Last year COVID put a lot of activities on pause, including my small town’s Christmas light parade. Central Point had only hosted the event for a few years before the pandemic shut things down, and we attended our first one in December of 2019 with our daughter’s family and our two young grandsons. As parades go, it was rather brief, but it was followed up by carols, hot chocolate, visits with Santa and the lighting of the community Christmas tree in front of City Hall.

We were excited that the city would once again signal the start of the holiday season this year with a parade on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. After more than a year absent of public gatherings, we looked forward to the celebration, no matter its size or duration. We met daughter Sarah, her husband and the boys on the sidewalk in front of a popular café about half an hour before the start of the festivities. Already people had staked out their spots with blankets and lawn chairs, but there was still plenty of standing and sitting room along the blocked-off thoroughfare. We staved off the damp, foggy chill with hot chocolate (that café was doing land-office business!), and the kids got a thrill out of venturing into the traffic-less main street and dancing on the center line.

Just about the time the boys had had enough of waiting, the flashing lights of a fire engine and motorcycle cop announced the start of the parade. First up was a beautifully decorated wagon carrying Santa and Mrs. Claus drawn by a pair of draft horses, a fitting reference to this community’s rural history. A few shiny red tractors also gave a nod to the farmers and ranchers who built up this town in the last century.  

All manner of vehicles, highly decorated and flashily lit, rolled down the street, many representing local businesses. We had a lift truck from a cable company, an enormous dump truck and a semi with a life-sized creche scene. There were unique entries, like the vintage bus with an inflatable tree on its bumper and an adorable little cart and pony. Several entries made reference to popular children’s and Christmas movies, including one large Grinch (along with several figures walking along in costume, each of which caused young grandson James to flee from the streetside and hide behind my husband), Jack Skellington and his dog Zero from The Nightmare Before Christmas,  and the Minions from Despicable Me.

We were impressed with just how many participants there were and how elaborately so many of them were decorated; a lot of time, effort and pride clearly went into preparations for this event.   There must have been at least 20 Polaris ATVs, apparently an enthusiasts’ club, in a long queue down the street, each trying to outdo the others in light strings and decoration.

In between the vehicles were groups from local schools, dance and cheer studios and churches, cheerily singing, dancing and chanting amid more flashing lights. Standouts were ladies in elaborate period costumes, a group which carols in neighboring gold-rush town Jacksonville, and dancers from Ballet Folklorico Ritmo Alegre in their full, ruffled satin dresses.

Clearly the whole community was more than ready for a joyous celebration, and this parade certainly delivered the goods!

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor