Ho! Ho! Bristol! Santa parades into town
BAdvance correspondent RISTOL BOROUGH - Tamsyn Adams, 8, moved to the music. Abby Smoyer, 4, liked the candy. uander the pit bull seemed to get a kick out of the matching black horses and the rescue Saint Bernard sporting a red neck scarf.
Whatever the favorites of these spectators, the biggest hit for all was Santa Claus, who came to town in the midst of Saturday’s Bristol Borough Christmas Parade. Santa’s ho, ho, ho mixed it up with aoooogahs from a Bugatti, the rockin’ of Garyoke, the drum beat of the Bracken Cadet Alumni Drum and Bugle Corps, and the siren wails of dozHnV RI fiUH WUXFNV DnG DPEXODnFHV.
The Delaware salley sietnam seterans participated, as GLG BULVWRO BRURXJh RIfiFLDOV 5REyn TUXnHOO DnG 5DOSh DiGuiseppe. Spider Man hugged and mugged for the camera as little kids ran out to greet him.
Ronald McDonald gave a shout out to spectators; ditto Sesame Street’s Elmo as he waved from his silver Corvette.
The Harry S Truman Tiger Band marched to the beat; the Durning String Band strummed “We Need a Little Christmas.”
All of these were elements of the parade traditionally held on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Thousands of spectators bundled up to brave 39 degree chill and 15 mph winds blasts; the lucky ones who lived along the parade route - Farragut Avenue to Pond Street to Mill Street - feasted as they watched, many using the event as an opportunity to host family reunions holiday parties.
“We have the best of both worlds. The Christmas parade and a chance to get warm,” said Judy Ahrenson, of Bensalem, as she munched on a hot dog near the porch of a friend’s home.
Tamsyn, of Richboro, said she preferred the music from WhH vDULRXV EDnGV DnG flRDWV. AEEy hHOG XS D EXFNHW WhDW wDV TXLFNOy fiOOLnJ wLWh FDnGy WRVVHG Ey vDULRXV XnLWV DV they walked or drove by.
“There’s lots of candy here,” said a jubilant Abby, who was visiting from Levittown.
As for uander, he watched patiently as humans strutted their stuff, but just let one of the four-footed go by and the dog would make a circle, tug at his leash, and start a little doggie dance.
“He’s a good boy. He just gets excited when the animals go by,” said his owner, Michael Capella, a New Jersey resident whose girlfriend was in the line of march as a cartoon character.
At the end of the parade, some spectators seemed to realize how cold they were and streamed down borough side streets to warm up in cars or nearby homes.
“Hot chocolate would be good now,” said Henry Pace. “Hot chocolate now, then the rush. Christmas is coming, for sure.”