Thanksgiving Parade

Saturday was the Thanksgiving parade in Plymouth, MA.  And, as "America's Hometown", the parade is huge.  As in, Is it over yet?  How about now?! huge.  Which I happen to like!!  Marching bands came from New Jersey, Arizona and Quebec (and I'm sure more that I didn't notice).

Let's face it, Thanksgiving Day rolls around and you end up spending your day in the kitchen cooking rather than getting to watch Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.  Plus...must of us can't get to NYC on a whim. 

Lately, I've had a few people ask what it's like living so close to Plymouth Rock and where Thanksgiving originated.  Honestly, until someone asked - I never really thought about it. Around here we take for granted that we can stroll by Plymouth Rock on a Friday night, or a summer day, or any time we darn near feel like it.  As children we *groan* at the prospect of going to Plimouth Plantation for the third year in a row as a school field trip. 

Now that I have given it some thought - I think it's amazingly cool that our area is so steeped in history.  That children here have an understanding of who the Pilgrims were, exactly why they came here, and how they arrived.  I wish more kids got to experience that.  Maybe next year, you'll think of coming up for a visit?!

Anyway...here are a few (OK, about a dozen) pictures that I stole from Kristin.  She was the smart lady that remembered her camera.  Me, not so much!

Period costume abounded...

You can't tell from the picture, but those stakes were huge.  And pointy!

We had dozens of beautiful horses trot past us.

The Boston Police Celtic group.  Bagpipes make me tear up, y'all!

I don't think we went more than 5 minutes without musket fire.

Some of these costumes were ah-ma-zing!

Fife and drum corps are pretty cool...

What's a parade without floats?!  They had to bring this one down to fit under power lines.  And, um... SQUIRREL!!

I felt bad for the guy in this piggy costume.  There's no doubt that he fell at some point.

All branches of the military marched.  I was blown away by the Army's float.  Those bronze men?  ACTUAL MEN who stood still for the whole parade.  Behind them is a real helo, and the names of those KIA are listed along the sides and back of the float.

SANTA!!!!!

Don't these three look thrilled?!  Chilly...but thrilled?!?!