Joy to the World

Joey and I went to the holiday parade! We get there a bit early to get a good parking spot, and hang out to see what is new for the holidays. There was also a craft fair nearby, so we wandered over there for a while. It was in my old elementary school, so I got to show him where I had classes and things. I hadn't been in the building in eons, so that was kind of surreal, but it was just as I remembered it.

This year's theme was something about tropical or Hawaiian Christmas, which is really weird, too, since we aren't tropical. And I hate tropical theme Christmas stuff. The point of a parade is to get us into the spirit, and it is cold here, so having people wear hula costumes and put up palm trees- it just doesn't do it. Fortunately, there were plenty of non-float stuff to see.

The other weird thing they do now is have all the high school bands just combine whomever wants to march in the parade into one band- so there is only one band. It is a shame, because parade bands are awesome. Also, hey, we pay for their uniforms and stuff, and it is a marching band, so come march. We all marched separately when I was young, and it was part of the deal of being in the marching band. Buy long underwear and know you are going to be in the band. We also memorized our music. And though we only had 28 horns at my school, we still rocked, even in parades.

Joey loved it all the same. He loves baton twirlers and bands and tractors and baton twirlers and ladies in costumes and trucks and baton twirlers...

About halfway through, he started singing Christmas carols at the top of his lungs. He even got some of the younger ones around him to join in to Jingle Bells. His favorite, however, is Joy to the World.

As in, Jeremiah was a bullfrog.

Everyone around us was in hysterics. That's my boy.

He did manage to catch some candy, but it was the folks giving out pencils that really made him grin. I think if I filled his stocking with sticks, he would be the happiest kid on earth. Pencils make great sticks.

I also liked the folks who were giving out paper bags they had decorated- so kids could have a bag for their candy and pencils.

One had to love parades, especially since Joey loves them, too. He was a little more reluctant this year, with the call of the Wii, but having some 1:1 MomTime turned out to be not such a bad thing, after all. Especially when Mom plays Pier Pressure while waiting for the next part of the parade to go by. And sings with you.

Merry Christmas!!!