Columbia’s Christmas parade Saturday proved a spectacular hit thanks to the efforts of so many people who united together to make it happen, and it was fun for me to see it from a different perspective: that of a participant rather than a reporter covering it.
As far as I know, it was the first time The Columbian-Progress has entered a float in the parade. I really appreciate our staff for helping get it done so the newspaper could be part of the fun. Mark Rogers lent his carport for us to work on the float inside, and Tracey McNeese and Leigh Ann Davis, along with their families, did a great job leading the decorating. Tracey’s sister Amanda Miller painted a sign for us with a newspaper boy shouting, “Extra! Read all about it!” that turned out really great, and they also put together a wreath and Christmas tree decorations made from newspapers. Being personally involved in a float makes you appreciate more all the work that so many clubs and businesses put into doing one annually.
It was also fun to ride with my daughter Maggie. She’s 5 and really enjoyed throwing candy and beads from the float while shouting, “Merry Christmas to all!”
I had worried when we started considering doing a float that she would freeze to death sitting still like that for a long time during typical December weather. But Mother Nature smiled on us, and unseasonably warm temperatures in the 70s made it very comfortable. I wore a short-sleeve shirt and never felt the first chill.
I had also planned to pause to take in the scene downtown — and try to get a picture from inside the float of a crowd, a twist of the usual view of a picture from the crowd of the floats. But once we rolled past the post office, the people were so dense that it was a whirlwind. I just threw as much candy as I could, but it clearly wasn’t enough. We ran out before reaching the courthouse, and I felt bad not being able to share any the rest of the journey to City Park. Next year we’ll try to capitalize on those post-Halloween sales.
There is always the curious case of the adults clamoring for candy at parades. One older gentlemen — I use that term in its loosest sense — solicited a piece, specifying he wanted chocolate, while we were temporarily paused on Mississippi 13 South before reaching downtown. Not really wanting to give him any, I did anyway out of the spirit of Christmas. Then he started begging for another; I told him we needed to save it for the kids. You wonder what motivation grown people have for pleading for candy. I guess it’s the instinctive allure of something free.
Also, a power surge, presumably from all those lights downtown, apparently fried our server, which created a pain this week getting the paper produced.
Nevertheless, those quibbles didn’t dampen the overall mood of the parade, which was one of festive unity. It was great to feel that in Columbia, and I get the idea that this might have been a start of a new tradition in the city with the lights and decorations remaining up throughout the holiday season. Let’s hope that spirit of goodwill remains with us in some way throughout the year.
Charlie Smith is editor and publisher of The Columbian-Progress. Reach him at 736-2611 or csmith@columbianprogress.com.
