Santa Clause Parade

There were eighty-six floats. I was number seventeen. My two daughters,Heather and Theresa and grand-daughter Robyn and great grand-daughter Cheyanne walked with me.

We were four generations.

Cheyanne is six. I wasn't sure she would last the whole parade.I thought she would be too cold.

She lasted. She walked straight and tall. The smile never left her face and she waved constantly. At one point she was ahead of me. The band music slowed. Her step went straight into a slow march.That's not easy if you have to think about it.

Robyn has been in the parade before with a couple of friends. Robyn is sixteen. Her memory will always be clear. We don't see Cheyanne all that often, But when we do,she clearly knows she is one of us. I can picture her telling her children how she walked in Aurora's Santa Clause Parade with her grandmother,Aunt Heather and cousin Robyn. Her great-grandmother dyed her hair purply-pink, the colour of her sequined beret,for the occasion.

Cheyanne noticed. "Your hair's purple" she said.

Yes,I said.

Why? she said

Because I want to be a big Christmas doll for the Parade.

It made complete sense. She just smiled. Most things make sense to a six year old.

Maybe when she is an adult and I'm not around and she tells her children; they will wonder how many great-grandmothers rode decorated scooters in Santa Clause Parades and dyed their hair pink and wore sequin berets, in the olden days.

I bought the beret in New Orleans. I wanted one of those beaded fringe caps. They were too expensive . But ooh,I really liked them. I must have worn my sequined beret a dozen times now. Always in a parade. It's the only chance I get.

The first parade I ever saw in Aurora was July 1st 1963. The whole Council and the clerk-treasurer Bill Johnstone. were on a flatbed dressed in costumes from a hundred years before. The late Councillor Jean Moffat wore a blue crinoline dress and a huge peek-a-boo hat. The late Keith Nisbet was Mayor. He wore a top hat and tail coat,brocade vest, silk cravat and tight breeches.

The rest of the Council were similarly attired. Councillor Moffat was the only lady.

They sat around as if in a meeting. It was Aurora's Centennial. Auroran's marked the occasion wearing whatever costumes they could find.

The late Dr. Jim Johnstone, owner and publisher of The Aurora Banner dressed as a Chevalier. Like one of the Three Musketeers. He had short legs. His high black boots flapped about his knees when he walked.

The crowds last night were seven or eight deep along most of the parade route. There must have been thousands of children. All there together on Yonge Street to see the parade.

Shelley Ware is the young woman on Aurora staff who organizes our special events.
She does an amazing job with support from town business.community organizations and bands and literally dozens of volunteers.Shelley brings it all together.

We woke up to snow and bitter wind in the morning.Never at any time was there a hint the parade wouldn't happen. When it did, it was a fine cold evening, the crowds were in excellent spirits.

My great grand-daughter took off her hat and scarf and mittens. Her face shone with happiness.

Another childhood memory was created.