Linda Vanaman (SI Cumberland County, Bridgeton, New Jersey ) requested suggestions from Chatliners about a choice of theme for their Christmas Parade Float this year. Interesting ideas and music came from Soroptimists in Australia.....SI Cumberland decided to simulate Christmas as celebrated "Down Under".
Linda now reports back, with photos, on their participation in the Parade: "It was cold, nothing like Christmas Down Under. The temperature here in New Jersey was in the low 40's (about 8 Celsius) and overcast. New Jersey is humid. The cold feels colder and the hot feels hotter because of the humidity in the air. But we had a wonderful time.
"The tractor is the float in motion. Betty Johnson is driving the
tractor, Maria and Linda Carty are walking behind and you can see Dot West and Jeanne Garrison in the wagon. What you can see if you squint is our banner on the front of the tractor and the SI Cumberland County sign and logo on the back of the wagon."
"The theme of our float was Christmas Down Under. Our President's sister, Betty, drove the family's antique tractor which pulled a farm wagon that had been outfitted to look like a beach in Australia. The floor of the wagon was covered with discarded beige carpet which not only made it easy on the backside but gave the appearance of beach sand. Also on the float were a small decorated Christmas tree with presents under it, a portable gas grill, a boogey board, several beach chairs and blankets, a cooler, beach ball and other hot weather accoutrements.
"Two of our members, Jeanne Garrison and Dot West, played 'Mother' to two young girls who acted as all children on the beach do. They ran back and forth, waved to everyone, played with the beach ball, pretended to cook on the grill and so forth.
"Five of us walked along side the wagon tossing hard candy to the children in the crowd. I don't know if this is done other places, but it seems to be a tradition during parades here. This year we used 14 lbs of candy and almost ran out before the end of the parade. Linda Carty, one of our members ran into a Dollar Store en route to purchase candy to replenish our store so the children at the end of the parade would not be disappointed.
"Oh yes, the CD. We blared the CD while we were sitting in place waiting for the parade to begin. And then the parade organizers changed the staging and placed a marching band behind us. So much for the Christmas carols. All you could hear was the cadence of the drums. So we gave up the carols and marched along to the martial tunes of the marching band."
