Some of the many thousands who lined the streets to see Santa react as he rides by on his float. (Guardian photo by Brian McInnis)
As she clutched her letter to Santa, Sophie Trainor, five and three quarters years old (she was very specific about that) voiced her Christmas wish list as she waited impatiently for the Charlottetown Christmas parade to get underway Saturday evening.
“I want moon sand,” she said to a query from a reporter who has no children so he obviously had no idea what she was talking about. “It’s sand that comes from the moon,” she said upon further questioning and then went on to name the other items on her list. Her father Al was probably taking notes as he listened to his daughter.
They were among the many thousands of people who lined University Avenue from UPEI down to Grafton Street and from Grafton to the provincial government parking lot to watch the 11th annual Charlottetown Christmas parade that featured approximately 80 floats ranging from fire engines, to traditional manger scenes to clowns to dogs dressed in seasonal attire. Not to mention a lot of fire engines with their sirens blasting.
Before the parade began postal carriers walked the route gathering letters to Santa from children who in this day and age could wish for virtually anything from a doll to an Ipod music player.
Some people parked their vehicles in the parking lot of the University Avenue Superstore at noon Saturday, but that was of little use because if they thought they outsmarted the throngs of spectators they were sadly mistaken. If they planned to watch the parade from the comfort of their vehicles that was impossible because they could not see because of the people standing in front of their cars. They were forced to get out and stand with the rest of them.
When Santa finally made his appearance at the end of the parade the entire line of spectators erupted in waving, jumping up and down and yelling“look there’s Santa!”The Christmas season has officially begun.
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carolyn maclean from abney, pei writes: The parade was lovely as always, it is always so good to see floats with the real meaning of christmas, please don't ever forget the real meaning, have a very merry christmas everyone and on christmas morning wish Jesus a happy birthday. He's the reason for the season.To all those who put hours of work into the parade ---well done.
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Hillbilly Hank from Cascumpec, PE writes: Yes people...please never forget the 'true meaning of Christmas.' Hank always remembers.
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Big Daddy from Charlottetown, PEI writes: The traffic tie ups were the most riduclous I have ever seen, traffic lined up on all streets & coming at you on the wrong side to get through. Why they would start this at UPEI is beyond me, where you block all of the incoming traffic off. i left the CDP to go to Upper Queen & it took me about an hour & thirty minutes, by going out to the Trans Canada & then up the Lower Malpeque Rd so I could get into the traffic flow on North River Rd. This could only happen in Ch'town with the stupid council members we have, they couldn't plan a birthday party for 2 or 3 children. Why not have the parade on Sunday & start it at Victoria Park, the people on the boardwalk wouldn't mind. Get a company to do a study on this Clifford
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m from pe writes: i'm not down with that whole Jesus story. I still enjoy christmas though. It's a time for family and friends to come together. Even though the retail aspect of christmas has gone completely out of control, everyone can find their own meaning.
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kenneth ken from PEI writes: YES, MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE
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Where is Chris? from pe writes: I thought it was his moral imperative to denounce suce flagrant statements of superstitious immorality.
I bet he is a civil servant and can't be trusted to follow through on his boasts.
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The Cat from Charlottetown, P.E.I. writes: Hey Big Daddy, bah humbug! When you saw all the traffic why didn't you just go back into the casino and pump some more money into the machines until the traffic cleared? Lighten up. It's Christmas, for goodness sake.
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JUST ME from PEI writes: To Big Daddy, I actually found the trafiic wasn't all that bad both going to and leaving the parade. Obviously some streets would have been blocked during the parade,but it was also advertised where and when it was taking place. Next year listen to the radio and plan to leave earlier or later that day. Merry Christmas :)
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