I think the Christmas parade is one of the town’s highlights! Everybody comes together to celebrate the year and anticipate the next. Organisations from the area support the occasion, whether it be through sponsorship, donations or floats in the parade. This year there were lots of floats! Locals labelled this year’s parade as the best ever!

It was such a rainy, windy day. Everybody was biting their nails in wonder as what the weather was planning to do (after all, who knows??). Thankfully, the heavens closed; the rain ceased and the wind subsided. The sun graced us with her presence and it was a very pleasant (albeit chilly) evening indeed!

Georgia marched with the Girl Guides again this year. In 2010 the Guides have been celebrating 100 years of Guiding. Georgia loves the Girl Guides program. She is learning a lot and has made many new friends. It has been very interesting learning about the History of Girl Guides. I am glad that there is the opportunity for our daughter to become involved in the program.

Georgia lines up for the parade with some of the Guides

Elora's first Christmas parade (note the Christmas hat)

Georgia in the parade :D

Two hunky gentlemen watching the parade (make that three if you count Will in the background)

The winning float

Another thing I like about the parade is the community gathering afterwards. There is a balloon man, sausage sizzle, Santa, and the school band. Not to mention the jumping castle, several buckets of lollies that are thrown into the playground, an icecream van, horses and probably more. Just the buzz of the locals gathering and chattering away gives the occasion quite a lovely atmosphere.

Elora and Georgia with Santa

Matthew on the Jumping Castle! Fun!

One of the nicest things about being part of a small community is that you seem to know everybody. On days like the parade, you bump into so many people that you know. It’s hard to describe the community spirit, but it is a very cheery atmosphere, where people say hello to you, whether you know them from school, the post office, the lolly shop, childcare, the supermarket, the library, pharmacy, your neighbour’s sister’s son… the list goes on.

There are disadvantages of being part of a small community too. For instance, everybody might hear about the time you went to the supermarket with curlers in (not me), or the day you left your keys at the post office (me)! I like it though, mostly. We’re becoming more and more involved in the community in various ways and it is quite exciting to be part of something like this.