I’m not a big parade guy. I didn’t watch a minute of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade on TV and I don’t see myself tuning in to the Disney Christmas parade next month.
When the Tournament of Roses parade is on, I can’t help but think: “Man, get this thing over so we can watch the game.”
But I do enjoy the annual Hermitage Holiday Light Parade when my wife and I take our granddaughter Julia every year. Since she’s now 9 years old and I don’t figure we have many parade trips left before she moves on to more grown up things — like boys.
As every grandpa realizes, a granddaughter can make you do things you wouldn’t do for anyone else for any reason at any time. For example, Julia had me take her to Prime Outlets in Springfield Township recently to get a pair of boots. Believe me, I wouldn’t be caught anywhere near that place if it weren’t to please her. Shopping to me is like pushing sharp sticks under my fingernails and to go to the crowded outlet mall borders on insanity.
However, taking her to the Hermitage parade is a thrill and last Saturday’s event was as great as always. The parade organizers do a tremendous job and I’m always impressed by the work a lot of people put into their floats.
We are very lucky to have such a high-quality event that provides fun for adults and kids alike. I think the kids come away with more candy than they even get on Halloween. It’s like a dentist’s dream.
This year I witnessed the best float I’ve ever seen in a local parade. It was the “Wizard of Oz” float by American Cancer Society Relay for Life – Lori’s Angels.
If you didn’t see it: It was two huge Christmas trees which moved down the street. The driving mechanism was hidden inside, making it much better than those floats on the back of trucks.
But as the trees stopped, the song “Follow The Yellow Brick Road” began to play. The one tree opened and Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion and the Scarecrow came out dancing.
A short time later a door at the top of the tree swung open and the Wicked Witch of the West appeared. Then they all went back inside the float, the tree closed up and the float moved on. It received tremendous applause from the parade-goers like I’ve never seen before.
The judges must have like it, too. It took first place in the nonprofit category and was named most unique float.
In my opinion, it was the greatest float ever. Kudos to those float builders.
I always thought that if I built a float — and I won’t — it would be the duplicate of the float that the frat brothers built in the movie “Animal House.” Man, that would be fun dressing like a pirate like John Belushi and riding that black tank-like float down the street.
But since I’m not that energetic, I’ll have to simply enjoy attending the Hermitage parade every year and admiring the work of others.
See you at next year’s parade and remember: “There’s no place like home ... there’s no place like home ... there’s no place like home.”
The Herald’s Lynn Saternow writes this weekly column for the Opinion page.
Opinion
Related Photos
Even Wicked Witch would like Holiday Light Parade
- Opinion
-
-
Juicy tips will be far fewer without ‘Scoop’ on the phone
I enjoyed calling him Scoop. I was the newspaper guy, but for more years than I can remember, Gary Douglas was at the other end of phone calls on a regular basis.
“Did you hear about this? Did you hear about that? Did you hear about so-and-so? Better check this out. I’ll bet you haven’t heard about this.”
That usually was the flow of the conversation. Most of the time he was right. Some of the tips turned into stories that were fit to print, and others not so much.
-
The only thing we have to fear is fear-mongering
To hear some folks tell it, it’s no longer morning in America, it’s five minutes to midnight. They say the United States, once the greatest nation on Earth, is today on a glide path to the ash heap of history.
-
Super Bowl Sunday brings a super boost for the local economy
The game is more than a glitzy international event. It serves as a one-day boon to local economies like ours here at home.
-
Punxsutawney Phil, Mitt and a litany of bad GOP hopefuls
Here are some thoughts from a guy who doesn’t put a whole lot of stock in rascally rodents that make weather forecasts.
-
In Ed Likovich’s yard, apples don’t fall very far from the tree
Adage tells us that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. It really applies to the Likovich family of Hermitage, specifically Ed the father and teacher and Ed the son and student.
-
A smaller state legislature? Don’t hold your breath
Don't tell me that our state General Assembly is finally going to do what should have been done many years ago – cut the size of the Legislature.
-
A sad end to life: History will determine JoePa’s legacy
I had the privilege, yes privilege and honor, of meeting Joe Paterno several times in my life, both as a student at Penn State and in my role as editor of The Herald. It was with a heavy heart when I learned that he was near death during the Mercer County Hall of Fame’s annual dinner at the Park Inn by Radisson Saturday, and that he had died Sunday.
-
OUR VIEW: Dearth of candidate interest defies worth of legislative races
In case you hadn’t noticed, this is an election year. Actually every year is, but this is one of the big ones. Sure, there’s some sort of presidential race going on, but that’s just a sideshow to where the real action in this year’s election is – or at least should be.
Voters across the country will be electing every member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and here in Mercer County voters will help decide who represents three state House districts. -
Hall of Fame weekend stirs memories of ‘good old days’
Is there anything better than reminiscing about the “good old days”? That’s why I love the Mercer County Hall of Fame’s annual induction weekend.
-
We couldn’t fool anyone - the neighborhood always snitched
An old African proverb tells us that it takes a village to raise a child. At least two books drawing lessons from the proverb have been written, including the most famous in 1996 by Hilary Clinton, “It Takes A Village: And Other Lessons Children Teach Us.”
- More Opinion Headlines
-
