This is why Mayor John Tory wants Toronto to leave our Christmas lights up

Remember when leaving your Christmas lights up after the holidays were over just meant you were lazy?

Well now there's a new reason to do it, according to Toronto Mayor John Tory, who said in his press briefing on Wednesday that he'd love for residents to keep their festive decor up a little longer to lighten the mood a little during the current extreme pandemic lockdown.

"If people can afford the small extra hydro bill, I'm in favour for anything that brings a smile to people's faces and brings cheer to the city of Toronto at this point in time," he told reporters.

He even said that City Hall will be keeping its iconic display at Nathan Philips Square up through to the end of January to keep spirits up, and took to social media to share the news.

Let's keep those Christmas lights up through January to brighten up neighbourhoods during the lockdown. @CityofToronto will be keeping Nathan Phillips Square festive this month to lift spirits and show our appreciation for our frontline heroes.

We hope you'll do the same. pic.twitter.com/E0wsc4MkpN

— John Tory (@JohnTory) January 7, 2021

Hopefully this means that all of the streets known for their over-the-top lights and other jolly exhibits will also be leaving them be for residents to drive or walk by for a little while longer this season.

"I only wish there had been a program like this back in the day when I lived in a house when people would ask me why my Christmas lights were still up in July," the mayor joked.

What's a little unfortunate amid this news is that certain planned lights shows and trails, for which some people invested hundreds of thousands of dollars to convert their attractions to socially-distanced drive-thru experiences, had to close down last month as part of the province's full blanket lockdown.