Small-town Christmas parades.
The funds aren’t up to the same levels as a parade in Chicago or New York. We recently watched a parade in Chicago in which Acrobats from Thailand were performing in the parade. The Acrobats of Thailand aren’t begging for a spot in the small-town Christmas parade lineup.
But we don’t need acrobats. We have the First Christian Church, First Church of God, United Freewill Baptist Church, Genesis Church, Southern Missouri Career Center, Special Olympics, and a troop of men and women who own vintage vehicles and like to share them in our small-town Christmas parades.
I saw ten different Grinch costumes, the best Buddy the Elf I’ve ever seen, and our own small-town Mayor dressed as Santa Claus. There was an honest-to-goodness dirt track race car, a local discount store handing out gloves to children, a church handing out hand warmers, and the Gideons handing out New Testaments.
Children in the parade were a part of giving Christmas joy to the spectators and receiving the exhilaration of being a part of a float.
People were throwing candy, waving, and offering friendly smiles. It was almost like we all knew each other. And some of us did.
Parades don’t do much for me, but Son #1 loves them. As a child, everything he sees is new, immense, and marvelous. And for an hour, the West Main Street was bustling with joy and gladness, peace and goodwill.
And every parent has been pulling their hair out as their children engorge themselves on the excessive amount of free candy.
to the best small town in the world,
– Caleb
caneymountainblog.com 