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Parade of Lights celebrates old, new traditions
The persistent wind hampered preparations and dropped the outside temperature into bone-chilling numbers that approached single digits.
However, it didn't deter the hundreds of people that gathered downtown Friday evening to welcome the start of the holiday season.
Mountain Home's annual Christmas Parade of Lights celebrated a blend of long-standing traditions while incorporating new ideas to make the event even more festive, organizers said.
Hosted by the city's Chamber of Commerce, the parade included floats and entries representing 19 different businesses and organizations in Mountain Home. Despite the weather, the numbers of entries climbed significantly this year, said event coordinator Desiree Morgan.
Marking a break in tradition, the parade followed a modified route this year with the procession ending up in Railroad Park versus its previous stop in Triangle Park off American Legion Boulevard.
It's a new tradition that Mayor Tom Rist hopes to see grow in the years to come.
With parade goers bundled up to brace against the wind, several hundred people lined the downtown streets to wave at the procession with most folks opting to walk over to the local park to witness the festival's newest tradition. In addition to lighting up the park's largest evergreen tree, more than a half dozen groups and organizations took time out of their busy schedules to set up various displays along a stretch of North Main Street.
An initiative that was two years in the making, the first-ever Light Up Railroad Park effort proved a "big success," Morgan said. "It wasn't bad for our first year."
Meanwhile, a handful of cheerleaders from the high school's junior varsity squad walked the route collecting canned food and "gently used" coats during their "Coats and Cans" effort.
"You have to be a little crazy to be out in this weather," said Chyanna Curtis as she sipped a cup of hot chocolate to beat back the chill. However, she remained determined to keep the weather from affecting the team's effort to benefit local area food banks.
"I like helping people... and it's always nice to help out others in such a joyous season," Curtis said.
Friday's unrelenting wind prompted local officials to make a last-minute change in another tradition. With the persistent wind gusts mercilessly battering a tent that Santa and Mrs. Claus planned to use, the yuletide couple moved over to the Mountain Home Youth Center.
"It's a really good turnout," said Chance McKeel, as she looked out at the dozens of people that crowded into the youth hangout.
"We weren't sure if people would show up because of the weather," added Mrs. Claus, who admitted that she goes by the name "Nana" in honor of her grandmotherly status.
With youngsters packed earmuff to earmuff, they took turns revealing their fondest holiday wishes.
According to "Nana Claus," children here have very sincere wishes that tend to catch her a bit off guard.
"Some children say they want their daddy back from overseas," she said. Others wish for Santa to make it snow for their dad on Christmas Day while he's deployed to places like Iraq or Afghanistan.
"Those little wishes really get to you," she added.
In addition to those very personal requests, children like Mason Healy had other wishes on their "must-have" list. In addition to a BB gun, the youngster wanted a truck "this big," he told Santa with the youngster's arms fully extended.
Jacki Taggart simply wanted a new Barbie doll "because my other Barbie needs a new friend." Her sister, Emma, wished for a stuffed kitty.
Meanwhile, Keira Edington hoped that Santa would bring her a Barbie dream house, a pogo stick and a puppy.
"She wants a lot of stuff," said her friend, Bianca Becker.