Christmas Kicks Off in Habersham

Hundreds turned out Saturday morning to officially usher in the Christmas season in Habersham. The annual Christmas parade took place in downtown Cornelia. The festive mood was met with sunshine and enough chill in the air to make Santa feel right at home.

Cornelia’s Main Street has never looked as sharp as it did Saturday morning. The streetsides were lined with winter-coated parents telling their equally warmed children, “Be ready to catch the candy!” Eager eyes, old and young, watched as police cars, flashing their blue lights, slowly led the parade of decorated tractors, cars, pickup trucks with trailers – and people – down the hill from the Depot, toward the shopping area of North Main.

READ: Christmas Parade Award Winners

People weren’t shopping on Saturday morning, though. They watched the marching band, with instruments reflecting a blazing sun. They saw little Girl Scouts, some of them dressed like Thin Mints, Do-Si-Dos, Tag-Alongs and other cookies the scouts are proud to sell. They saw a beautiful brown horse, a prancing part of a veterinarian clinic’s float and display. Pride in the community showed in Habersham County’s Christmas Parade, with smiling characters on floats tossing the expected candies into the audience.

Dr. Judy Taylor, of the Chamber of Commerce, which sponsored events after the parade – like a refreshment table, the petting zoo, Santa in a chair, waiting for youngsters to sit in his lap, and remarkably talented children singing at the Depot – called the day “beautiful.”

“It was a God-blessed day,” she said, “with beautiful weather. Everything has gone so well!”

Now Habersham videotaped the parade and will post it soon to our YouTube channel and webcast page. Stay tuned!