Toronto Santa Claus Parade

This year we headed out to Toronto for the Santa Claus Parade.  We take public transit which is great on weekends because they have a TTC Day Pass which allows a whole family to ride the Toronto Transit system for about ten bucks for a 24 hour period.  This is a great deal.  The other thing I should mention, is that both going to the parade and coming home is a bit crowded.  After the parade we thought we would head over to the Eaton Centre for hot chocolate, but this was the scene in the food court....the subway was even more crowded.  Personally, we do not like crowds so we left....slowly.

Anyhow...
We love going to the parade partly because we love walking down the center of the street.  Here is a view of University Avenue looking south.  The fence is a cordoned off area specifically for those who contribute, or sponsor the parade.  A large portion of University Ave. was fenced off and completely empty for this purpose.

The first thing that happens at the parade is the collection of hundreds of letters to Santa.  This mailbox paused so that I could snap a picture. 

 I think this was Santa.  He was in disguise for the parade dressed as a postal worker.

They also threw many toys including bouncy balls and stuffed animals (my daughter got a beaver).

 

There were horses...

....amazing floats.  This one is Mother Goose.

And, some of the best bands.  I particularly love the drum lines.  They really make me happy.

 

This was my favourite float.....



I especially loved shaking hands with the mounties.  There were these mounties on horseback, but also a small battalion who broke formation and fanned out along the street to greet people and shake their hands.  Really nice.



And then there was this....There were so many costumed characters that had nothing at all to do with Christmas, that it really could have been a Halloween Parade were it not for....

...the reindeer, and of course...



 

 SANTA!!!!

 

I must admit, I grew up watching the parade every year on tv and never dreamed that one day I would go downtown with my own daughter and watch. 

 

I still get excited.  I still gaze in wonder. 

For me, it never gets old....

...I hope the same is true for my daughter.

 

 

DMC

NOTE:  I have lots of posts that I should have written long ago....this is one of them.  The parade was actually on November 18th, 2012.  So I will be moving this post to that date after a bit.