It's A Christmas Parade!!

On our snowbird migration south, we stopped at one of our favorite places, Fernadina Beach on Amelia Island, Florida. It was a Saturday night and the town was geared up for a Christmas Parade. We skipped our usual restaurant in favor of one that was open a little earlier so that we could get dinner done and watch the parade that was due to start at six.

People were congregating and kids were getting excited. By the time six o'clock arrived, the main street was lined with people and everyone had staked out their spot. It was a little chilly for Florida but Amelia Island can be that way in the early winter months. Still, it didn't take more than a light jacket to keep warm.

Six o'clock came and passed and we could only imagine what might be happening in the organization to bring floats and marchers together. Before long we saw the flashes of light from the police car that was leading the parade. Kids and adults alike cheered.

Now the thing that I love about small town parades is that everyone has a part. First the honor guard the send in the fire engines! Follow them up with every civic group you can think of and a few very creative ones--like a pirate club. There was motorcycle club, a jeep club and the Shriners in their little cars. All were decorated to the hilt with colorful lights and Christmas decoration.

Floats included some Santas and angels and a Frosty as well as what looked like an Easter bunny to which someone yelled, "Wrong holiday!"

The high school marching band had their instruments decked out in lights and in the middle was a suspicious looking Santa. It was a hoot.


There was a huge truck from a local company that had trouble making the turn at the corner with so many people gathered there. Traffic controllers moved the crowd and directed the truck that backed up a couple of times until it cleared poles and people to a rousing cheer from the crowd.




The parade was a good forty-five minutes long and I was so entranced that I barely moved and suddenly realized my knees had just about locked in place. A little maneuvering and some oil for the new knee (just kidding) and we walked quickly to our favorite ice cream parlor for a small cone.





The night was magical, as Bob would say, with all the lights and the joy of towns people as they each other with "Merry Christmas!"  And no one missed the snow.