With Thanksgiving having come and gone, the Christmas season is upon us. Black Friday officially ushered it in last week, but upcoming parades at towns throughout Sussex promise to bring it in with a little less insanity.
With Georgetown leading the way with a Dec. 3 balloon parade, Millsboro and Selbyville will all hold Christmas parades this week, with Rehoboth’s coming on Dec. 7, as chamber officials and parade committee heads scramble with last-minute additions and preparations.
For Sandy Craig, parade chair for the Millsboro chamber, the biggest challenge comes minutes before the event itself.
“The toughest part is getting it together and having people all lined up and in the right order, so the judges will announce them correctly,” Craig said.
While Craig and chamber executive director Fran Bruce are the primary organizers – this will be the third time Craig has served as chair, “and it will be my last for a while!” she said – more than a dozen volunteers help coordinate the parade lines, keeping bands, clubs, cars and pageant queens in the proper order.
And of course, both parades will feature that jolliest of holidaymakers, Kris Kringle, as well as kick off holiday visits at “Santa Houses” in both towns.
The Millsboro Santa House, on Main Street, will be open Dec. 12, 16, 19 and 24, 6-8 p.m. on Wednesdays and noon to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. The Georgetown house will be open Dec. 3 after the parade; it will also be open from 2-4 p.m. on Dec. 5, 12, and 19, and from 6-8 p.m. on Dec. 4, 11, 16 and 18.
