Here Comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus, right down Santa Claus lane....

I remember as a little girl going into Toronto on the GO train with my great aunt Marg to see the window displays at Eatons and Simpson Sears, along Yonge St., at Christmas time, it was just so magical! I didn't care that we didn't buy anything, I could have just stood there for hours watching the elaborate holiday displays, with the bright colours and animated moving figures, in window after window. I never did see the Santa Claus Parade IRL as a child, but we would always watch it on T.V. from home, as a family, but it was something I really wanted my kids to be a part of, the 105 year old tradition.

So we took the kids to the Santa Claus parade in Toronto today, and it was certainly a great day to go. The weather co-operated, and although it was overcast, it was supposed to be about 13 degrees, (not sure what it made it up to, but it was probably pretty close to that) which made for a pleasant day. A few weeks after I first met R, he was taking his boys down and asked me to join them, and it was freezing cold that day and not enjoyable at all!

Of course Carson whined and said he didn't want to go (as he does with everything?) sometimes I wonder why we bother? Are our kids just too spoiled because we take them everywhere, maybe its just not special anymore?, anyway we made him go and he had a good time despite himself. The boys liked traveling on the GO train and are always in awe of the size of the buildings in the city.

Mom met us at Union Station and we didn't have to walk too far to get a good seat, (we found a place around Yonge and Adelaide, although we waited about an hour and a half before the parade finally started. Carson's DS kept him busy for the wait, while mom and I and Harrison, all walked up as far as Queen St. to see if any of the stores had their windows decorated. We were really disappointed to see that none of the stores did and I'm not even sure if they do that anymore now that Eaton's is no longer. It is such a shame and I am really sad that my children will never get to experience that!

Well we all enjoyed the parade and everyone agreed that they were glad we went, but mom and I thought the floats weren't as good as we remembered......was it that, or is it the truth, that you just can't go back?......

QOTD: Some memories are realities, and are better than anything that can ever happen to one again. ~WILLA CATHER