Ah, Christmas parades! For those of us who grew up in the 1960s and 70s, they were as much a part of the holiday season as tinsel on the tree. Back then, a Christmas parade wasn’t just an event; it was an adventure — complete with frozen toes, steaming cups of hot cocoa and a front-row view of what can only be described as small-town magic on wheels.
In those days, the parade wasn’t just about Santa’s grand finale. It was a kaleidoscope of homemade floats, borrowed costumes, and marching bands that seemed determined to outplay the chill in the air. The high school majorettes twirled their batons with mittened hands, local businesses paraded their wares with pride, and every tractor within a 50-mile radius got a holiday makeover.
As kids, we’d bundle up in layer upon layer, resembling more snowmen than spectators. We’d cheer for the firefighters tossing candy from their shiny trucks and marvel at the creativity of floats crafted from hay bales, cardboard, and what appeared to be copious amounts of glitter and glue. And let’s not forget the occasional mis-step—like the year someone’s reindeer costume caught on a lamppost, halting the parade for a good five minutes. It was all part of the charm.
