Mirvish continues tradition of turkey giveaway

A Toronto tradition continued Sunday morning with the giveaway of turkeys to customers at the Honest Ed's store in the downtown west end.

Hundreds of people braved the rain and wind for hours at Bloor Street West and Bathurst Street, hoping to get their hands on a free turkey and fruit cake.

This year, the bargain retailer handed out more than 1,200 — or about 635 kilograms — of birds.

David Mirvish, whose late father Honest Ed Mirvish began the tradition in 1987, was on hand for the holiday tradition. "I had a lot of good helpers and we're learning how to do it. After 25 years, you hope you learn something," Mirvish said, adding that he was aware that people had "been waiting outside a long time."

The lengthy lineup left some people disappointed, including one woman who vented her frustration to CBC after learning the giveaway had ended.

"People were climbing up the whole steps, waiting outside in line for hours and hours in the pouring rain and they don't even announce it outside that there's no more," the woman said.

Turkeys were handed out on a first come first serve basis and nearly all of the birds were handed out in the first hour.