We were in a parade..
By katsmeow1213
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
United States
November 24, 2012 8:16pm CST
My town did a holiday parade tonight, and the company my husband works for got to be a part of it. My husband drove their truck, my youngest 2 boys sat in the truck with him. My middle 2 children and I handed out candy during the parade. The remaining employees handed out toys.
My oldest had the best job of all. He got to dress up as the company mascot. He was the most logical choice. Each of the employees had tried the costume before and found it to be too heavy for them to walk around in, they just didn't have the energy. My son had the energy. He was dancing the whole time, running from one side of the street to the other to give the kids high fives, pose for pictures, give hugs. He absolutely loved it! He told me he had a smile on his face the whole time.
Afterwards my husband's boss brought us all out for pizza. We were sitting at the restaurant and this guy comes up to us. He asks who had been in the dog suit he posed for a picture with.. the guy had been dressed up as santa, and we got a picture of Santa and Lucky Dog together!
We also got a picture of Lucky Dog with someone dressed up as Captain Jack Sparrow.
Lots of other people wanted their pictures taken with him too.
The whole thing was a huge hit.. except for the fact that we ran out of candy and toys very early on in the parade, so the kids and I just ended up walking along behind the truck doing nothing.. it was still fun!
6 people like this
11 responses
@GardenGerty (160677)
• United States
25 Nov 12
Oh that sounds so fun for your whole family to do. Your oldest son sounds like a real people person, and I am glad he is doing things that get him positive recognition. I know he has some problems at school, not his fault, and this opportunity to be in center stage is great for him. I am smiling reading about it.
2 people like this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
25 Nov 12
He's a good kid overall, most people really like him. He absolutely loved doing this.. and he was perfect for it because he really is very social, outgoing, and likes people. He was just dancing everywhere.. it was really funny.
2 people like this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
25 Nov 12
Also in the parade were actors dressed as Dicken's characters from A Christmas Carol. They put on this big thing nearby every year where they wander around the town and act out parts from the book. Before the parade started they were walking past us, and my son, dressed as the dog, started picking on Ebenezer Scrooge.. it was really too funny!
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (160677)
• United States
25 Nov 12
Sounds like he could be part of a pep squad or participate in drama activities. I know he does sports but he can do the other as well. He seems really peppey and full of energy.
1 person likes this
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
25 Nov 12
It sounds like a great way for your family to spend the day. I think it is great that your husbands boss let the whole family get in on the parade. I bet Javy was a riot running around like a crazy person. I bet he could get one of those jobs where you stand outside and try to get people to come into businesses. Sign waver I think they call them. It would be a great way for him to earn some spending money.
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
26 Nov 12
We don't really have any place around here that does that.. only Little Caesar's and they're about 20 minutes away.
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
25 Nov 12
That sounds like a ton of fun! I remember, as a kid, riding on the Church float for our local Santa Clause parade. It was always lots of fun.
As for the mascots, I can't begin to imagine how heavy those costumes must be, and how strong the people are who wear them. :) I remember our local Serbian festival, and the guy in costume. It's in the middle of July too, so HOT!! The poor guy must be melting. Funny, but he can also hear people when they call him over for pictures.
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
25 Nov 12
Thankfully it was really cold last night.. but my son was sweating anyway.
@shaggin (72136)
• United States
26 Nov 12
You have to buy a lot of candy to get through a parade without running out. When I take my kids to a parade I make sure to go where it starts when people have lots of candy not at the end where they have run out by then. Its expensive to buy a lot of candy though so if I was passing out candy it would be however much I could afford.
That is so exciting that your son got to be the mascot. It sounds like he loved it and it made his night! What a great time!
@shaggin (72136)
• United States
26 Nov 12
Thats a good point. I guess if you wanted them to pay attention to the parade and not scrounge for candy then going to the end of where the parade will wind up would be best. My kids and I think most kids love the parades for the candy. My son likes to watch the fire trucks and things like that I think hes more interested in the parade by far then my daughter. I dont care for them all the firetrucks blaring their horns. I dont like that much noise but I take my kids because its fun for them.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
26 Nov 12
We don't go to parades to receive candy, we go to watch the parade and have a good time. The kids miss out on seeing things if they're too busy scrounging for candy that's been on the ground.
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
25 Nov 12
Glad the kids had a great time and you guys got a free meal out of it too! My kids were in the local parade last weekend collecting money for a children's charity. Glad you guys had fun & cute hats!
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
25 Nov 12
Mine have never done girl scouts or anything like that, so they were never in parades.. except my daughter when she did baton a couple years ago.
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
25 Nov 12
This was a real family event that involve every family member and it seems like yu all had a good time. Loved the photo and tried to upload a comment but failed. I kknow - don't dsay it.Your eldest son looks like he would deo well in a j0b involving people as it is obvious from your comment that he likes people. Your children are so good looking. Glad that you all enjoyed yourselves
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
25 Nov 12
Right now he's still aiming to be a professional athlete.. even though I know that probably won't happen. He's also thinking of being a teacher maybe.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
26 Nov 12
I wasn't totally comfortable either, but I had a job to do.. and when the candy was gone (it went really quick) I just walked with my son and directed him towards people who were screaming for him.. it was very hard for him to see.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
25 Nov 12
Actually no. He works for a national corporation. But they have freedoms to do things like this.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
27 Nov 12
It is always such fun to have the opportunity to be a part of a parade. My brother and I both went through clown university when we were in high school and we got to be clowns in the St. Patrick's Day parade here and it was a lot of fun.
You are right about the candy though. I think that if a group is planning on giving out candy during a parade, the best thing that you can do is to buy at least three times the amount of candy that you think is going to be needed and if there is left-overs, that's fine, but then again you aren't likely to run out of candy during the parade.
@mariaperalta (19073)
• Mexico
25 Nov 12
Sounds like some good old family fun there. Have a great sunday there.
