Q & A Time at the Christmas Parade with Sophie

BritMumInNZ

16 November and Wellington’s annual Christmas Parade. Sophie and I arrived in town early and delighted in walking along the roads without having to stop for the traffic. We whiled away the time in the book store reading ‘Mr Men’ books and Christmas stories. Then we took a ride up the cable car – but seeing the crowds coming down in the opposite direction for the parade we stayed on and kept our seats, rather than disembarking at the top in the Botanical Gardens.

Throngs of families lined the entire parade route. Hundreds of children sat on the kerbside for close to an hour in anticipation of the parade and ensuring a good viewing spot. Tip Top (ice-creams and ice blocks) were primary supporters with Tip Top flags liberally handed out and ice-creams being sold at every turn.

Sophie was full of questions and comments…

SJ: I’m going to give Father Christmas a big hug when I see him!
Mum: Well, he’ll be on a float, so you won’t be able to hug him but you can give him a very big wave.
SJ: Father Christmas will be floating? Why? Why? Why?
Mum: Not floating as such, but on a float – like a vehicle – a sleigh.
SJ: Why?
Mum: Erm… let’s go get an ice-cream!

SJ: Is it Christmas now Mummy?
Mum: Well, not yet, but it’s coming closer. There are lots of fun celebrations leading up to Christmas Day.
SJ responded with a thoughtful, slightly confused look.
SJ: When is Christmas?
Mum: In December, on the 25th day of December.
SJ: Hey! My Birthday is in December! Boxing Day!
Mum: Yes, love, you’re very lucky as you’re Birthday will always be on a public holiday.
SJ: What’s a public holiday?
Mum: Well, it’s a lovely family day and we’ll all be able to enjoy it with you. Daddy won’t be working on your Birthday.
SJ: Hurray! All of us can eat cake together!

We had plenty of time for conversation as we waited for the start of the parade. With Sophie asking every few seconds, ‘Are the vehicles coming yet?’.

When the parade started, promptly at 2pm as scheduled, Sophie had a prime viewpoint to see the oncoming floats. Her face lit up each time and said, ‘Look!’. As the parade went on I kept saying, ‘I wonder if this will be Father Christmas, he’ll be right at the end.’ Sophie was so excited as each float went past and particularly loved the marching bands and bagpipes (even though she did put her hands over her ears as they went past!).



When ‘Bob the Builder’ came past so many children gasped in excitement and glee that I thought, ‘This will be Father Christmas!’ Quite a few adults shared a joke on the fact that Bob and Father Christmas took equal share of squeals of delight from the children!

There were many other well loved children’s characters too… among them Happy Feet, Dora the Explorer, Care Bears, Shrek, Percy (from Thomas the Tank Engine).

Charli (who didn’t want to go as she’s not a fan of crowds and is not quite A1 with a non-itchy all over body rash/virus that’s going round school) was rapt that I captured a photo of a Storm Trooper for her.

A beautiful float of seemingly floating Angels and the nativity scene captured everyone’s gaze and Sophie was in awe at seeing Mary and baby Jesus.

There was a wonderful mix of entertainment, music, colour and themes.

Environment, religion, sport, well-being and freedom of expression… all well represented with so much thought, energy and planning.


A fabulous parade! Thank you Wellington City Council! I really loved it – even if my feet were swollen and legs very stiff from lots of squatting down at the kerbside and trying to angle my arm out from the crowds to get some photos!

For the full album of photographs click below:

Christmas Parade 2008

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8 thoughts on “Q & A Time at the Christmas Parade with Sophie”

  1. WHOW…agree Wellington City Council should indeed be proud of the wonderful procession…..the Christmas parade looked amazing and we could almost hear the bands and cheering as we watched it here on the blog. So many questions from you Sophie darling and so pleased you enjoyed it so much. Lovely too for mummy to get such super pictures to show us and also for Charli to see them and one of her favourite characters too. Christmas is coming and it is a very special time. All just lovely to watch !!!

    Hi folks, the bands were really magic – always my favourite the marching bands. Lots of love, Sarah x

  2. Wow that brings back memories although I cant remember all the ‘movie stars’ when I was a Wellingtonian. Looks like the weather was great too.

    Thanks Tanya, weather was pretty good – some year’s the poor children on the floats have been shivering in a cold southerly – but they had a rain day scheduled just in case. The children loved it.

  3. WoW, this looks wonderful. I had no idea that this was on. There again since I stopped buying the Dom Post which has rattled down hill to be not worth buying any more.

    Thanks for sharing this with us though. Need to remember next year and kidnap someone’s child so I have an excuse to go!

    Hi Julie, Don’t worry there were plenty of big children at heart! I find ‘wotzon‘ really useful for keeping tabs on events. There’s always so much on over summer isn’t there? It’s really wonderful. Sarah

  4. It was good wasn’t it? We were up at the Cuba St end, the kids loved every second of it.
    Great pics, I have to finish editing all mine, what a mission!

    Hi Hay, just taken a look at your blog and, as ever, incredible photographs! I love the marching bands. Glad the children enjoyed it. Sarah x

  5. *sigh* I’m always so jealous whenever I see photos of wellington. Must shut my eyes when on wellington blogs 😆

    Great pics, great floats, and great weather by the looks of it!
    But why so early! It’s November!

    Anyway – Hi 😀

    I know – November and tinsel torture is already upon us! At least the parade has prompted me into finally putting pen to card and getting my Christmas cards off to the UK in good time! For years I’d do all my Christmas shopping in October to make the economy postage to the UK – but now I’ve given up and do it all on-line over a glass of wine! Sarah x

  6. Gorgeous photos honey! You did so well with Sophie to watch too. Next year we will stand near the start I think and see what its like that side. It met us around 2.30pm and we had been sat on the kerb gathering a suntan for an hour when you were probably home! Glad you had fun, it was an awesome day – hugs xxx

    Sure was Marrisa – Sophie was a breeze to keep tabs on – whereas poor Charli would have found the crowds crazy – she actually said, ‘It’s not my cup of tea’! We’re taking Charli to the Seatoun Parade on Saturday 13th December, which is a lovely ‘village’ type parade – with all the magic but not quite so overwhelming. xx

  7. Hiya Sarah

    Reminded us of when we saw it last year – aaaahhhh, and M asked his first proper Why???? questions today – he’s said What’s that for? etc but this one was a proper ‘Why?’ – so with SJ’s Q’s it prompted me to share with you!!! – wonderful pics – M is a huge BtB fan so he’d have been psyched to see it plus Father Christmas too!!!! – we’ve told him we’re gonna let him know we’ve moved house and it’s been a little confusing for him of late – but he certainly has decided which toys are going on the boat and which ones are going with him on the plane!!!!

    anyways can’t wait to see you at Christmas – hugs Rx

    Best wishes Rachel and can’t wait to meet you and Myles in person! It must be so confusing for Myles at the moment, but he has the most wonderful parents to assure him and guide him along the way. Good luck with the final stages of the big move and see you in a few week’s time! Sarah x

  8. wowsers – a STORMTROOPER at the christmas parade?
    lol!
    mwah X

    I know! I laughed at that too – the parade really did cater to the interests of every child (and adult!). Sarah x

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