The Real Meaning of Holiday Cheer

From the Greater Toronto section of the Wednesday, December 26, 2007, Toronto Star, page A12, an article about a man who spent his holidays bringing food and cheer to the homeless:

'IT SHOULD BE LIKE THIS EVERY DAY'
Man spends his holiday delivering cheer, gifts to the city's homeless in downtown core

Emily Mathieu
Staff Reporter

Parth Bhavsar has developed his own spin on what it means to give gifts at Christmas.

"You just load up the car and get out there," said Bhavsar, 27. Yesterday was his fifth year handing out food and gifts to people living on the streets on Christmas Day.

The packages are a big hit, but it's not just about the items inside, he said.

"Most of the time they just want to chat," he said.

The trunk of the grey Nissan he was driving was filled with bags of warm gloves, hats, homemade turkey sandwiches, fruit and juice. He also handed out items such as packs of facial tissue and small bunches of cigarettes in plastic bags.

"Hey, how are you doing?" he asked one man as he crouched low to give him a package. "Going anywhere for dinner tonight?"

Along for the ride was girlfriend Kyla Falconer, 26, delivering for the second year. She chose to spend Christmas handing out items to people in need "just to help." Christmas has become all about giving - but not to the people who need it the most, she said.

Throughout the morning, the car wove through the downtown care, pulling sharply to the side of the street each time the couple spotted someone who looked like they would benefit from a gift. Falconer and Bhavsar bought all of the items themselves.

The streets were almost entirely free of people, aside from those who were wrapped in sleeping bags in doorways or lying across air vents for warmth.

At many locations, Bhavsar and Falconer were not the first people to lend a helping hand.

"It should be like this every day," Falconer said, gesturing toward a man dozing on a patch of concrete near Queen St. and University Ave. Next to his sleeping bag rested a small pile of Christmas gifts left by other well-wishers.

At one stop the pair handed gift parcels to two men curled into sleeping bags on a patch of pavement close to the corner of King St. W. and Duncan St.

"They are nice," said one man, who identified himself as Frosty, "like the snowman," as he gestured to the duo. Lying with his back to him was Dino, who was "just relaxing" and drinking a juice he'd pulled out of the gift bag.

By the time the men started sorting through their gift bags, Falconer and Bhavsar were back in the car, off to their next stop.

Bhavsar said there really isn't a reason why he decided to start spending Christmas this way.

The holidays could be a happier time if more people helped one another out, he said.

"Turn it into what you want it to be."