ready.

The Christmas Cheer Breakfast is back. The annual event takes place Dec. 3 with a hybrid model, meaning it will take place both in-person at the Shaw Centre and virtually at home or office.

“This breakfast is typically the kick-off for the holiday season across the business community,” says Amanda Ruddy of Amanda Julia Events, who is a member of the events planning committee. “We hope to raise $100,000 this year, and that money will be distributed to 22 local charities across the region.”

The in-person tickets have sold out, but you can still participate by taking part virtually by purchasing either an individual ticket or a corporate virtual table.

Each corporate virtual table will receive a gift basket to be enjoyed during the event, “Full of Christmas trinkets, chocolates; we will have a dozen donuts from Maverick’s, and some coffee from Morning Owl Coffee,” says Ruddy.

The gift baskets will be delivered by Trexity.

“We’re super happy to be involved,” says Alok Ahuja, CEO and founder of Trexity. “After 70 years, it’s become an institution, the Christmas Cheer Breakfast, so when we were approached to get involved, we were super happy to do so; we will be donating all of the deliveries for the virtual tables.”

Money raised benefits 22 charities, including the Ottawa Food Bank.

“Everybody loves this event,” says Samantha Ingram, communications manager with the Ottawa Food Bank. “The money that comes in through Christmas Cheer is so important, not only to us, but the other charities who are beneficiaries as well. We’ve seen an increase in need because of the pandemic but, beyond that, we typically see an increase in need around the holidays, this monetary support comes to us at the perfect time.”

Jim McConnery, chair of the Christmas Cheer Board is looking forward to this year’s hybrid event.

“We’re definitely delighted if people support the event by attending in-person or participating virtually; but, in either case, it’s the goal to generate material funds that we can disperse to charity.”

CTV’s Graham Richardson and Patricia Boal will be hosting the event again this year.

“Every year, it’s a great year, but this one especially, because we’re back in-person for the first time. Last year was great, but it just wasn’t the same,” says Richardson.

“It was not quite the same, we managed to have a really good time doing it virtually, but I think this year, with people in the room, those at home are going to get that much of a better experience because they’ll feel the warmth that comes from the breakfast,” says Boal.

To purchase a virtual table for your group, a ticket for yourself, or just to donate, visit http://christmascheerottawa.com