People in Toronto will join worldwide bell ringing on Christmas Eve

People in Toronto plan to join a world-wide bell-ringing Christmas Eve event to make the 2020 holiday season a bit brighter.

With healthcare workers asking people to cancel holiday plans and as large gatherings are generally not permitted, the new initiative is gaining momentum in Toronto.

The event, which is spreading around the world, will have people come out on their doorsteps (or balconies) and ring a bell at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Etobicoke resident Craig Power shared the idea in the South Etobicoke Community Group Facebook page.

"On Christmas Eve at 6pm everyone will come outside onto their doorsteps and ring a bell for 2 minutes to spread the Christmas spirit and to help Santa fly his sleigh. After this awful year, it would be an amazing memory for the kids and communities," he posted.

His post has been shared more than 500 times.

Power told blogTO he saw a post about the event in his Facebook feed.

"I saw it and I thought I want to get this in the neighbourhood, just like the pots and pans and bells for the frontline workers that we were doing for a while there," said Power.

He thought it would be an easy and safe community bonding event on Christmas Eve. He thinks people in some parts of Etobicoke will do it and hopes it will spread across Toronto.

"It would be cool to go out your door and hear bells all around your neighbourhood," he said.

He plans to go outside and ring bells with his 11-year-old daughter even if no one else does.

The idea appears to have originated in England, with a Facebook group called Worldwide Christmas Eve Jingle 2020 dedicated to the event. The group suggests the idea stated in Harrogate, a town in North Yorkshire, England.

"What started as a little idea for the Harrogate Community is starting to spread so thought a group would be a good idea for all communities all over the world to join in," the Facebook page description reads.

The group encourages people around the world to go outside and ring a bell for two minutes at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

It also suggests an added option of singing carols after the jingle.

"It will create a wave of bells across the world," the page description continues. "After a tough year it would be an amazing memory for the kids and communities. End 2020 with a bit of Magic, hope and togetherness!"