Who's on the Christmas card list? A holiday Q&A with Mayor John Tory

It's time to break out the ice skates and belt out a few carols — but for Mayor John Tory, please hold the egg nog.

CBC Toronto caught up with Tory above the skating rink and holiday market at Nathan Phillips Square to chat Christmas traditions, and whether his council colleagues have been naughty or nice. But first, we start where all Toronto stories must start...

Q: Have you received a Christmas card from Drake?

A: No, I have not. I see him once in a while but I have not received a Christmas card. And now that you mention it, I'm a little hurt by that.

Q: Are you going to send him one?

A: Yes, definitely.

Q: What's Amazon getting from Toronto this year for Christmas?

A: Anything they want.

Q: An outdoor skate or an indoor book?

A: An outdoor skate on a nice day in the winter. If the wind is above, say 30 km/h, I'd switch it to the book.

Q: Two games on at the same time, who are you watching — the Leafs or Raptors?

A: Leafs. There were no Raptors when I was a kid, and I'm a Leaf fan first and foremost.

Q: Do any of your gifts involve raccoons?

A: I got a raccoon mug. And it's a mug that has the Toronto logo and the city hall on it, and it has a little raccoon trying to climb out of the cup of coffee. And the cup itself is shaped as a bin … this is a fantastic coffee mug.

Q: Favourite carol?

A: Kind of the sappy ones. I love O Come, All Ye Faithful, I don't know why, it's just a very triumphant song. But when you're around kids, it's gotta be Jingle Bells.

Q: Best holiday movie?

A: Oh the ridiculous one with Chevy Chase, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. I love that movie. I love it when they show up at his boss's house … and just start yelling at him: "You sir, are a sniveling wretch and you're treating people badly!" You know that scene?

[Editor's note: Tory is referring to Clark's rant, where the character calls his boss a "cheap, lying, no-good, rotten," sack of expletive – and that's leaving several expletives out.]

Q: What councillor's going to do that to you?

A: It could be a councillor, could be just about anybody. Could be a member of the press gallery…

Q: What councillor's going to get coal in their stocking?

A: I'm not going to answer that question on the basis that I have to work with them all, but there could be a number that are eligible. 

Q: What's your favourite Christmas snack?

Q: I'd have to say, believe it or not, stuffing. Turkey stuffing. Because if there was a bowl sitting in the fridge and it was three-o-clock in the afternoon, I'd have a spoonful.

Q: Turkey's a classic, but this is a city where you can get any type of food you want. What else would you go for? 

A: Probably it would be Indian food. Maybe some butter chicken. I like it spicy. They bring it to me and will say, "Oh sir this is a little spicy." I'll say, "No, no, bring on the little hot peppers." 

Q: Egg nog: yes or no?

A: Not really. And certainly not with rum in it. I just don't like it generally and I especially don't like it if it's been spiked, I don't know why.​

Q: Tell me about a tradition in your household.

A: What we had when we were kids, and then with our kids we did the same thing, was setting up the Christmas presents the night before. I remember listening as a kid and hearing all this noise downstairs of my parents laughing and having fun.

You know, you're trying to put these things together at night and you've had a glass of wine or two and you can't put it together — there's a part missing. So that's something I fondly remember and we're still doing it now with grandchildren.