CHRISTMAS DAY GATHERING (no meetup fee)

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Join us for a fun Christmas Day social gathering at the downtown Marché Restaurant at Brookfield Place in downtown Toronto. The event will feature lots of great conversations, a tacky gift exchange, a trivia quiz and a festive wear contest!

Our group will get 10% off on our food order! To get this discount, please tell the Marche staff you are with "Thumbs Up Toronto" when you enter the restaurant.

WE WILL BE JOINED BY LIFE BEGINS AT 40, MAD ABOUT MOVIES AND TWO RIGHT FEET BALLROOM AT THIS EVENT. PLEASE ONLY SIGN UP IN ONE GROUP SO WE CAN KEEP TRACK OF NUMBERS!

Afterwards, you can join us at the Varsity Cinema to see Big Eyes, a film about an artist whose husband took credit for her famed portraits of children with large eyes. Directed by Tim Burton in one of his first regular, non-animated films. RSVP here: https://www.meetup.com/Thumbs-Up-Theatre-Toronto/events/218778821/

THE GATHERING

This event will bring together Thumbs Up members and their guests for a wonderful social afternoon. Meet new friends. The idea is for no one to spend Christmas alone!

ABOUT THE RESTAURANT: The Marché Restaurant at Brookfield Place is the largest Marché in the world, with a seating capacity of 567! You can buy a cup of coffee, a glass of wine, a dessert or a full meal -- whatever you want. Marché Restaurant is part of the Mövenpick Group of Switzerland. Formerly called Richtree, this new Marché location opened in August 2010 after an extensive renovation.

FOOD: Along with a classic assortment of fresh food, the restaurant has a wide range of treats, including gourmet pizzas covered with Peking duck, spicy crepes, fresh seafood and a hearty assortment of breads. You can visit the various food stations at the restaurant to order vegetables, rosti and grills, etc. There is also a huge dessert station, with pastries, crepes and Belgian waffles. There is also a fully-stocked wine bar. MORE INFORMATION (http://www.marche-restaurants.com/en).

FESTIVE WEAR CONTEST: You can dress up or go casual, but, whatever you wear, please include a garment or assessory that is a "conversation piece". It can be something eye-catching, tacky, creative, funny -- or whatever your imagination conjures up! It can tie into the holiday season, or be something completely unrelated. You will be judged by your fellow members at the gathering.

The winner will be treated to a decadent dessert of their own choice at the Marche! See Belinda to claim your prize!

TRIVIA QUIZ: There will be some trivia questions, with a chance to win chocolate treats if you are the first to answer correctly!

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TACKY GIFT EXCHANGE: If you would like to participate in a fun, tacky gift exchange, please bring a wrapped gift with a value of no more than $5. The ideal place to buy your tacky gift is a dollar store! Or, you can wrap something tacky you already own -- as long as it has a low value and is in excellent, immaculate condition. A tacky gift is generally something that may be funny, tasteless, eccentric and/or oddly imaginative! Belinda once wrapped up bobby pins for a tacky gift exchange and everyone howled because the recipient turned out to be a hair-challenged man!

TACKY GIFT RULES:

• Consecutive numbers will be written on pieces of paper and placed in a bag. Each participant will pick a number. The numbers will be called in consecutive order.

• The person who draws # 1 chooses any wrapped gift in the gift box and opens it. The turn ends.

• The next person with # 2 chooses whether they want to steal the previously opened gift or choose an unopened gift from the gift box.

• A person who has his/her gift stolen from them gets to either steal a gift from someone else or choose a replacement gift from the gift box.

• You cannot immediately steal back the gift that was stolen from you. You must wait at least one round before stealing back a gift that was once in your possession.

• A gift cannot be stolen more than once a turn.

• The process is repeated until all the gifts are gone.

• Members will then vote on which member has the tackiest gift.

The winner will be treated to a decadent dessert of their own choice at the Marche! See Belinda to claim your prize!

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DETAILS

WHEN: Thursday, December 25, 2014

TIME: Event begins at 2 p.m.

WHERE: Marché Restaurant at Brookfield Place, 181 Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario (a short distance north of Front Street and Union subway station)

PRICE: Food ranges from about $1 to $30 depending on what you order. There is no cover charge.

MEETUP FEE: No meetup fee

HOW TO BOOK

RSVP on this event page and show up at the Marche on the day of the event.

SEATING ARRANGEMENTS: We'll sit together as a group.

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MEETUP ARRANGEMENTS

Meet Belinda at 2 p.m. at her table at the front patio area inside the restaurant. Reservation is in the name of "Thumbs Up Toronto". Belinda is very short and will be wearing a small red top hat. Cell # (416) 879-7575.

RESTAURANT ENTRANCE: Enter the Brookfield Place complex at 181 Bay Street (east side of Bay) and walk down the long, grand hallway. The Marché Restaurant is on your left hand side at the end of the hallway.

Don't eat dinner on Christmas Day alone ... enjoy some great company with Thumbs Up Theatre Toronto members!

RESTAURANT MAP (http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&q=181%20Bay%20Street%20Toronto&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&biw=1440&bih=695&wrapid=tlif134755530234511&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl)

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