Miracle Toronto returns for another magical holiday season

Miracle Toronto is back until December 30, and it's better than ever — and that's not just a turn of phrase. When we arrive at the Christmas-themed pop-up cocktail bar on a Thursday evening, there's already a lineup outside. The bar doesn't take reservations, but the wait is well worth it. 

Inside, the Christmas decor seems even more over-the-top than last year. Life-sized nutcrackers (with different ethnic backgrounds — cheers to diversity) greet us at the door. Dozens of wrapped presents dangle under a sea of twinkling Christmas lights that blanket the ceiling. Walls are adorned with wreaths and the windows are rimmed with a perfect outline of frost. The faux fireplace flickers and the giant animatronic teddy bear hugs the air — the Christmas spirit is in full force.

For a weekday, the space is surprisingly packed and everyone is basking in the Christmas cheer. It's hard to have a bad time at a place that leans so heavily into the cutesy and the kitschy parts of the holidays. We're sporting our finest Christmas sweaters, and although the rest of the bar's patrons didn't seem to get the memo, the staff certainly did. Bartenders in ugly (and cute) Christmas sweaters, reindeer antlers and Santa hats shake up cocktails behind the bar. 

Old favourites from previous years are back, like the Jingle Balls Nog, a house-made eggnog spiked with cream sherry and cognac, and the Yippee Ki Yay Mother F****r! — a creative, tropical and booze-forward Christmas drink with overproof rum, ube, coconut and pineapple. New this year is the Marshmallows & Unicorns, with gin, vanilla and lemon. It's as sweet and delightful as it sounds, without being overly sugary. And we couldn't resist the flavoured Naughty and Nice shots that come in adorable little Santa shooters. The glasses, along with a few others, are available for purchase at the bar, so you don't need to sneak them out in your purse. 

To really get you in the Christmas spirit, $1 from every drink sold at Miracle Toronto will be donated to Nellie’s, an organization that provides shelter, education and advocacy for women and children in need in the GTA. To date, the Christmas-themed bar has already raised over $130,000 for Nellie's. Cheers to that. 

Miracle Toronto, 875 Bloor St. W.; miracletoronto.com