Christmas is creeping up on us with just under two months left for parents to prepare for children's favourite visitor: Santa Claus. This jolly giant has been bringing children joy (and presents) for generations and most major cities throughout Canada throw a parade every year in his honour. These parades have become a source for family memories over the years bonding over hot cocoa while shivering on the street waiting to catch a glimpse of Santa himself. As the parades grow in size many have become televised allowing those at home to decorate the tree while watching from the warmth of their own homes.

Toronto's Santa Claus parade dates back to 1913 and is one of the largest of these parades in the World and is definitely worth a trip into the big city. You'll love this parade as much as the kids will with real marching bands, over 23 floats, live bands and a crowd favourite, the upside down clowns. Don't forget to bring a toy or donation for the €Toys for the North€ program to share the gift of giving with you children!

This year there will be a number of new floats ready to greet the streets of Toronto including a 14 foot Grey Cup replica, a One Direction themed float, and a float modeled after the video game Little Big Planet. Also new this year is an app to track Santa's progress. This way you can run to grab another hot chocolate without missing the main attraction. Broadcasting of the show will include celebrity guests such as Taylor Swift, Demi Lovato, Adam Lambert, Dr. Oz and more!

Apart from having loads of fun entertainment to watch these parades run toy drives to bring toys to children where Santa can't go, with Toronto operating the €Toys for the North€ toy donation program. Last year Toronto sent toys to over 12,000 children the Northern territories. Canadian Tire is also in the spirit of giving this year with sales of their €red noses€ (priced at $2) being split evenly between the Santa Claus Parade and their Jumpstart program.

If you're not in the Toronto area for Christmas but you want to do something with the family to get in the spirit of giving try some of these with your kids:

-Take a special trip to the grocery store and let the kids pick out some of their favourite canned goods or non perishable items. Go to the Food Bank as a family to drop off the goods and take the kids on a small tour of the food bank and explain how it helps the community.

-Play a special game of dress up where kids can go through their clothes and pick things they don't want anymore. Not only will it be loads of fun but many times you'll find things they forgot they had which almost like them getting a present too! Then go to Good Will, Value Village, Salvation Army or your favourite amity store as a family to drop off the clothes.

-Have each child fill a shoe box for Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child. You can get a special shoe box from a distribution center or just fill your own! Fill boxes with hygiene products, school supplies, toys and candy based upon a gender and specific age group. Leave a personal touch inside as well like a photo, note or drawing and drop it off at a Christmas Collection Center near you November 19-25. To learn more about the program go here.