Princeton Christmas Parade
By Ty Johnson
Published in News on December 2, 2012 1:50 AM
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News-Argus/BOBBY WILLIAMS
A procession of tractors makes its way through the streets of Princeton on Saturday during the town's annual Christmas Parade.
The Christmas parade was over in Princeton, but there was still the jingling of bells along its streets.
A horse drawn wagon, complete with jingle bells, patrolled downtown, a leftover from the parade, which Ashley Rains said was one of the biggest turnouts he could remember.
He and his wife, Angela, have been going to the parade for years, so when there was an opportunity for them to publicize their business, Boon Hill Propane, they leapt at the chance.
From the wagon steered by Richard Berry, the couple, along with their sons Braxton, 5 and Brayden, 10, tossed candy and pens to parade-goers.
Once the streets cleared, though, someone jokingly yelled to Wheeler that he had heard there was a parade today.
"Yeah, we're the only ones!" he shouted back.
With the candy and pen bowls empty, Braxton and Brayden both say they didn't mind tossing the candy instead of being on the receiving end, but it's not likely those retrieving the candy would have been interested in trading places.
Brooke Batts brought her children, Jamaka, 12, and Ray, 11, and Bryce Scott, 10, to the parade, where they said Santa Claus was, although there was a caveat.
"He threw the good candy," Bryce said, listing off a half-dozen names of candy bars the Jolly Old Elf had tossed to the trio.
He patted his jeans pockets, which were full of candy, before adding that he liked the cars, too, especially a classic Chevrolet Monte Carlo early in the procession.
Still, it was clear that, according to those three, the candy stole the show, narrowly upstaging Santa himself.