We live in a small town, so this is no Macy's Parade or Rose parade, but it is ours. We love it. Hundreds of people brave the cold, wrap up in thermal underwear, blankets and bring thermoses of hot chocolate or hot toddies, to sit along the parade route to await the parade which begins at 5:30 p.m. when it gets good and dark.
The parade lasts approximately one hour depending on how many floats we have.
We usually have anywhere between 20 and 40 entries in the parade. Last night we had a good turnout--34.
After the parade, a few things happen simultaneously, Santa comes to the firehouse, after he is finished with the parade. There is Hot chocolate and a food drive and pictures. The firemen are hanging about ...we have a volunteer fire department...and there is people mingling, visiting and laughing at those babies who really don't want to sit on Santa's lap.
A block down and a block over, on the Nixon Lawn (not named after our former president), (the lawn is in the center of town, the rural Nevada equal to a town commons), there is community Christmas Caroling, with hot cocoa too.
Then one block over from the caroling, the Methodist Church hosts chili and hot dogs and has a game night--board games, cards, trivia--it's quite fun.
The idea is that folks travel from one to the other.
I work for the Chamber of Commerce. I'm the only one there in the office... again, small town. So the organization of the parade falls on my shoulders. It's gone good for the past 6 years that I have been doing it.
Last night I remembered to take my camera.... BUT, I forgot my glasses, forgot to set the camera settings to night/action and I had gloves on. These are my excuses for pictures like the ones below. LOL
But you guys--you blog readers, have seen my food photography, so really, I can't rationalize, can I? I just take bad pictures.
They are space-aged pictures.
It's a good think the newspaper was there taking REAL photos. I'll get some and post them at another time. Another good thing about a small town... I can just call the newspaper and say, "hey Mike, can you e-mail me some of those pictures you took, mine just didn't turn out"
He'll sigh and say of course. (he's used to me too, and my picture taking abilities)
But....there is something unique about these space aged pics.... don't ya think?
and then it dawned on me to say STOP while I take your picture.
Merry Christmas....I'm off to cook something. Caramel corn, spritz cookies, sugar cookies and spaghetti!!
