Winter Holiday Parade

Lucky my brother's friend from elementary school called him up and introduced us to this event! I was reluctant - I don't even know this kid - but my family gathered up everything and said we were going to a performance in which my brother's friend was. The Santa Ana Star Center was pretty fun to just run all around inside, especially with all of the unfamiliar faces.

Speaking of which... Can you believe I saw two pairs of utterly adorable twins?

My brother and I got bored when my dad ran into a guy he knew, and we ran all around in disguises trying to hide from them. Sadly, it didn't work. They said they saw us up in the higher levels. Recognizing me by my shirt. I was like, you kidding me bro?

Anyway, to the parade. So, as it turns out, the "event" was happening outside. After my brother and I switched back everything - except our shoes - we headed out into the cold. A few snowflakes were flitting down, looking like little light-weight hail cubes. People were walking along the edge of the road, waving light-sabers, and my brother got one. I was sulky and cold, so I asked my parents for the keys to go back to the car.

I was planning on writing, even though it was dark and I couldn't see much. A woman in the car next to me was creepily sitting in the backseat with the lights off, much like myself, and I started to get paranoid when I heard a strange thumping noise outside the car.

Turning off my music, I realized the noise was the drums of the school marching bands. I poked my head out the car door and crawled onto the roof to hear the other familiar Christmas tunes that were playing out into the chilly evening air. Seeing more parade floats coming down from up the road, I ditched the car - locking it behind me, of course - and walked over to the road to see the floats.

I stood shivering on the curb with my hood up, watching the little kids as they smiled and waved, cheerfully calling out, "Merry Christmas!" to all of the bystanders. The people walking alongside the floats approached me and handed me pieces of candy and church flyers(speaking of the churches... this one place called Destiny Church had a float with a band performing "Celebrate Good Times"... it was pretty funny), meeting my eye with warm holiday wishes melting from their lips.

Waving back at the hordes of kids mushed onto the floats and saying back, "Merry Christmas," I felt some spirit glow in me. I mean, true, I'm the grinchiest of them all, but the cold and the bit of snow - that quickly disappeared - and the kids and the floats and all of the kind strangers made me smile happily and fumble with numb fingers for my camera every time a new and interesting float passed me by. I even hummed along with all the trademark Christmas tunes, surprisingly. The atmosphere was too smothering to refuse, and I certainly succumbed to it.

And - Santa was up on a fire truck. I was like, "All the motorcycles are the reindeer and the fire truck is his sleigh; now Santa's part of the fire brigade?" all in a British accent.

It made me so indescribably warm and happy inside, the fact that there's a time of year where people can come together over any and all of their problems and hold out a hand and give a warm smile and make someone and everyone feel wholly loved and appreciated.

And this is the time of year I can get as much white chocolate and other goodies as I want, of course. ;)