“Adults really camped hours prior just to see someone dressed up as Santa?” A friend of mine abruptly said in a weirded-out tone when I told them I was going to Toronto on the weekend just to see the Santa Claus Parade on 26th November. I’m an adult myself, I didn’t bring portable chairs to wait for Santa Claus, but I did stand 1.5 hours before Santa Claus came and bought myself a bundle of three red noses for five dollars. I admit it; I could’ve continued to sleep until the evening on a Saturday. Instead, I chose to get up and board the Go Bus. No idea why.
Actually, I know why! It’s because the child in me has not been released yet, and probably so are the other adults taking their children. I overheard someone saying that the first time they went to see this Parade, they took their eight-year-old son but now their son is 25 years old and living in Ottawa. It’s a delightful story, so some of us are weirdly excited for someone solely dressing up as Santa. Reminiscing is one thing on their agenda.
But it was magical. The 119th Original Santa Claus Parade starts in Christie Pits at 12:30 PM. I got there at 1 PM and the Parade already started, so I got off at Queen’s Park, and it was already filled with people on the sidewalk, all wearing Santa hats and this jumbo necklace of Christmas lights ornaments that extended from the neck to the stomach — goofy, but I wanted it, but I could not spend any more money.
After waiting for a while, the first float came, and it was like a float of clowns, popping confetti that filled the street. I took some of it home as a memorabilia. Then it continued with marching bands from various universities including UofT, McMaster, and Western. Ontario School of Ballet also participated, with many of them performing cartwheels. Lots and lots of floaties came from PizzaPizza, Cineplex, Tim Hortons, and many more.
I narrowed my favourite floaties down to three from Nintendo; they have giant Mario Bros larger-than-life characters, as well as the Brick Blocks from Metro with a cute gingerbread house and kids dressed up as chefs waving to us.
Lastly, the Pride Toronto floaties!
In the chilly weather, the Parade went out for 1.5 hours, ending with the Santa Claus floaties with many reindeers in the front. Santa greeted us and waved at us throughout the trip, saying he was happy to see us. Like most children, I shouted and waved back, the child within me beaming with happiness when I saw Santa.
Christmas is just one of those festivities that everyone eagerly anticipates. It’s one of the most popular holidays where you get presents, warm yourselves with hot chocolate, and listen to a Christmas songs playlist throughout. But for me, this holiday means I’m going home to spend the New Year with my family. Therefore, the Parade means something to me; it’s just around the corner when my exchange period is ending and going to Canada and being able to witness the annual Santa Claus Parade myself still very much sounds like a dream I had back in my last Christmas. I must have been a good girl this year, and this is my present from Santa.
The adults in front of me got up and tidied up their mini chairs, “Now we have to wait another year for this!” and I kind of wish I could say the same.