Residents watched from their yards, porches and windows as Franklin Park brought some holiday cheer to the village with a parade through residential streets on Saturday.
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Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus and an elf rode on a fire truck, waving and calling out to residents holding signs and children waving their letters to Santa.
“I was surprised that they were able to take time off from the North Pole and come in,” Mayor Barrett Pedersen said in an interview. “I guess they had to delegate somebody to continue to make the toys.”
Pedersen’s Prius was decorated with a big red nose, antlers and silver and multicolored garlands, and the other village vehicles were dressed up for Christmas as well. On the way, the parade passed residents’ homes festooned with inflatable reindeer, garlands and other decorations.
“I was amazed at how many parents and kids were out, and I was surprised by how many had big, huge signs made up that said, ‘Thank you Santa, from Jimmy and Sue,’ or whatever their names were,'” Pedersen said.
Through the three-hour parade, Pedersen said he saw hundreds of kids, and told them not to forget to write their letters to Santa. Many were asking for Playstations and other electronics, he said.
With the holiday season approaching and many people having to go without seeing family and with familiar events canceled, Pedersen said the village wanted to cheer up residents by taking the parade right to their doors. Residents were able to remain socially distanced while enjoying the festive occasion. That concept was also also implemented by other towns like nearby Elmwood Park for its Fourth of July celebration.
“We got phone calls and emails from seniors who said, ‘Boy, this is just what we needed.’ I can’t believe how many said that,” Pedersen said. “And a lot of them said, ‘It was nice. I was able to watch from my window, and it really brought the spirit back because I’m stuck inside. I’m unable to do anything.”
The parade ended with Pedersen, the village trustees and village clerk lighting the Christmas tree at Hammill Square. The village is producing a video of the parade, inspired by the style of TV coverage of the famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.