Stittsville family raises $25,000 for CHEO with 'Elf' themed Christmas display

A Stittsville family’s Christmas display fundraiser is over for another year, bringing in more than $25,000 for CHEO.

The Turcotte family has been recreating classic Christmas movies since 2020, starting with National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, followed by Home Alone in 2021 and Elf in 2022. Each year, they used the popularity of their home as a destination to raise money for local causes, such as the Stittsville Food Bank and CHEO.

Shawn Turcotte posted on Twitter Monday to thank residents for their generosity over the years.

“We truly hope everyone enjoyed our display this year,” Turcotte wrote. “We have now raised over $141,000 for the Stittsville Food Bank and CHEO with our Christmas fundraisers. Thank you everyone!”

The family raised $50,000 in 2020 and another $67,000 in 2021, Turcotte said.

CHEO was the focus of this year’s fundraiser because of the impact the COVID-19 pandemic and the respiratory virus season are having on health-care workers.

"This year they are in such dire situation when it comes to viruses, and COVID-19, and influenza, we decided that anything and everything we can do to help raise money to contribute to CHEO that's what we would do," Turcotte told CTV News in December. "That is where we are putting all our fundraising dollars – to CHEO."

The family kept the display going until New Year's Day. Turcotte says plans for Christmas 2023 are already in the works.

“Details on Christmas 2023 to follow!” he told CTV News.