Santa and Mrs. Claus ushered in the holiday season this weekend, as they made their way along the streets of Merrimac and Amesury in each town’s annual Santa Parade.
On Saturday, an estimated 1,200 spectators came out to enjoy the procession of decorated holiday floats pass through Amesbury as a December drizzle turned into a light snow.
Then on Sunday, after snow blanketed the area, hundreds more spectators were greeted to 50-degree temperatures as Santa and his reindeer paraded through the downtown.
Merrimac, which has had a parade since 1949, is known to have one of the best parades in the region each year. This year's was no different, with marching bands, a drum corps, antique cars and appearances by MIckey and Minnie Mouse and Red Sox mascot Wally the Green Monster.
Amesbury's has grown its Santa Parade tradition, but this year's new organizers, Adele Faso and Candace Ellis, worked to ensure this year's spectacle, with a total of 42 floats, was bigger and grander than ever.
"I think we had double the floats and double the walkers," said Faso, who owns the downtown ice cream eatery Maggie Sundae and stepped in to host the event just 5 weeks ago.
There were floats adorned with oversized candy canes and twinkling lights, wagons touting gingerbread men and houses and elaborate holiday scenes, and vehicles boasting the work of many little hands. The Amesbury High School marching band and hockey teams were represented, as well as brownie and boy scout troops and the Cashman Elementary school choir.
Then by a stroke of good fortune, a blast of arctic air passing through the region ensured a sky full of snow flurries would deliver the region's first snow of the season. Though it initially started as rain/snow mix, the town's first snowfall felt enough like the real thing to get everyone in the holiday mood.
"The snow was a bonus," said Ann Marie Holbrook of Amesbury, who for 12 years has made the trek downtown to watch Santa flip the switch on the big Christmas Tree in Market Square.
Following the 30-minute parade, Santa met the crowd in Market Square and offered kudos to the residents of Amesbury for their overwhelming display of Christmas spirit. Though he reminded all that he must soon return to his reindeer, who were waiting at Woodsom Farm in anticipation of the coming snowstorm, he took part in pulling names from a hat for a high school Senior Celebration raffle, oversaw the naming of the best float (Cub Scouts Pack 4 and scout leader Anders Lund), and best window decorations (1st place - Fiddlestix, 2nd place - Country Meadows, 3rd place - Cutters Plus and Fullers).
And when that was done, his elves flipped the switch on the grand spruce overlooking downtown Amesbury. This year the town's tree is adorned with a brilliant star on top, as explained by Chamber of Commerce Director Stefanie McCownan.
"It's been a couple of years since we've had a star on top," McCowan told the crowd prior to the lighting. "John Morris did that for us."
Jessika and Kevin Welch and two of their three children braved the chilly weather to take part, and said they wouldn't have missed seeing their daughter Annika marching with the Cashman School Choir for the first time.
"It was great," Jessika said of the parade. "I was impressed with the turnout and all the floats."
Ten-year-old Kate Fike sang in the Cashman choir as well, marching to represent the fourth grade class.
"We sang 'African Noel,' and 'We wish you a merry Christmas,'" said Fike, who was happy to arrive to Market Square in time to see Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive on Fire Engine #2.
For the hundreds of children who come out each year to see the parade, seeing Santa Claus up close and amid all the holiday spirit, is what it's all about. Organizers Ellis and Faso, in fact, were still alight over witnessing the looks on children's faces, when the big man arrived atop the fire truck.
"Seeing the kids' faces - it was so rewarding," agreed Faso. "I wanted to cry."
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