Who needs Macy’s when you have local parades?
Commentary By Adam Smith
The North Jefferson News
North Jefferson County residents may experience some of the following sights/sounds/smells this week:
• The sight of a fat man in a red suit tailing a slow-moving pack of antique cars and pickup trucks
• The sound of a well-rehearsed, but cold marching band playing “Deck the Halls” or “Jingle Bells”
• The noxious smell of exhaust fumes from the aforementioned antique cars and pickup trucks
However, residents need not be alarmed. It could be one of any number of parades scheduled to happen this week in our area.
The City of Morris held their parade on Saturday, while Gardendale will hold its parade Thursday night.
Residents can also go watch the Trafford Christmas parade on Saturday afternoon and then head over to Kimberly that evening for its Christmas parade.
Essentially, if it’s your desire to see a parade this year, you have multiple options to choose from.
The word “parade” has become so general, it could apply to just about anything. For instance, when I think “parade,” I think about the Macy’s Thanksgiving day parade or the Rose Bowl parade. These parades cost $1 million or more to stage and are watched by millions all over the world.
However, they’re also overblown affairs and feature oversized cartoon characters, elaborate flower-covered floats, nationally-known celebrities and tons and tons of candy thrown out to waiting spectators.
Who needs all that?
I know I don’t. Give me a good ol’ southern parade any day.
Who needs a 300-foot Scooby Doo? The sight of some mutt hanging out of the back of a locally owned and operated pickup truck can bring just as big a smile to my face.
Who needs some liberal broadway star lip syncing his/her way through some pre-recorded Christmas song? Give me a local marching band, freezing and playing their tails off to an enthusiastic audience.
Who needs candy thrown at you or your child? I know this is a sore spot with anyone who may be attending the Gardendale Christmas parade, but is that the only reason you came to the parade in the first place? For the candy?
Shouldn’t you or your child still have leftover Halloween candy? Halloween was only a little over a month ago. How much candy do you need? Gluttons!
What else do I want? I want to see locals riding in elaborately decorated boats or on down-home flavored trailers, pulled by American-made trucks and cars. And if those trucks and cars don’t have high exhaust emissions or flashing yellow lights atop them, I’ll be sorely disappointed.
I also want to see Santa at the end of the parade. I’ve already written my letter to him, and I figure I might as well deliver it to him personally.
More importantly, I want to see residents coming together to enjoy the best of what the holiday season has to offer. And if you can’t find it at any of our area’s local parades, you’re not looking hard enough.