Still plenty of Christmas spirit to go around
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(Becky Long • Clay County Progress) We won’t get to dance in the streets with the Grinch this year, but he will return to the Hayesville square in December 2021.
The Grinch is not stealing Christmas, but COVID-19 has stolen the parade. Normally by this time of year, full page ads would have ran for a month in advance promoting the 33rd annual Hayesville Christmas Parade. However, like most local events, this year’s parade originally scheduled for Saturday, has been canceled.
The effects of the pandemic have created a number of issues including crowd size limitations. In a parade, spectators often stand shoulder to shoulder along the route. Also, people are often tightly assembled on the floats themselves. In this environment, it would be impossible to ensure safe health precautions such as social distancing and facial coverings were taken.
The parade was established by Clay County Progress in 1987 and the newspaper has sponsored it each year since its inception. It’s the highlight of the year for the staff who makes up the parade committee. Gathering on our picturesque, beautifully lighted square each year amid the laughter of children and sights and sounds of Christmas is a tradition many have grown up with and it’s a tradition that will continue — just not this year.
Next year, we’ll herald in the holiday season again, perhaps with one of the biggest parades in local history. In the meantime, I hope the spirit of the parade and Christmas itself remains in the hearts of one and all.